He says he’s pro-choice and pro-gay marriage and he doesn’t like conservatives because we judge. He seems to know the first part of this passage:
Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
I wonder if he understands the second?
Matthew 7:3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
That’s OK, not too many people do.
And poor McCain! He isn’t for the marriage amendment and he doesn’t really push his pro-life position (not until he’s running for office). I think it’s pretty telling how even our liberalish candidate can’t catch a break, why does he even bother trying to appeal to liberals? It’s really not worth it.
BTW, I thought Obama was all about hope and change and bringing everyone together? I guess supporters aren’t really for the future the way he is.
posted February 16, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Can this “you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” occur, and can this “take the log out of your own eye” be the means for it?
This nitpick of Barkley’s criticism is a tithing of mint and dill and cumin, neglecting justice and mercy and faithfulness. Don’t make his case for him.
posted February 16, 2008 at 4:24 pm
The tolerance of intolerance, the intolerance of the right-wing who believes it has a lock on the Will of God, is no virtue. When the Christians follow the words of Yeshua and do unto the least of us what they would do to Him, then we will have a faith worthy of respect. As it stands, right-wing “Christianity” is a perversion and their beliefs and political positions should be fought against faithfully by all those who know that God is not spelled GOP…
posted February 17, 2008 at 7:42 am
Like I said, not too many people do.
posted February 17, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Yes, it’s easy to trip up Barkley for not looking at his own judgmental behavior. But in his own flawed bluntness, he finally calls out “the elephant in the room” when he says he feels ill when he hears the hypocrisy of an avowed follower of Jesus failing the main tenets of the faith: love, forgiveness, reconciliation. Many people who call themselves “conservative Christians”, and who want to influence politics, are completely comfortable when they exclude, condemn and elevate one of us above another in the kind of judgment that Matthew 7 discourages. We will have to wait and see whether Barkley owns what he has said, recognizes how it is an hypocrisy and offers a further statement.
What Barkley wants us to do is nearly impossible for flawed mortal beings- “judge not” because judgement is mine saith the lord – not so easy for people at large and for us in venom-filled blogs all over the net. It just too easy to find and pronounce the evil in others whose health, gender, race or religious situation is different from ours. Christ asks us to reconcile with others, to embrace what we perceive as “enemy”. That is the challenge of being a Christian. It’s very hard for me to not join in the anger and sarcasm of an internet blog/discussion. It is the first thing that rises up in me.
I admire Barkley for “putting himself out there” and for taking the risk of opening this discussion. I understand Barkley’s ill feeling. It is how I feel when I stop and realize I have indulged in judging someone else vs. channeling that energy toward something useful and positive. Your comments about the passage from Matthew are correct Michele. If we have any hope of aspiring to the teaching of a higher being like Jesus, we have to practice the whole of Matthew 7. In running for governor, Barkley will have to prove he is worth supporting and that he can “walk the walk” and not just “talk the talk”. At least he can see there might be a problem with the human tendency to jump to judgment and even give us a demonstration.
The future of the country and whether we choose wise leaders may depend on whther we can come to terms with the wounds that Barkley’s statements have opened. The most thoughtful account of the effects of religious political pressure on conservatism in our country is Senator and ordained minister John Danforth’s FAITH AND POLITICS. We picked up the book on CD at Cracker Barrel and listened to it as we traveled in the car. There is also a new book out by journalist and evangelical Christian Amy Sullivan called THE PARTY FAITHFUL. Both books supply compassion and insight into why a Charles Barkley would judgmentally use the word “fake”. These author help us understand what religious zeal mixed with conservatism and liberalism produces. If you haven’t already jumped to judgment of Barkley or the issue, they are both worth reading.
Ultimately, what part of “Judge not” can’t we understand”? Anyone can find a verse in the Bible that somehow calls him to be a judge of “bad behaviour” and then set out to “HATE the sin and LOVE the sinner”. There are always tricks of the mind to defend and elevate base prejudice and to dodge the Bible’s clear statement not to judge? When faced with a perceived “evil” and the devil’s temptation to jump to judgment, do we react with FEAR or LOVE? Barkley’s statements, along with the people’s politics he criticizes, stem more from FEAR. I can’t blame him for his reaction because I fear the same divisiveness.
posted February 18, 2008 at 1:52 pm
“Fake Christian”? -
Being free of sin (hate & intolerance, in this particular conversation – i.e. “judging”)is not a requirement of being a true Christian. Everyone sins.
Belief in Christ is the only requirement of being a true Christian. Hence, by definition, the only way of being a “fake” Christian is to state belief in Christ, yet not believe.
Jesus expects Christians to follow his teachings, but He knows that we were not created perfect, & does not disqualify us as Christians when we disobey his guidelines. Faith in Him makes us Christians. Obedience to His guidelines allows us to be harmonious with each other, thereby achieving His Commandments.
I believe that one is correct to speak out against hate & intolerance, but not to extend those shortcomings to denigrate the true difining character of a Christian, which is faith. That is some very serious judgement by Mr. Barkley, indeed. But, let us forgive him.
posted October 29, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Fake Christians do exist.
Even Jesus said so:
Matthew 7:21″Not everyone who(C) says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will(D) enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who(E) does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22(F) On that day(G) many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not(H) prophesy in your name, and cast out demons(I) in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
Many people claim to know God & even “believe” in Jesus.
So what?
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe — and shudder! (James 2:19)
Apparently, at least according to Jesus & his brother James, “which” Jesus you believe in (the one who hates homosexual acts just as much as he does hetrosexual impurity vs the one who openly accepts everyone & doesn’t care if they repent from their sins for example) DOES matter!
Problem is, Sir Charles doesn’t know or trust the Bible so all he has to base his views off of are his own opinions based on his observations.
And since he, like us all, have inherited a sinful nature, our opinions are going to have a biased slant toward sinful behavior (including but not limited to greed, selfishness, sex outside of marriage, lust, lying, racism, etc)
So it shouldn’t surprise us when he makes outlandish remarks – he’s blind to his own sin (willfully blind in many cases I might add) and he hates the truth & ways of his maker.
Sadly, there are several people who call themselves Christians – that either aren’t (see Matt 7:21 above!) & just ascribe to a conservative morality but haven’t subjected their own morality to the demands of Jesus or are true Christians but haven’t be sanctified in certain areas which when manifested to the public points to a warranted hypocrisy – and show little compassion & forgiveness but lots of finger pointing and hatred.
That being said, Christians should not just roll over, play dead, and continue to let atheists, pragmatists, relativists, and others to continue to just pursue their own agenda to the contrary of the will of those who do hold a more “conservative” set of beliefs.