“The Ugly in Christianity” – Be sure to read the blog link by Hillary Ferguson before you read this; it will give a proper context to the remarks below.

No, it is not necessarily the case that mere attendance warrants the conclusion that one knows there is deep seated bigotry, hatred and racism existing in the heart of anyone. One can attend many gatherings, observe what is seen and still draw wrong conclusions. This occurred in the days of Jesus, and it occurs even today.

This is illustrated in the following remark:

As per any Trump supporter, her main argument was that she was a hard working American and she shouldn’t have to pay such high taxes for “no-good illegal immigrants and poor people and their lobster-buying-food-stamps” and that was that. Her argument always stopped there. Always: “I’m a hard working American.”

Well, who the heck cares? Be proud of your country. Be proud of your military. Be proud of your heritage. But don’t use nationalism as a mask for your racism and bigotry. How about instead of saying, “I’m a hardworking American,” why don’t you say, “I’m a hardworking human being.”

Whatever one might think of a political candidate because of a remark that one disagrees with, one that may even be harsh in hearing does not even come close to the conclusion that racism and bigotry is a motivation under-girding the disagreed remark.

One’s perspective about Muslims in this country might be worthy of further discussion, just as one’s perspective concerning other religious propagation, including variations of Christianity. The remark made, “Get those Muslims out.” warrants no remark from me on account that I have no context in which the remark was made. I hardly will take Hillary’s sentiment as being “context full.”

If any person loudly proclaimed “Praise the Lord! _____ is dead!” that someone ought to have been rebuked/corrected on the spot. There is nothing in the teachings of the Lord to condone such a remark, just as there is nothing in the teachings of the Lord to condone the action that because of the failings of some, one ought to run away and hide behind some feigned high moral compass of one’s own making.

The members of the church that she describes with disgust, I have met not a single one here in central Illinois. I am very much aware of many who stood opposed to those things Ted Kennedy supported, but not a single one did I hear rejoice at his death. Not one!

I think we are getting to the point of the problem near the end of her blog article. What is love? From the vantage point of the author of the blog article it appears she did not (does not) really understand love from the vantage point of the Lord. Here is what love does from the Lord’s vantage point. “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11, ESV). Moreover, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:1-3, ESV).  Thus, love from the Lord’s perspective always seeks that which is best for the other person (cf. the application of John 3:16 toward man). From her blog article, all she did was withdraw.

In her closing remarks, after appearing to reject God, she judges that if one does not have a loving heart, then that particular one will lose her (his) soul. I find this amusing. Whose standard will she apply that judges one to be lost? Is it the Lord’s? She never offered any remark from Him that so states. Is the standard applied belonging to someone else? The closest she came to that was in her own assertions.

In truth, there is only One judge, and the One she rejected shows no partiality in His application of the standard He set forth in Jesus (John 12:48).