Four Ridiculous Myths Perpetuated By Popular Culture

1. Disapproval equals hate.

Publicly express your disapproval of nearly anything and you will quickly be chastised for your “hatemongering”. However, disapproval and hate are really entirely different things. Growing up I found many activities that met with my parents’ disapproval – lying, stealing, cheating, etc. Were I to engage in one of these activities, then my parents would have very quickly expressed that disapproval in whatever ways they felt would have the most lasting impact. However, their disapproval of an activity in no way indicated that they hated me. Quite the opposite really! If they did not LOVE me, then they would not care enough to correct me.

2. The only thing that’s wrong is to say something is wrong. An intolerant voice cannot be tolerated.

Nothing seems to bring about a more rapid barrage of venomous words, condescension, and generally hate-filled speech than expressing an “intolerant” view of the lifestyle or beliefs of others. Just ask Kirk Cameron or Dan Cathy. It is unbelievably hypocritical for preachers of absolute tolerance to be so unwilling to tolerate the voicing of an opposing point of view.

3. Sexual orientation, like race and gender, is not a choice. It is simply how you are born and cannot be changed.

That is certainly not what the Bible teaches. You’ve often heard 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 invoked in discussions about the sinfulness of homosexuality. That passage does list homosexuality as being among the sins that would keep you from the kingdom of God. However the best part of the passage comes in the next verse, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Some of the Corinthians had formerly been homosexuals, but CHANGED when they were washed, sanctified, and justified.

There are countless people who have changed their sexual orientation over the years – both ways. It can be done. The truth becomes obscured when the definition of terms in the discussion puts sexual orientation in the same class as race and gender.

4. It is inconsiderate, arrogant, and hateful to seek to change someone else’s sincerely held beliefs.

Recently I read a blog comment by an individual identified as “Phrenia” that said,

“…sometimes I just don't see how it is any of our business and if we don't like it, we should stick to not doing it ourselves. I don't understand this need to control other people and their personal preferences/beliefs/opinions. The worst part is that when we are being intolerant of others for something, it's completely selfish. We don't stop to think, "Oh, this is their belief and this belief is true for them" but instead we think "Their belief is not right. Ours is. Their belief should mirror ours". It's like we don't stop to think that as strongly we believe in our belief, they believe in theirs.”

Phrenia’s comments reflect the views of a great many people. What this poster, and many like-minded people, fail to consider is that if I sincerely believe that another person’s lifestyle will result in their soul being lost, then abstaining from trying to change them is the most inconsiderate, arrogant, and hateful thing that I could possibly do! It would imply that I don’t think they are worth saving, or even worse, that I don’t want them to be saved. The effort to change the thinking of others is not an attempt to “control” them, but rather it is an effort to save them.

Of course, this should be done in a loving and civil way. It should be done without malice or haughtiness. But it should be done. G.K. Chesterton famously said, “Tolerance is the virtue of people who do not believe in anything.” Or to put it another way, to believe that all beliefs are equal is to hold no beliefs at all.

These discussions frequently remind me of Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” It seems to me that our popular culture has done a great deal of mislabeling evil and good.

An Appeal to Worship Leaders from a Parent of Small Children

There is a group of people that work during worship services almost as hard as the preacher– the parents of small children.  These men and women are doing their best to worship and grow themselves, while at the same time teaching their children to behave during worship services.  They are also doing what they can to keep their children from distracting those around them.  After services you can see those brave parents leave, visibly more haggard and disheveled than when they entered, but glad that they were there.   

     I realize that small children are not the primary consideration for most worship services.  However, I think that there are a few small things that we can do that would help those parents in their plight.  I also think that many other people in the assembly would appreciate these same suggestions. 

