The Reverence Gregory Gird, preacher at a thriving megachurch
with 5,000 devoted members, caused quite a stir and lost 1,000
adherents when he gave a sermon in which he came right out
and defended tolerance.
There were early warning signs that he might advocate the now
intolerable virtue. When asked repeatedly by members to
announce that he was against all the things right-thinking
people are supposed to abhor, such as gay divorce, abortion
for recreational purposes, and Democrats in general, he
repeatedly demurred.
Apparently, he finally could no longer restrain himself from
divulging his true thoughts. He preached, not only one, but
six sermons in which he actually advocated the separation
of church and state, cautioned members against the
superimposition of their own guidelines on sexual inclinations,
advised them to stop referring to America as a Christian
nation, and encouraged them to make a place in their hearts
for that radical document, The Bill Of Rights.
Most calamitously of all, he dared to advise them that having
Christ in their hearts meant they should love everybody, even
people who don't agree with them. While he himself is a
conservative with much the same beliefs as his attendees, he
still felt that the role of religious people is to conduct
themselves with reliably religious principles, such as the
controversial triumvirate of "Faith, hope, and charity," instead
of losing their laudable fellow-feeling in intolerant social
advocacies.
In his alarming sermon, he said that the role of Christians
is not to attempt to gain "power over" others though politics
but "winning people's hearts" by sacrificing for those in need.
He went so far as to say, "America wasn't founded as a
theocracy."
Even more upsetting to many in attendance, he went on to say
that America was actually founded by people trying to escape
theocracies and there has never been a Christian theocracy that
wasn't bloody and barbaric. That's why the Constitution wisely
included separation of church and state.
Many members of his congregation walked out right in the midst
of his sermon, but afterward numerous others congratulated him
for his Christ-like compassion for the much maligned and his
courage to come out of the pulpit for his beliefs.
One dissenter stated, "When we joined years ago, Greg was a
conservative speaker. But we totally disagreed with him on this.
You can't be a Christian and ignore actions that you feel are
wrong, like what other people think and do much too often."
On the other hand, a supporter stated, Minister Gird's sermon
"was liberating to me. Now I can have tea with my agnostic
neighbor again."
Minister Gird remained convinced he had done the right thing,
saying, "I don't think there's a particular angle Christians have
on society that others lack. All good, decent people want good
and order and justice. Just don't slap the label 'Christian' on it."
Apparently, he came to realize that all generalization are, by
definition, intolerant of individual rights and that the best
answer is often a question, from Socrates right on down to
now.
He also seemed to be approaching the ethic that may be
even more challenging than love, which is kindness, a virtue
that is not quite so malleable to turns of convenience.
Article written by Tom Attea. |
