Those fine folk in the Missouri Synod did not take kindly to one of their pastors praying along side Jews and Muslims at a prayer service for the Sandy Hook victims. How dare he pray to God along side a Jew and a Muslim! Their God is NOT the REAL God of the Missouri Synod!
This is not the first time that the Misery Synod has pulled this stunt. They censored another Lutheran minister when he took part in a 9-11 Memorial service. I am sure their Jesus is really impressed!
Pastor apologizes for praying alongside Muslims, Jews at Newtown vigil (via Raw Story )
A pastor in Connecticut has apologized for taking part in a vigil for the victims of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School because his church does not allow worshiping with other faiths. Rev. Rob Morris of Newtown’s Christ the King Lutheran Church offered a letter of apology after he was reprimanded…
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Translation:
"There is sometimes a real tension between wanting to bear witness to Christ and at the same time keeping my job."
Once you attached yourself to an organization, you most likely will lose your individual voice and convictions. Organizations require group think as sad and ridiculous as that is. Group think is what keeps the orgainzation organized. I have said in the past how impossible the Biblical injunction to "all speak the same thing," is in reality. No group is made up any genuine people who genuinly all speak the same thing.
Where are the organizations that allow their clergy and members to think for themselves and to even differ in their views from the organization? The smaller the organization, the tighter the control. If it gets to big, thent here is room for personal yet pubic opinion such as Catholocism or the Episcopal Church.
Because the COGs are so small and run from the top down , neither minister nor member gets to think outloud.
Nobody brings an HWA, Ron Weinland, Gerald Flurry, Dave Pack or the upper room types ideas that did not originate with them.
I'm sorry this young minister felt the pressure to apologize for something that is perfectly fine to do and a way to be. But his organization is full of old selfrighteous and petty leaders who wield the control and put a man or woman in the very uncomfortable postion of speaking organizational talk or personal convictions. They often don't match but you often don't know that.
This young minister may use this defeat as a stepping stone later in his life to say what he means and mean what he says will use this as an examply of just how he learned to do so. Time will tell. He got an education...
"Nobody brings an HWA, Ron Weinland, Gerald Flurry, Dave Pack or the upper room types ideas that did not originate with them."
Exactly. They just want to hear their own thoughts polly-parroted back to them. Anything else = GTFO!
We've got a cool commercial currently playing in one of the late night public service spots in my city. In it, a rabbi is portrayed having an enjoyable conversation with a priest in the park. Suddenly a Moslem minister appears, bringing some Persian pastries, and they all smile, and enjoy the pastries and conversation, and then go on a walk through the park.
Jesus said "I am the way". The Jews and Moslems do not yet believe in Him, but this is no cause for hatred, as for various reasons they simply don't yet understand. It's a very temporary condition. We are told that Jesus will return when His people cry out for Him, and some have taken this to mean that this will be when the Jews cry out. We are also told that all humans will eventually acknowledge Jesus Christ and Father God.
Is it a bad thing when different people agree to pray together? I have difficulty in seeing such a thing as bad, as it surely beats the heck out of persecuting others, or being cruel. Yeah, I take a different tack when it comes to terrorists who cloak themselves in spirituality, but the vast majority of praying people are seeking something which they have been unable to find within themselves or even from the counsel of the wisest and most educated humans.
I believe the Missouri Synod has erred in this case. It's also bad evangelism, as such an unloving approach will turn people off as opposed to attracting them. We surely saw enough of this as followers of HWA. It's sad to see others making the same horrid, hurtful mistake.
BB
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