Sunday, April 27, 2008

"Expelled" from Church?

Indeed!? No, I'm not speaking of being withdrawn from here in the biblical sense. I'm not even speaking of excommunication in the Catholic sense. What I am speaking of here is much more subtle and stealth. Some many not even notice it has taken place.

This evening a group of 8 men from the Archdale church of Christ went to the movies. We did so because men need to fellowship on a regular basis and we just don't. We grabbed a bite at the local "Steak and Shake" and afterwards went to see Ben Stein's new movie "Expelled."

"Expelled" is an excellent overview of the current struggle in the scientific community over whether "intelligent design" will play a part in the discussion over the future of Darwinian evolution. I recommend this movie highly for you, your entire family and every friend and acquaintance. Did you know that when cornered, world famous evolutionist Richard Dawkins actually says that life on earth could have "possibly" come from a "seeding" of our planet by superior beings from outer space?! Hardly science…….

My point here is not to discuss evolution or creationism per se. One of the many salient points the movie makes is this, there is a wall of separation in the scientific community between science and faith that cannot be crossed much like the infamous "Berlin Wall" of the Cold War era. One has complete academic freedom as long as he / she is on the Darwinian side. Even an admission that there is even a possibility of intelligent design in the whole scheme of things will be enough to "put you out of the camp." As long as the wall remains, freedom is non-existent.

It occurred to me upon reflection that much the same train of thought is prevalent in the Lord's church today. An example:

1) A major paper among us writes head line articles friendly to the pro-instrumental faction.

2) A group of faithful brethren take out an ad proclaiming the biblical truth on the matter.

3) A number of those in error on the matter complain bitterly to the editor of said paper.

4) The editor issues a new ad policy that silences the biblical opposition by refusing to take money for any more such ads.

It is said that often the "tail wags the dog." The tail of error among us is long, muscular and powerful. Those who peddle error make a wailing cry that the faithful are dividing the body of Christ by insisting upon biblical music in our assemblies. The perpetrators of this error have erected a wall of "spiritual correctness."

In the 1980's a gallant Ronald Reagan declared, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

Today, we call to our brethren on the other side. Our call is the same the Lord called to Israel in the long ago, "Come…let us reason together…" Let us lay aside our philosophies of men and "search the Scriptures daily…" Let us demand that false teachers like Alan Jones and Brian McLaren be removed from our lectures, removed from our conferences, removed from our chapels and removed from our magazines.

"Mr. Jones, Mr. McLaren, tear down this wall!"

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