The Season Of Getting, Part One
"when you see a Christian who doesn't want to humble himself, who doesn't want
to serve, a Christian who struts about everywhere: it's ugly, eh? That is not a
Christian: that's a pagan!"
Pope Francis I has again riled the Christian Right by, in effect, calling most
of its leaders "ugly" and "pagan": those who crave the
limelight, scream out their proselytizing (ahem, "evangelizing") yet
purport to be persecuted (horrendously!) by godless liberals and the media. It
was a slap in the face to televangelists, faith-healers, prosperity gospel
preachers and righteously arrogant, supposedly "Christian" apologists
and pundits. It was his own "War on Christmas" - the Christmas
created by corporate/church greed, a Season of Getting as much as one can while
Giving very, very little to the people who need help just to survive.
Some Uglies
Ann Coulter - While not a
born-again Christian, nor explicitly proselytizing her jaws off, Coulter has
enough righteous arrogance to sink a flotilla of battleships. After a
particularly testy interview with Donny Deutsch, she said, "Well, we just
want to perfect you!" Deutsch is Jewish. He was not amused.
Rick Warren - Hawaiian
shirts aside, Warren is as fake as can be, coming up with fantastic schemes
(e.g. P.E.A.C.E,) which few can grasp the meaning of, and constantly touting
the miracles of social justice his plans and his church (megachurch Saddleback)
have worked both here and abroad (esp. in Uganda). The figures, however, are
based on few reliable sources and don't really add up. His publicity machine is
about the only thing that seems to exist.
Tony Perkins - Perkins has
had more appearances on Chris Matthews' "Hardball" than the show
wants to admit. As the Savior of the American Family, Perkins has reigned as a
sort of Christofascist king, looking like an innocent, aging choir boy. But he
is merely a boy crying wolf (against dreaded homosexual activists) and his
pronouncements about apostate Republicans terrorize few Republicans any more.
His "Values Voter Summit" is popular with any conservative who wants
to say "God told me to run."
Cindy Jacobs - If Francis
could make a list of the ugliest and most chest-beating Christians,
"prophetess" Cindy Jacobs would be most certainly at the top. Among
other things, she has (according to herself and her husband) performed more
miracles than Jesus Christ, has cured a woman of her hysterectomy, has raised
children from the dead (via television) and is an avowed idol-smasher (Native
American artifacts and statues of Catholic Saints). She has also told all of
America's indigenous people to repent for the sins of their ancestors. She has
bragged about how many things God has blessed her with. Unfortunately, fashion
sense was not one of them.
"Bishop" Eddie Long -
For sheer humility, have yourself wrapped in the Torah, declared
"king" (of something) and have yourself hoisted up, sitting on a
throne, while four men decorously parade you around your church. Sheer
humility? No, sheer stupidity. Sex scandals just could not keep him out of the
limelight.
Some Plug-Uglies
Bryan Fischer - Fischer is
the American Family Association bloviator who has a hate-love relationship with
everyone (he broadcasts his demonizing points, then tells everyone he is really
doing it because he loves them). He has, in fact, carried demonizing to an art
form (very ugly art, but art nonetheless) and his faux humility is legendary.
He has established himself as a one-man hate group against the LGBT community
and insists that "Rambo Jesus" existed.
Terry Jones - When not
causing anti-American murder and violence by threatening to burn the Koran,
Pastor Jones manages to plummet to the lowest levels of the humility meter by
bleating through a bull horn about his Christianity in places like Times
Square. He shares the sobriquet of "most hated man in America" with
Fred Phelps. Not a small feat.
Scott Lively - Of all the
uglies, Lively portrays himself as the most innocent and clueless. He has
parlayed thunderous criticism of his book, The Pink Swastika into international
Christian martyrdom and has portrayed himself as the most knowledgeable person
on the planet in regards to the evils of homosexuality. His purposeful
undermining of LGBT rights in places like Uganda has landed him in court. The
charge: crimes against humanity.
Dishonorable Mentions
Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, FOX News, Michele Bachmann, Pat Robertson, Benny
Hinn, Franklin Graham, Ken Copeland, T.D. Jakes, Linda Harvey, Janet Porter,
Rick Joyner, C. Peter Wagner, General Boykin. If your favorite
"uglies" are not on the list, just mention them below in
comments.
Pay Attention To ME! Not The Poor!
Perhaps the ugliest of recent "Christians"/pagans passed away last
week: Paul Crouch of Trinity Broadcasting Network, who perched himself on a
gold throne-like chair and told those who opposed his empire to go to hell. He
spread his wealth only to his family, there being no evidence of any
substantial endowments to the less fortunate. He was considered a con man who
put himself and his wife Jan first and foremost. The word "humility"
was never in his lexicon. It was perhaps his death (and life) that inspired
Francis to make his "ugly" point.
Putting yourself before the poor, before your fellow man, humbling yourself to
seek out and tend to those in need was the humility Francis was speaking about:
focusing on the poor and not yourself.
And as to this particular Christmas Season, the Huckabees, Coulters, Palins and
Warrens know that it is not the Season for Giving but for Getting ...
attention.
The ugly Christians will be getting uglier ... against Francis. Just wait.
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