·         To Prayer Leaders:

Keep it short and simple.  Prayer asks intense concentration, reverence, and silence from an audience.  With my children with me, then I can give you that for a couple of minutes – maybe 5 minutes on a really good day.  Beyond that, the task of keeping children quiet becomes so stressful that I have no idea what else you have prayed about, and can only breathe a sigh of relief when you finally finish.  Don’t get me wrong; I am a HUGE advocate of prayer, but there is a time and place for lengthy prayers, and the regular worship service is not that place. 

You might say that long prayers are a sign of spirituality and maturity.  However, consider the example of our Lord when he taught His disciple to pray.  In the New King James Version the “Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13) is only 66 words long.  It is short and simple, yet very powerful.  John 17 contains the longest prayer in the whole New Testament, yet the entire text can be easily read aloud in about 3 minutes time.  Surely these examples show that a prayer’s value is not measured by great length and wordiness.  The point is that a short, thoughtful public prayer might be more effective than a long, winding one. 

·         To Song Leaders:

The song service is largely a welcome respite for parents.  Kids don’t have to be as quiet, and can actually participate in a verbal way in this portion of the worship service.  The one suggestion I have for this portion of worship is that having the songs on PowerPoint would be helpful.  That way I can wrestle my son with both hands and still see the words to the song.  There are times when, frankly, it just isn’t worth messing with the song book.  

·         To Preachers:

Having served for years as an associate and also a pulpit minister, I have spent enough sermons both in the pulpit and the pew to understand each side quite well.  The task of preaching is an important one, and I do not ask you to shorten your sermons.  Take as much time as you need to cover the topic, but please don’t make me listen to (and keep my child occupied through) meaningless fluff.  If we’re going to fight to keep our toddler quiet and still so that we can listen to you, then reward us with substance worth listening to.  I can remember a guest speaker once who spent almost 20 minutes in introductory chatting and small talk before he actually began his lesson – which of course ran quite long.  An audience’s best attention (and a child’s best capacity to sit still) is at the very beginning of the sermon.  Don’t waste this time.  Get right into the lesson as quickly as you can.

Having said all of that, these are just my opinions.  I recognize that everyone has their opinions and preferences, and yours may differ from mine.  That’s fine when it comes to matters of discretion.  I only intend to present a perspective that I hope that fellow worship leaders will take into consideration at congregations with small children.  What are your thoughts on the matter?  

How to Treat Children That You Hate

 1.  Always give them their way.  They will like this, and won’t see what a horrible thing that you are actually doing to them.  Very sneaky!

Proverbs 29:15 (NKJV) The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

Proverbs 22:15 (NKJV) Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.

2.  Never discipline them.  After all, correction is a sign of love and permissiveness is a sign of hatred.

Proverbs 13:24 (NKJV) He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

Proverbs 3:12 (NKJV) For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Hebrews 12:7-8 (NKJV) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

3.  Be more concerned with giving short-term happiness, than teaching long-term lessons.  This is a great way to ensure that they will be failures in life.

Proverbs 19:18 (NKJV) Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.

Proverbs 29:17 (NKJV) Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul.

Proverbs 23:13-14 (NKJV) Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.

On the other hand, if you love your children, then you should do the opposite of all of these things.  I’m certainly not condoning abuse in any way.  I am not recommending that you take out anger on children or be intentionally mean to them.  However, a good parent knows that being good their children is not always the same as being kind to them.  

Four Questions That Every Wife Should Ask Her Husband

[Guest post written by the lovely and brilliant Tiffany Gaines]

Ephesians 5:22 tells wives to be subject to their own husbands, as to the Lord. Submission seems to be an old and outdated tradition in our modern world, however it is Biblical and still applies today. Part of our submission is love and respect to our own husbands. We can gain so much as wives by showing love, respect, and submissiveness to our husbands each and every day. Men are not nearly as complicated as women and taking care of a few things can go a long way in a Christian marriage! Communication is key. Let’s take a look at some questions we should frequently ask our husbands that show love, respect, and submission.

