An Open Letter...

to whoever reads this.

I'm a little perturbed at some things that I see going on in the world, specifically in America, that is theological in nature (or is at least rooted in theological principles found in Scripture), but is showing up in other places like Politics, Social-Issues, Finances, and the Economy.  I'm not here to be the pajama hadine-type who stays at home in his mother's basement all day eating hot pockets and pizza rolls while blogging about how the world should be. I don't like to particularly critique these things because it then begs the question: What am I doing about it?

For example:  Say I blog about how ridiculous it is that Obama had a $29k per plate dinner/fund-raiser while people in Texas can't even get to their homes to even attempt to clean up the mess left by Hurricane Ike.  What is wrong with saying this?  For one, it's a logical fallacy called ad hominem.  I would be arguing that just because he raised the money this particular way means that he doesn't care about people in Texas, thus attacking his character, and that is wrong.  Catch my point?  I don't want to straw man someone and make them feel guilty just because I think a certain way about a certain subject.

Which brings me to my next point.  The following critique assessment is going to be filtered through a theological lens, based on the objective truth of Scripture (hopefully!), and therefore is in no way meant to manipulate anyone.  I just want to bring this to our attention because it upsets me and I think it upsets God.  The exploitation of the poor is theologically problematic for God and for Christians. While the Church can always do more, we ought not to be always playing the blame game on Jesus' Bride because Christians give the most out of any other organization or group in the world.

The Prophets of the Old Testament Scriptures hold the key to a significant part of the Gospel, namely, repentance.  When Israel (and Judah too) decided that they were going to "go after other gods", the Prophets were sent in to preach.  They preached to the wayward king about repenting and turning back to the LORD.  They preached that the nation would humble themselves and get back on the track to faithfulness to their covenant God.  They mourned over their nation as they continued in idolatry.

This makes me wonder a few things.  Is America heading in this direction?  Are we so theologically numb and Gospel-handicapped to think that God should "...bless America"?  Hasn't He already done so?  Here's what I see going on:

AIG recently had a problem.  We all bailed them out with our tax-paying money.  Why do I bring this up? Because the owners and CEO's of companies like these seem to be corrupt.  There seems to be an underlying-Social-Darwinian-thought process that is essentially greed.  I made the claim, so let me back it up and explain.  One of the CEO's, who has been there less than six months, is making $2.4 million.  WHY? Why are all of these big-whigs who make these billions of dollars making this much?  And how in the world do their companies go belly-up like this?  (On the political front, we had to do this because it would have nearly frozen the world's banking industry),  but why do these people get rich while everyone else suffers?  Why did two of these major CEO's walk away with over $20 million after running their companies into the ground?  Did that money go back to the shareholders and people? Nope.  It didn't.  And theologically, it's exploiting the poor.  But my argument isn't finished.  (Read this link for more).  There is more to this money issue in our society.

The porn industry (during the currently debated 'recession') has not gone away.  People are still sinning and remaining sexually addicted to whatever they can get their hands on (no pun intended).  Each year the porn industry brings in over $10 billion.  That's unbelievable.  In 2002, Comcast brought in $500 million for Adult programming.  Tell me this money can't go elsewhere?  How about we ban pornography (obviously for its theological reasons) and make it illegal?  (I know that is easier said than done, but come on, we have to do something!) That money? Exploiting the poor.

And now we move to professional sports.  Don't get me started.  I don't even need to post links to what these people make every year.  For what? Entertainment? We worship these teams and they do us no good.  Let's put that money somewhere else...why? It's exploiting the poor.

I say all of this because I get sick of people talking about how so-and-so is going to be president because so-and-so is going to change some things.  I don't doubt they will want to change some things, but the problem isn't merely political.  It's a (theologically) moral problem.  These major industries are sucking the tax-paying, hard-earned monies of the people, and exploiting the poor (or, at least what we think is 'poor'). I don't advocate for Socialism, or income redistribution per se, but the middle class is no more because money is floating around in scenarios that are either: 1) morally corrupt or 2) politically corrupt.  Capitalism is doing its job however.  You make money and increase that profit as much as possible, no matter what the cost.  Hmm.

Moral reform is essentially the point of this post.  I could care less for the sporting industry (although I used to as a kid!) I could care less that people "make a living" in the porn industry.  It's evil...so, defeat it.  The top executives in this country are making more in 6-months than I'll ever make in my life. And the abortion issue, that Evangelicals like me continue to use as a guide to presidential voting, has to be dealt with.  Here are some interesting stats:

1% of all abortions occur because of rape or incest; 6% of abortions occur because of potential health problems regarding either the mother or child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient).

America needs to wake up. I won't vote for someone who thinks that Roe Vs. Wade needs to remain because we want to protect mothers who are victims of rape and yet only 1% of the abortions that are done actually fit that description.  93% of abortions happen by PURE CHOICE.  That sort of moral-belief in this country is damnable.  You cannot tell me that the 4,000 babies who die every single day isn't an important issue, or that it isn't as important as 'national health care'.  Absolutely ridiculous. Liberals will say: "we don't know exactly when the life of a child begins".  Okay, so rather than playing the 'safe-card', we'll just assume otherwise and continue on our presupposition.  100 years ago, you'd be locked up for being insane.

I plead with Americans: the Gospel is the only thing that is going to matter.  All the money, all the moral-decay and all the corruption is going to fade (or perish in Hell).  I don't want to see this happen! We must repent and trust Christ and if we don't, the slippery slope of sin is going to suck us in.  This is a call to Reform!  This is a call to get back to Scripture!  Get back to the heart of the Gospel.  Please.

And Christians, let us be like the prophets who preached this message!  Let us be like Christ who loved unconditionally.  Let us do what Christ taught, namely, loving thy neighbor.  No corruption can enter the Church or it will kill it.  Let us proclaim the Gospel!