Ditching Doctrine For Unity

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Hey, did you hear about Texas pastor Joel Osteen’s trip to Rome?

Don’t you think it’s great that Pastor Joel Osteen went all the way to Rome to crack open a cold one and talk with Pope Francis at the Vatican? Isn’t it neat that these two men in leadership are joining with each other in support of their unity of purpose? I mean, even though their particular faiths vary on various theological points, the truth is they both believe in Jesus Christ and work to spread God’s kingdom on the earth, right?

Yes! Rainbow sparkles and unicorns! (Oh, and as far as I know, they didn’t drink beer. I made that up.)

OK, there are some people out there who really dislike Joel Osteen. I mean, they call him things like “false teacher,” because he preaches that God wants each of us to prosper and if we pray and believe, God will do it. Or something like that. I think. AND GET THIS, in addition to the Joel Osteen hate, some Christians don’t consider catholic people to be our brothers and sisters in Christ! They say the catholics believe things that are false, and that the pope is the anti-Christ, etc., etc. There are some dear Christians out there who swear protestantism is The Only Way and will remind you that protestants in the past were martyred for speaking against the catholic church. Some even warn that men in leadership who “cross over” to the other side and shake hands with the “false-prophet” du jour are working to establish the dreaded One World Religion the apostle John warns about in Revelation!

Yes. Ideas like these are spewing all over the Christian interwebs, my friends. Some by people you know. Some by you. Clearly, people have their ideas. I certainly have mine, and you have yours.  

Which begs the question:  What exactly are the parameters of the church? I mean, does Christ’s church include Mormons? They believe some pretty strange things. My parents go to a church where people wave flags during worship and speak in tongues. At my church, you can go to Sunday service on Pentecost Sunday and never hear the word “Pentecost” mentioned once. (AND I can wear my flip-flops. Nice.) Some churches ask their women to cover their heads. Some church cultures frown upon men and women hugging each other. “Go for the side hug,” a lady told me once, “You don’t want a man to feel your breasts and be tempted to lust.” Seriously?

Rules. Some written. (Not in stone, though.) Other rules, just sort of made up and not exactly “doctrine,” but practiced nonetheless religiously.

And not only rules, but CHANGING rules! Now, of course, we are seeing churches make statements in support of homosexual life-long unions, because they have interpreted the scriptures in such a way that “homosexuals” as mentioned in the new testament aren’t really homosexuals. (Or something.) So do you continue to go to a church that adopts this interpretation of scripture? Or is that a hill to die on for you, forcing you to walk away?

Hills to die on. Deal-breakers. Church Doctrine. I’m curious, what particular transgression(s) or funky rule would drive you from your church family? Birth control? Tattoos? Extramarital sex? Masturbation? Polygamy? What if you had to wear pantyhose? (That would DEFINITELY be a deal-breaker for me!) Would it be a deal-breaker if the pastor preached the sermon in blue jeans? Or, if the church allowed clapping? (No, seriously, some congregations don’t allow any clapping.) What if they served ACTUAL WINE during communion instead of the popular grape juice? You know, I’ve heard some Christians say that music with a drum beat is satanic. (!) What if you found out the pastor didn’t vote? Or worse, voted Democrat? Sorry, I went too far there.

It’s no wonder people are repelled by religion. WE ARE CONFUSED ON THE RULES! Seventeen different denominations within the Presbyterian denomination alone proves that.  (Really, guys? Seventeen?)

A person walks into a church, looking for God. Instead, he is met by rules. The people come, they don’t know what the rules are, they are confused by the rules that are always changing, and frankly, they don’t want to know the rules, anyway. They want to know Jesus.   

So, if two men of God want to throw off the theologies and doctrines and rules which separate them in the faith for an hour, and imbibe together in a back room of the Vatican, I say, Cheers! (Even though that’s not what really happened.)

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