Twist and Spin - Do the Liberal Dance

A tip o' my kepi to Sarah Hey and Stand Firm for bringing Mark Hemingway's excellent article in the National Review to our attention.  Please read the whole thing here .

Mr. Hemingway clearly hits the nail on the head in describing the liberal spin machine and its reaction when the orthodox get organized to fight them. such as has happened in the United Methodist Church in advance of last week's General Conference.  He notes that the liberals have been courting church members for years, plying them with gifts and convincing them that "social justice" should be the new theology, yet when the orthodox use similar tactics, it prompts some ridiculously vehement invective from the liberals.

One example of this from the UMC General Conference is the accusation by the liberals that the distribution of cell phones by an orthodox group among some African delegations to enhance communication as important issues came to a vote was somehow "patronizing" and "racist." Rather than reflect any improper attitude  held by the orthodox, these comments once again demonstrate the elitist attitudes held by these liberals, who on one hand clamor for "social justice" but on the other hand, if so-called "citizens of the Third World" such as our African brethren do not take the liberals' side, they are derided as backwards and susceptible of manipulation.  This is no different than P.O. Schori's frequent references to the African Anglicans being "forty years behind" in their thinking.

Hemingway refers to a video distributed by liberals prior to the UMC General Conference, which had a UMC Bishop refer to orthodox organizations "targeting mainline denominations."  Bishop Beverly Shamana described the orthodox work as follows:  "they are vigilant at watching what we’re doing, undermining the work that we are doing and clearly their agenda and their mission is to dismantle our church — our denominations.”   

In the same video, Hemingway quotes our "friend" Jim Naughton: “we’re dealing with an attack funded by the same donors who have funded the establishment of the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, who fund The American Spectator magazine — the whole sort of intellectual infrastructure of the far right wing in this country has decided to target our mainline churches because it doesn’t like where they stand on social issues, on economic issues and to some extent on theological issues.” Hemingway then observes:  "Apparently, Naughton doesn’t pay much attention to the Episcopal Church’s own membership rolls: It’s not just the vast right wing conspiracy that has a problem with the politicization of these churches. It’s the laity that objects, and they’ve been voting with their feet. Nearly every one of these church bodies has been hemorrhaging members for decades now."

Or, as Commenter Eclipse observed on Stand Firm, "This is like a guy standing with a gas can, lighter, and bears singe marks all over telling everyone who walks up to see his house in flames that it's burning because of a ' vast right-wing conspiracy'."

Me, well, I'm still waiting for that first check from the Heritage Foundation or AEI.  I do this because I perceive the threat to all of us if liberalism is allowed to run unchecked as it has for so many years.  I do this because the liberals have taken over so many of our churches and institutions of higher learning and in so doing have abandoned our historic faith and our collective history and purpose as Americans.  My faith and our history mean something to me far beyond whether I'm getting my way, and I believe they are worth fighting for.

Dear Lord, open their eyes that they may see that they are the architects of their own destruction and the destruction of Your Church.  Amen.

Comments

[Timothy Fountain]

Your final prayer is awesome.

I've lately been moved to pray more and more for these folks - they face an awful judgment for having assumed church leadership and the care of souls precious to Christ. I pray that they will return to Him and that this will be to God's glory and the salvation of many.

[Trimble]

Thank you, Mr. Fountain. It warms my heart to receive a compliment from someone as astute and well-spoken as you. I do enjoy your work and the spirit with which you present your thoughts.
I likewise have felt the need lately to remind myself to "hate the sin, love the sinner" with the P.O. and TEO and pray that some way, somehow they will be led to "get it." It may take a hard slap up 'side the head of a presentment, or by some means yet unknown.