The Church

It is beyond disturbing to see the SDA church fall prey to the mob mentality in an effort to abstain from the wrath of virtue signaling social justice warriors. I contend that the Church's response to the movement is counter to the biblical message and puts our faith in jeopardy.

It is suspicious that a church will bend to the will of the government and stop in-person services at the drop of a hat for the safety of others amid COVID-19 concerns. But that same government allows and praises mass protests of thousands of people when your church gathering if 50 people is banned. Think about that long and hard: The government says you cannot worship in groups of more than 50 and have levied civil (and criminal) penalties on those who defy the order, but at the same time applaud protesting of thousands of people gathering in close quarters (shoulder to shoulder) for a cause that same government supports. Churches that have bowed down to the pressures of government in the past have frequently found their very existence in jeopardy. The absence of vigorous protest or continued compliance with stay-at-home orders clearly indicates that the higher power is not faith but those governmental masters who are often openly hostile to our faith.

When will governmental action tell us that church services in person at all are not allowed because of potential disease transmission? Oh we'll just do virtual services. Really? How? Facebook? How long will it be before Facebook decides that Christian expression is hate speech? It's already happening. If you give an inch, the devil will take a mile. In the name of equality and justice for all, our faith is being attacked already and we are sitting here and taking it like the good little subjects we are supposed to be.

The church should not be endorsing the current Black Lives Matter or racism narrative. The Bible has very clear warnings about not going with the crowd and to be wary of movements, popular opinion, or the things that sound good but are not what they seem.

• Is the church afraid of being criticized? "Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets." - Luke 6:26. "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you" - John 15:18-19. "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." - Proverbs 14:12
• Why can't the church stand by the principle of Love as demonstrated by Christ? Why can't we simply say that we do not support racism and embrace love for all people regardless of heritage, or background? 
• On a lighter note, the fact that there is a "Stairway to Heaven" and a "Highway to Hell" is a pretty clear indication of the anticipated traffic. The point remains that the majority and the loudest voices are often not the ones that lead to a closer relationship with Christ.
• Are we really going to kowtow to a movement that is entirely focused on pointing fingers? Doesn't the Bible say something about that kind of attitude? “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. - Matthew 7:1-5. All these people who lead this movement are only pointing out the flaws in everything except themselves... blaming and judging everyone except their own actions. This is not the way described in the Bible.
• Should the church align themselves with this movement when you see it's fruit? The rioting, the looting, the murdering? This is what these movements create and allow under their colors. The leaders give some lip service but do nothing to stop it. Their grievance is so important that it is worth the lives of others? I don't see this kind of a response from a MAGA rally or a Patriot Prayer event. But we are told over and over that those people are violent extremists. The same principle can be applied to the likes of such people as Richard Spencer. He may have some well articulated points.... but the lunatics in the back throwing up the Nazi Salute and yelling "sieg heil!" really ruin it. The message doesn't matter if it's fruit is bad... regardless of how good that message may sound as it's being said. 
• When the church says they support a movement... they are supporting the entirety of that movement.... that's why it's called a movement. That is the exact reason the church has a published set of beliefs.... because individuals can vary... but the church as a group believes certain things. It is hypocrisy to think that you can support only a part of the movement.

The church will easily throw away the concerns of people who are more considerate of their actions in favor of the direction that the wind is blowing at this very moment. Should we begin to abandon our long held Biblical beliefs because a group of people says we are wrong? Why pander to a group of people who would be perfectly happy if our religion didn't exist and our beliefs were not allowed? The same people who are screaming for dead cops are the same ones who will rip the 10 commandments off the wall and yell that Christians are bigoted racists just because we are Christians.

It's like the Devil shows up and says: "You are bad people" and we all look at each other and say "Maybe he's got a point?" after all.... all voices matter. Imagine what could happen if the devil decided he would attack the church like that?

Lastly, you may say: "But there's nothing wrong with saying you value equality and freedom as well as opposing oppression and racism." Sadly, I would have to say that I do have a problem with that when it is so closely associated with these movements. Every social atrocity across history started with that kind of language. A great example is the rhetoric leading up to The Great Purge.... everything that allowed that to go down the roads it went were initially premised with the calls for "equality", and opposition to greed. It is truly a wolf in sheep's clothing and if these things are not resisted early when they can be resisted, it will be too late.