Monday, January 03, 2005

Modern Pharisees



26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto 1whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the 1children of them which killed the prophets.

32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? - Matthew 23; 26-31


In perusing the websites of the various religious broadcasters, I find little or no mention of the devastation and tragedy in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and other areas ravaged by earthquake and tsunami. On Jerry Falwell's website, the focus is on registering "...millions of new evangelical voters..." and hawking tickets for a cruise with Mr. Falwell on the Queen Mary II. No mention of, or solicitation for, donations to help the victims of the afore mentioned disaster.

The World Harvest Church pastored by Rod Parsley, seems to be more concerned with the non-threat posed by same-gender marriage and fattening the church's coffers. Again, no mention is made of the victims of natural disaster of last week.

I found the same thing on John Hagee's website and Jimmy Swaggart's website. What I want to know is, "what has become of the imperative to feed the hungry...? Clothe the naked...? Give shelter to the homeless...? Tend to the sick...?" Are they more interested in pursing a political agenda rather than the teachings of their faith. If so, they are, indeed, modern day Pharisees...Outwardly righteous, but inwardly full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

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