1.  Are you satisfied with our sex life? 

Talking about sex is almost a taboo sometimes. However, sex within a marriage is a wonderful and necessary thing. God created Eve in Genesis 2:22-23 as a gift for man that they may be one flesh. Hebrews 13:4 tells us the marriage bed is to be held in honor among all. I Corinthians 7 is a beautiful passage showing that our bodies belong to one another. Men show intimacy through sexual closeness. The more we show love physically to our husbands, the closer they feel to us as well. Don’t see it as a chore. See it as an adventure. Make talking about sex a “normal” thing for you, not an awkward conversation. Take a look at the Song of Solomon today. It’s a great read. Song of Solomon 5:16 is a great motto to have!

2.  Can you teach me to fish this weekend? 

This question is generic but encompasses a very important reality that we sometimes lose after those dating years. Our spouse needs us to be his recreational “buddy” sometimes. Think about it, who would you most want to share your favorite activities with? It won’t kill us to play a little basketball, go fishing, or even play a little WII once in awhile. It’s an added bonus to ask them to teach you a skill or surprise them with an activity in a way that says I love being with you instead of I’m just doing this because I have to. Sometimes attitude is everything!! God gave us a wonderful husband to spend life with so let’s not spend all of our time on chores and work. Let’s get out there and play!

3.  How can I be a better help meet? 

God not only gave woman to man as a sexual partner in life but as someone to help him to reach the goal of Heaven! Ephesians 5:22-33 gives husbands and wives excellent examples of how we should submit to our husbands and he will love us as Christ loves the church. What a beautiful picture! Our husbands are the spiritual leaders in the home, but we are there to help him as he strives to meet the noble goal of Heaven. We can ask how to better help and also help by preparing little ones in our home through teaching and songs, getting nightly routines finished before family devotional time, and showing the respect our husband deserves in front of our children and others.

4. What can I do for you today? 

Men get overwhelmed too. Check in to see if they need a little help getting something finished. Ask if you can bring them some coffee and the paper at the end of the day. Make your husband feel important and you will reap many rewards.

Our husbands are our greatest asset. Keep communication open. People change over time and we need to know our spouses better than anyone. Ask some of these questions to your hubby. He may have some surprising answers in store, but you are sure to grow closer to one another and God through following His Biblical examples for marriage.

[See Tiffany's blog at: http://excellentwife.blogspot.com/]

Four Questions That Every Husband Should Ask His Wife Once In A While

1.  How can I make you feel more loved?  
Ephesians 5:25 makes it clear that we ought to have a very strong love for our wives.  Make sure that she feels very secure in that love, and that you are showing your love in a way that she can hear it.


2.  What do you think that I should understand better about you?  
We should be lifetime students of our wives.  When you first started dating, you wanted to know everything about her.  By the time you got married, you had earned your diploma in “Your Wife 101”.  Don’t stop there.  Keep working for a Ph.D. in “Your Wife”!  She changes and grows, and that requires you to continue to study her.  (see 1 Peter 3:7) 

3.  How are you feeling about your soul right now?  
Guys, as the spiritual leader of your household, you will have to account for your spouse’s soul.  Don’t just assume that she is doing alright spiritually.  Check in on her from time to time.  Discuss her doubts and pray together about it.

4.  How can I help you today?  
Dedicate your day off once in a while to helping her catch up.  This is especially important if she’s been feeling behind, or if that “honey-do” list is getting pretty backed up.  Many women will translate your actions of service into affirmations of love.

Keep those lines of communication open.  Try asking her some of these questions this weekend.  Her answers might surprise you, and they will probably help you to grow closer.

A Balanced Look at Prom

It is that time of year again, and I’ve already seen quite a few comments and articles about the various merits and evils of prom.  It is such an emotionally charged subject, that to broach the topic seems to always cause heated debate.  So with some measure of trepidation I will tiptoe into the discussion.

