Elijah's Speech to Followers of Baal...

Elijah adjusts his lapel mic just a bit on his tunic, taps it just a bit to ensure its hot, grips the lectern with slightly sweaty palms, then clearing his throat he begins his speech. The audience leans in as the capacity crowd attending the annual convention of BWSI (Baal Worshipers Society of Israel) waits with tuned auricles to hear what the prophet has to say.

"Some problems are so big you have to team tackle them," he begins. "We Jews and you Worshipers of Baal have to set aside our "differences" and work together to end stereotypes for the greater good. We should become partners to end the five social giants of out time: war, poverty, corruption, disease, and illiteracy."

Elijah's speech lasted twenty minutes and he encouraged Baal Worshipers "who have been in Israel for generations" to help the newcomers understand what it means to be Israeli.

Most of the Baal worshipers agreed to what Elijah had to say at the BWSI convention and it is considered by most to be a landmark event for Judaism and Baal Worshipers alike.

~~End Satire~~

Can any Christian imagine such a scene? Well, one need not imagine it, it actually took place. Although, to liken Pastor Rick Warren to the Prophet Elijah is a stretch that I wouldn't attempt to make. This past Saturday, however, while enjoying our Declaration of Independence holiday, Rick Warren was speaking at the annual Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) convention.

In the name of being modern, politically correct or whatever else we're calling it these days, the church again has shown that we have no backbone, no conviction and Pastor Rick Warren will most likely be held by the world as a "bridge builder". He may one day win the Nobel Peace Prize and be held too as a champion of religious tolerance, but what he has done is to further illustrate to the world that Christ - the Way - is only afforded a single seat at the round table of world religions.

In his speech and by his efforts, Christ has been reduced to only a "difference" between the groups, or any religious group for that matter. And, as implied that "difference" can be put aside for the greater good of ending the worlds problems.

Christ is, however, that Greater Good! And, until Christ Himself returns war will remain, poverty will remain, corruption will remain, disease will remain... and, we might teach some people to read and write, but all deficiencies of the human condition will remain until it has been intersected with the Christ of the cross who the church at large seems so eager to brush aside for the greater social good. Could there be any greater oxymoron? I think now I know who the moron is...! (Glad I didn't waste my time reading the Purpose Driven Life. For whatever good it might have been, it is now shot concerning any possible credibility it may have once held.)

It seems to me that intolerance becomes a virtue when the tolerances of men replace the scarred hand of Salvation. This is all that has been done.