Monkey See, Monkey Do

This modern world of ours has its’ 24/7 news cycles that flood the airwaves with breaking news events and opinions. We have easy access to streaming videos on Youtube downloaded and ready to view within hours of breaking news events or of anything else you could imagine. Wikileaks has obtained and has downloaded sensitive and confidential government information on the internet. People on Facebook reveal a never ending stream of intimate information about themselves. Any sexual perversion one would want to access is available on the web in pictures, on videos, or in chat rooms. Communication is available to anyone without actually engaging in real one on one conversation through, texting, Facebook, Twitter, and the like. There is so much information available at the click of a button that many have disclaimers to not attempt to perform these acts. Far too many people attempt to emulate the actions of others that they see on the various media outlets available to them. The old adage, monkey see, monkey do, fits right in with our modern and enlightened society.

And here we have the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America falling into the same trap as those juveniles that break their bones imitating the reckless actions of those skateboarders attempting jumps and tricks that are next to impossible. Because the intellectual elite of this enlightened society embrace a “new age” theology, the leadership of the ELCA stumble all over themselves to be accepted by those secular elites and attempts to “re-invent” itself by professing and teaching a new understanding of Scripture. Since modern science would tend to discount the veracity of the account of Jesus’ immaculate conception, the leaders of the ELCA promote a new version of the Virgin Birth that placates those who are far too intelligent to accept such an idea. The Resurrection becomes visions or apparitions of the Risen Christ or that the Apostles just really wanted to believe in a bodily resurrection of Christ, so they embellished their stories. It becomes appropriate to believe that because God loves us, He also affirms us, so there is no need to ask for forgiveness and no need for a Savior, since everyone is going to heaven anyway. Now it is more desirable to have a diversity of opinions about the very foundational beliefs of Christianity than to defend them, and all opinions are considered appropriate. By virtue of the doctrine of bound conscience, any and all Scripture is subject to anyone’s particular interpretation.

Bishop Hanson covers his eyes, ears and mouth and stands by idly, while the church wide assembly votes to disregard God’s law and place man’s opinion, experience and understanding in authority over God’s word. Then, instead of defending the authority of Scripture, he questions God’s word and accuses the authors of Scripture of not having the same understanding of sexuality that we have today. When Hanson accuses the authors of Scripture, he also accuses our Lord. Matthew 19:4-7, Jesus said, “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” Our Lord created us man and woman, He created us for a purpose. Genesis 1:27-28, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Our God makes it abundantly clear as to what He expects of His children.

Whatever it is that is deemed acceptable to our modern society is considered as appropriate doctrine for this misguided denomination. The leadership of the ELCA continues to twist God’s word to be pleasing to society’s appetites, while deliberately ignoring our Lord’s will. The purpose of our God’s church is not to lift up the things of this world. God’s church is to uphold His word, preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, and welcome sinners to God’s house, not disregard sin so those that are slaves to sin continue in that sin. We all fall short of God’s glory. It’s not easy being a Christian. We have to deny ourselves many things that are pleasing to us in order to fulfill and obey God’s law. Anyone can ape the actions of a society run amok, obedient only to the evil one. We must put aside ourselves and our desires in order to place our Lord at the center of our lives. The leaders of the ELCA are truly leading their membership on a path to ruin. There is a reason that so many are leaving this wayward church and affiliating with a synod true to the Lord. It is just unfortunate that so many fail to see and understand. Continue in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Christ, that their hearts and minds be opened to the truth.