I think that sometimes we paint with an unnecessarily broad brush that winds up causing friction where it doesn’t have to be.  My purpose in this article is not to tell you that prom is evil and that I will be questioning your devotion to God if you or a loved one attend.  Neither is my purpose to praise the activity and tell the anti-prom crowd to calm down.  To be quite honest, I have seen both sides of the discussion overstate their case, in my opinion.  But rather I want to focus on what we KNOW, and then let you make application as you see fit.

I know that lasciviousness (lewd or sensual behavior) is wrong (Galatians 5:19; Mark 7:22).  I know that immodesty is wrong (1 Timothy 2:9).  I would expect that all God-fearing Christians would agree with both of those statements.  The task then is to apply that knowledge.  Lasciviousness and immodesty are wrong wherever they take place, and the faithful Christian should abstain from them as they would any other sin.

To say much beyond the preceding paragraph is probably not very profitable.  Apply the clear teachings of Scripture to every situation of your life… neither over-emphasizing, nor excluding any area.  No one can ask for more from you.

From a Kid's Point of View

The following is a guest article from my 9 year old daughter.  I hope you enjoy it:

What do you want to be when you grow up?  That is a common question people ask.  Many people say they want to be a doctor, or nurse, or actor, or actress.  But how often do you hear, “I want to be a preacher”, or “I want to be a ladies’ day speaker”? 

            This story is from a book called, The Three Trees.  Each tree had a different dream.  The first tree said, “I want to be a treasure chest and carry the greatest treasure ever!”  The second tree said, “I want to be a mighty ship and carry a great king!”  The third tree said, “I want to be the tallest tree ever, so when people see me, they think of God.” 

Some men came and chopped down all three trees.  The first one was made into a manger in which Jesus was laid. Then the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure ever.  The second tree was made into a little sailboat, which Jesus rode on.  Then the second tree knew that he was carrying the greatest king ever.  The third tree was made into a cross, upon which Jesus was crucified.  When he died, the third tree knew that people would look at the cross and think about God.

They all had a dream that came true.  Yet, how beautiful was the third tree’s dream?  I think everybody should be more like that third tree.  When people think of you, what do they think of?
- Abby Gaines

Reflections on "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus"

  

   There is a video that has recently attracted a great deal of attention entitled, “Why I hate religion, but love Jesus.”  It is a slickly produced, thought provoking video that presents some challenging views.  There are some good points and some understandable frustrations that are presented, however the overall thrust of the presentation is misguided.  The shock value of the presentation has distracted many from the inconsistencies of the actual message.  I thought there might be some value in stripping away the presentation and evaluating the text of what is being said to see if there is any merit to it.

What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion.

Then you would be greatly mistaken.  Jesus did stand in opposition to hypocrisy.  He opposed the Pharisees in their manipulation of religion.  However, it is pretty absurd to suggest that Jesus came to abolish religion in general.  He, himself, was a deeply religious man who perfectly kept the old Law.  He was devoted to the Word and to prayer.  He promised in Matthew 16:18 to build his church.  His teachings are almost exclusively religious in nature.  It is safe to say that the first statement of this poem is erroneous. 

Jesus did not come to abolish religion, but rather to proclaim true religion.  We read in James 1:27 (NKJV) Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. Who would have a problem with the religion described there?   

What if I told you voting republican really wasn’t his mission.
What if I told you republican doesn’t automatically mean Christian.

These statements are obviously true, but also sort of beside the point.

 
And just because you call some people blind.
Doesn’t automatically give you vision.

This statement is also true.  But remember that it cuts both ways.  Calling “religion” wrong, doesn’t automatically mean that you are enlightened. 

I mean if religion is so great, why has it started so many wars.

The greatest fault of the video is that it fails to differentiate between “religion” and “religious people.”  Many religious people are hypocrites.  All religious people are flawed (aside from Jesus).  The weakness lies with people, not religion.  Has religion been used by some as an excuse for selfish ambition?  Yes, of course.  But that doesn’t necessarily mean that all religion is wrong. 

