21. The Idolatry of the Church

It is with some reluctance that I write this post.  My reputation for enjoying controversy is well earned – I admit that.  However, I really do not like controversy, and when I started writing this blog I wanted to shy away from it.  However, there is something within me that always demands or compels me to call bullshit when I see it.  In the following blog, I do not seek to enter the controversy over homosexuality as being a sin, rather I focus on how we the body of Christ fail to extend our love, compassion and grace to others – regardless of whether we view them as being unrepentant sinners.  For the sake of this entry I will simply assume that homosexual acts are sinful. 

I have finally figured out why I mistrust the sentiment of the mainstream church in regards to homosexuality.  For the sake of brevity, I would include those other queer folk such as my transgendered friends.

Back when I was a drunken Charismatic Lutheran, I had been given a picture of Jesus.  I should point out that it was not a photograph, rather an artist’s rendering of Christ.  At the time my roommate and I had furniture that had no legs, and the picture hung from a hook in the ceiling.  It was rather an odd effect.  The picture of Jesus, and you have seen it, shows him with his face upturned, hair neat coifed, his beard nicely trimmed, and he is white, middle class and he is straight.  God himself is also male, white, middle class and straight.  Yes, I did see Morgan Freeman in Bruce Almighty, but that was a movie. 

It is for this reason that I mistrust the sentiment within the churches.  The image of God, a graven image, is of a white, middle class man.  To participate in the wholesale condemnation of others strikes me as an act of idolatry. I feel this way because I am doubtful that our stance as a church is based on scripture as much as it is in our desire to project an image of what it means to be a Christian, and that image is a reflection of what we think of God.

Allow me to digress.  At one point in time, the term Christian was synonymous with white – Caucasian.  Many of the arguments that kept Black churches black and White churches white parallel our antigay arguments.  If you doubt me, google “Bible Verses Supporting Segregation.”  The same tactic of taking verses out of context; social, cultural and biblical were used in the entire reluctance to let people of colour integrate into our churches.  I don’t think we have come that far.

Consider that in 2010 a national survey of American churches showed 90% had no racial diversity.  We have integrated races into the mosaic of our culture but not into our houses of worship.

I believe that we, the church, have singled out homosexuality for special treatment.  Yes, I am aware that the bible states that it is a sin.  In those verses in the New Testament where homosexuality is condemned it is at least put into the context of, if not viewed the same as, lying, coveting, disrespecting your parents, gossiping, and being greedy as well as others.  So my question is, if we are taking a stand against homosexuality based on scripture, should we not take as active a stand against gossip as well?

What is it about homosexuality that sets it apart from other sins?  I have been told that sexual sin is special, and yes there is a bible verse for that, but consider the scripture below. 

1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.

So, my friends, I wonder about all the attention to homosexuality.  I wonder what God thinks about this, that we have chosen one specific sin to focus on. I believe it is Idolatry.  A gay couple can show up and be unrepentant of their sin, and I could chose not to have them in my church.  But the millionaire who cuts ethical corners in doing business is welcome. The person who makes the coffee, and sets the chairs, who tells you that this person is doing that or that person is doing this, is welcome. 

I must admit, that I fall into the above group.  I am as repentant as I can muster, at other times I am not, but I fall into the above group.  I look porn, I lust after women other than my wife, I lie, on occasion I gossip, and I will when I can get away with it cut corners at work.  I am amongst those people who you should not eat with.

I am also aware what Paul had to say to us about judging.  It is curious, it comes right after his list of sins that include homosexuality.  So at least I try not to judge. 

Romans 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

I think it is in our hypocrisy where the truth of idolatry can be found.  A minster that I know of has taken multiple tropical vacations with his family while there are those in his church struggling just to put food on the table.  Is his celebration of his wealth any less repugnant than the unrepentant gay minister?  And if so, why?

In my desire to keep the blog short, I will continue next week.  Until then let me close with my belief that we all fall short of the glory of God.  And, if you are looking for somewhere to eat during the next Church pot luck dinner, feel free to pull up a chair at my table.

1 Cor. 1:28 & 29 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.