From Martin to Martin

"If Church history teaches us anything, it is that we cannot afford to be a vacillating Church. We minister to a people who are in great need of hearing the truth, we dare not make any attempt to soft-pedal that glorious truth." - Martin Luther

“The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

Ahhh... But What is Truth

So often I hear it joked that one should never talk about religion, politics, sex, and money. I am sure you have heard this said before as well. We make the joke but in reality, we are trying to convey this social contract that we somehow believe will make the world a happier place. 

Let's not talk about the things that we might disagree about. 

The other side of this is that somehow we have gotten ourselves to a sort of social popularism where what matters most is our own opinion. (Yes, I do see the irony as an opinion writer that I am putting my opinions out there as truth and thus... well... nevermind)

My point is that "but I feel like it" often trumps the "but this is the way it really is" way of seeing the world. 

And I think "the church" has become more and more afraid of its prophetic role as time has gone on and we have started fighting for our survival. Martin Luther was not only right, but he was also prophetic in saying that we were becoming an irrelevant social club.

I am not meaning to misrepresent either of these fine gentlemen, and I am not even sure what I am meaning when I say "the church" I do know there is a great variety of denominations and callings, as well as a great variety of faiths and understandings. 

But overall - I think religion in North America (my only context) bought into the idea that we should not talk about some things and so we should try to be what people want us to be. we decided, to misquote the older Trudeau, "in the bedrooms of the nation" 

But the thing is that if the church stood up and said proudly what we know to be true - we would be relevant. 

AND NO - I DO NOT MEAN THE THINGS THAT MAKE NEWS ALL THE TIME - GOD DOES NOT HATE FAGS AND TRUMP IS NOT ANOINTED.

I mean if we could honestly say to rulers - rule justly or get the hell out. If we could honestly say to people possessions don't matter and stop chasing after the wrong things. If we could echo the Bible in saying race, religion, sexuality, class don't matter - we are all the same. And if we had the courage of our convictions - do you not think we might be relevant on the current world's stage?

But no, we get bogged down on virgin births and the ten commandments and other petty articles of faith that Jesus told us right out do not matter at all. 

The thing is, and I believe this completely with every bit of my essence - we in the church are not Christians. 

I wonder if that has anything to do with declining numbers?