This lyric also assumes that all war is inherently wrong.  War is often times a great atrocity, but there are sometimes good things that result.  Despots that oppress and mistreat their own people have been overthrown.  Freedom has been gained and upheld.  War gained the right to free speech that allowed this video to be made without fear of legal oppression.  Of course many wars have also been fought simply for the sake of broadening boarders and increasing power.  My point is that many fallacies are made by painting with too broad a brush – which this video does repeatedly.

Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor.    

I agree that all churches do not always use their funds in the best possible way.  Again, this is a fault of people, not religion itself.  On the other hand, I rather suspect that the vast majority of charity that occurs in the world is done in the name of some religion or another.  I don’t know of very many churches at all that do not have some form of benevolence program, although for many it probably should be an even higher priority.

Tells single moms God doesn’t love them if they’ve ever had a divorce.

I don’t know of a single religion that does that.  If they did, then that religion would be wrong – not religion itself.

But in the old testament God actually calls religious people whores.
Religion might preach grace, but another thing they practice.

Tend to ridicule God’s people, they did it to John The Baptist.
            Religion is the system of beliefs.  It cannot practice anything.  The actual charge that I suspect the video intends to levy is that religious people are too judgmental.  That charge is true of a lot of religious people, but not all.  We must also separate the failures of the adherents of a religion from the teachings of the religion itself.  And as far as ridiculing God’s people… isn’t this video doing just that?

They can’t fix their problems, and so they just mask it.
Not realizing religions like spraying perfume on a casket.(…)

Like lets dress up the outside make look nice and neat.
But it’s funny that’s what they use to do to mummies.
While the corps rots underneath.
            This criticism can be fairly brought to religious hypocrites.  Jesus said similarly to the Pharisees in Matthew 23:25-28 (NKJV) ²⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. ²⁷ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Yet Jesus never criticizes religion itself, only the Pharisees’ twisted form of it.  No claim is made that ALL religions are correct, but that doesn’t mean that NO religion is correct.

See the problem with religion, is it never gets to the core.
It’s just behavior modification, like a long list of chores.

            Now I think we come to the core appeal of this way of thinking.  If we can separate Jesus from organized religion, then we are free to reshape Jesus into our own image – disregarding anything we find demanding or inconvenient. 

            Repentance is a change of thinking that leads to a change in behavior.  The change does have to start at the core – the internal heart of a man.  But when that change takes place, then it will be visible in the way that we live.  Like John said in Luke 3:8, “bear fruits in keeping with repentance”.     There are certain behavioral expectations of a Christian, and you won’t read very much of Jesus’ teachings without coming across some.  Jesus would say in Matthew 7:21 (NKJV) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Doing something is required.  We are saved by grace, but that doesn’t mean that Jesus has no expectations of how we should act.

Now I ain’t judgin.
I’m just saying quit putting on a fake look, Cause there’s a problem.
If people only know you’re a Christian by your Facebook.
I mean in every other aspect of life, you know that logic’s unworthy.
It’s like saying you play for the Lakers just because you bought a jersey.

I agree.  Of course that isn’t a criticism of religion, but rather of hypocritical individuals. 

You see this was me too, but no one seemed to be on to me.
Acting like a church kid, while addicted to pornography.
See on Sunday I’d go to church, but Saturday getting faded.
Acting if I was simply created just to have sex and get wasted.
See I spent my whole life building this facade of neatness.
But now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness.

If he is implying that he has made changes since that time to bring his life more in harmony with the teachings of Jesus, then I rejoice for him.  I’m not sure how this is a criticism of religion though.  It was religion that introduced him to Jesus, and exposed him to the Scriptures.  Without religion, then he likely would continue wasting his life in riotous living.

If on the other hand he is implying that he has not changed those behaviors because they don’t matter – they are simply weaknesses to be boasted it – then I would point out Paul’s words in Romans 6:1-2 (NKJV) ¹ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

Because if grace is water, then the church should be an ocean.
It’s not a museum for good people, it’s a hospital for the broken.
            I heartily agree with this.

