Sir Michael Caine, the famed two-time Academy Award-winning English actor, once said: “There’s only two things I hate in this world. People who are intolerant of other people’s cultures and the Dutch.” Now that was a tremendous comedic line, and the Dutch are a fun and easy target, but I’m not kidding around today. I don’t use the word “Hate” lightly either, and to make matters worse, those two things I hate are directly about religion and politics, the two untouchables for a proper party to be had. So let’s get it over with.
The first thing I hate will make you want to turn off the radio, roll your eyes in irritation, and wonder what in the world is wrong with me. What is it? Gnosticism. I hate Gnosticism! It is even spelled with a silent “G” which is annoying and if you don’t know what it means, stay around because I hope you will learn to hate it too. This evil won’t go away, is from the pit of hell, shows up in every culture and every generation, and wreaks havoc whenever it raises its nasty head.
The second thing I hate came from the pen of a spoiled adult German boy running around in London after being kicked out of France, writing home to his more affluent relatives, asking them to send money to support his indulgent rebellious lifestyle and writing. Untold millions of deaths can be traced back to this thing we know as Marxism. I hate Marxism!
Wait. Isn’t this a show about Church? Where’s the love?
Our guest today knows more about the two things I hate than most people in the world. He’s current. He’s relevant. He’s educated beyond impressive. He’s controversial. He’s honest. He’s real. He’s also a bit of a hero to me, so I may stuttering a bit during this interview, realizing I can preach a sermon in one of his pauses, and we don’t have that long.
Dr. Voddie Baucham, Welcome to Church Hurts And.
AND...
Do you know what is annoying to me? I know there are people out there thinking, Dr. Bash is so impressed by this message because it is coming from a big black guy. Since I’m in recovery and learning to be healthy, I have a response to you - Go fly a kite!
Others will shake their head at the message of Voddie and say, “He just doesn’t get it!” I have news for you. God may love you, but you can take your Gnosticism right back to the pit it came from. We don’t need any more people in the world who “get it” and roll their eyes at those who don’t. Call it “woke,” “enlightened,” or whatever you want, but I’m gonna call it Gnosticism and ask you to engage your mind and dialogue with the brain and heart God gave you. We can learn from one another.
In 2016 The Smithsonian Magazine published an article by Jason Daily about research into the language of bats. All that annoying noise you can imagine bats have in a cave was processed through computer translation technology, and they discovered at least four distinct categories of messages. One was arguing about food. Another other about their place on the couch (sleeping cluster). The third about male bats making unwanted advances on a female. The fourth about another bat sleeping too close.
I’m guessing that would be the adequate language for some of you after today’s show. We got a little too close about something a bit too uncomfortable. If that’s the case, can we at least agree to keep arguing as the bats do? They don’t stop talking. They don’t unfriend on Facebook. They don’t break up families. They keep bickering.
Let’s wrap up with a word more powerful than our opinions. God hates things too:
Proverbs 6:16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.
No matter how many ways you slice it,
It’s WORTH A THOUGHT.
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