I am trying to make some sense out of Christianity. Let’s look at some facts together and see where we end.
First, the largest and oldest denomination of Christendom, over five hundred years after the reformation, remains corrupt to its core. For the past ten years we have heard about pedophile priests molesting and sexually abusing the most vulnerable members of their churches, their young children. We recently learned that this occurred in huge numbers in Europe as well as in the United States. (When will we hear about this problem in Latin America?) Think about this. We are talking about God’s church, God’s ekklesia, the congregation of the redeemed, believers in Jesus Christ!
Today we read in the news that Pope Benedict just promised that “the Catholic Church would implement `effective measures’ to protect young people in the future.” He’s only about 2,000 years too late with his meaningless promise. Today’s report says, “Benedict has been accused by victims’ groups and their lawyers of being part of systematic practice of cover-up by church hierarchy for pedophile priests, in his earlier roles as an archbishop in Germany and later at the helm of the Vatican morals office. Ten Maltese men came forward earlier this month saying they wanted to meet with the pope to tell him their stories and to request an apology. They say they were abused by four priests at a Catholic orphanage.”
If “celibate” men specifically chosen and trained to teach God’s truth and lead’s God people could not keep their filthy hands off of little girls and boys over the past two millennia, why should we expect them to do so now? What could be more “effective” than the Word of God which tells us over and over again that we must not sin and that if we cause a little child to sin it would better that a millstone be tied around our necks and that we be thrown into the sea? Make no mistake, these pedophile priests deserve death for their grievous sins against God’s people.
Do not mistake me. I do not condemn all Catholics. Some of the sweetest, most sincere Christians I know remain bound by the pagan dogma and practices of this most corrupt church. Likewise, I know many fine Christians who blindly continue to follow the little pope of their particular brand of protestant Christianity. Some of them selflessly give themselves to foreign missions where they go year after year to help those they perceive to be in great need. Some travel to foreign lands to preach their perception of the times and prophecies of God, as if such knowledge means a whit to those who hear.
Someone, please tell me. What do Christian missionaries bring to remote Africa, Peru, and Uruguay? Clothing, food, orphanages? What truth do they bring to these remote places that makes a real difference in the natives’ lives and the lives of their individual nations? Look at the once great Christian nations of the West. They became utterly corrupt sucking the same spiritual Christian milk that these missionaries take to other nations. It’s been two thousand years and every tangible form of Christianity has utterly failed. The flesh counts for nothing…
Indeed the prophecy has become true that in our mouths God’s word would be sweet, but in our stomachs, the outworking of our faith, it would be bitter. Yes, bitter indeed.