Which means I don’t have to hide my failure, I don’t have to hide my sin.
Because it doesn’t depend on me it depends on him.
See because when I was God’s enemy and certainly not a fan.
He looked down and said I want, that, man.

I’m pretty sure these are the teachings of some religions.  Romans 5:8 (NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Which is why Jesus hated religion, and for it he called them fools.
Don’t you see so much better than just following some rules.

Jesus called the Pharisees fools because of their twisted religious teachings, but he didn’t hate religion itself.  Jesus, himself, practiced and taught religion.

As far as rules go, Christianity is more than a list of rules, but there are some rules involved.  Jesus said in John 12:48 (NKJV) He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  Sounds like there are some things for which we’ll be responsible.

Now let me clarify, I love the church, I love the bible, and yes I believe in sin.
            That is just a contradiction.  The church is religion.  The Bible teaches religion.  A system of beliefs that acknowledges the existence of sin is religion.  I would like better clarification.

But if Jesus came to your church would they actually let him in.

Yes.  Yes, they would.

See remember he was called a glutton, and a drunkard by religious men.
But the son of God never supports self righteousness not now, not then.

These statements are true.  But they are not indictments of religion.  He was maligned by men wearing sandals.  Does that mean that wearing sandals is wrong?  No, of course not!  Jesus was probably wearing sandals too.  Jesus was a religious man, insulted by other religious men.  The fault was not in religion itself, but in those men and their erroneous version of it. 

Self righteousness is not God’s righteousness.  It is wrong whether it comes from someone who believes in religion or from someone who doesn’t.

Now back to the point, one thing is vital to mention.
How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrum’s.
See one’s the work of God, but one’s a man made invention.
See one is the cure, but the other’s the infection.
See because religion says do, Jesus says done.
Religion says slave, Jesus says son.
Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free.
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see.

            This creates a false and dangerous dichotomy.  It is nothing more than a series of unsupported, inflammatory statements.  Jesus and the church are not at odds with one another.  The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the head of the church, and the church is his body – Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 5:23, and Colossians 1:18.  The idea that we could love Christ while hating his church is ridiculous.  The church is the bride of Christ.  He loves it and bought it with his blood (Acts 20:28).  To reject Christ’s church and to reject his teachings (religion) is to reject him.  Jesus said in John 14:15 (NKJV) "If you love Me, keep My commandments”.

And that’s why religion and Jesus are two different clans.
Religion is man searching for God, Christianity is God searching for man.

First of all, Christianity is a religion.  Secondly, what’s wrong with man searching for God?  Hebrews 11:6 says that God “is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  Jesus, himself, said in Matthew 6:33 to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” 

Which is why salvation is freely mine, and forgiveness is my own.
Not based on my merits but Jesus’s obedience alone.
Because he took the crown of thorns, and the blood dripped down his face.
He took what we all deserved, I guess that’s why you call it grace.
And while being murdered he yelled. “Father forgive them they know not what they do.”
Because when he was dangling on that cross, he was thinking of you.
And he absorbed all of your sin, and buried it in the tomb.
Which is why I’m kneeling at the cross, saying come on there’s room.

Again, this is all religious teaching

So for religion, no I hate it, in fact I literally resent it.
Because when Jesus said it is finished, I believe he meant it.

            When Jesus said “It is finished,” he did mean it, but he wasn’t talking about religion being finished.  His mission was finished.  His redemptive work was finished.  Our debt of sin had been paid.

             I think that the maker of this video has some legitimate frustrations with organized religions; however he allows his frustrations to take him to places that aren’t logically supportable.  There are people who do things in the name of Christ that are not very Christ-like, but that does not invalidate the teachings of Christ.  We should be on guard against hypocrisy and self-righteousness in ourselves – this is a fair challenge.  But let us also be on guard against overreactions.  Jesus loves his church, and so should we.