Glenn Beck Has Lost His Freaking Mind Accusing Churches of Communism
Posted: Tuesday, March 09, 2010
by Laura Trahan
For those who have not heard, Fox News personality Glenn Beck urged Christian listeners last week to leave churches that use the term "social justice" in an effort to address poverty and human rights issues.
"I'm begging you, your right to religion and freedom to exercise religion and read all of the passages of the Bible as you want to read them and as your church wants to preach them . . . are going to come under the ropes in the next year," Beck said. "If it lasts that long it will be the next year. I beg you, look for the words 'social justice' or 'economic justice' on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes!"
Christ calls for the church to care for those less fortunate. By church, he does not mean one building or denomination but Christians all over.
There is not one iota of doubt in my mind that Christ does not look down and expect us to provide for those hurting or suffering and if that means redistributing our wealth, then that is what we are called to do.
Luke 12:33: Jesus said: Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
Luke 3:11 John (the Baptist) answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
Matthew 5:42: Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
These are just a few verses. The entire Bible is a story of God's love for us. How could we even assume for one minute he expects us not to love others? Meeting other people's needs, serving others is how we love on other people.
I attend a church that promotes making a big impact on the world by meeting the needs for those less fortunate.
When the hurricane hit Houston, they were up giving out ice, meals, shelter, etc. When Haiti had an earthquake, members were on a plane the next day with water filtration systems. They give shoes, jeans and blankets to the homeless to provide warmth. The feed those locally and nationally through food and money drives.
That is being the hands of Christ. Beck wants to cause some political scene, then that is fine. I feel it is the churches responsibility to meet the needs of the less fortunate way before it is the government's needs.
Asking people to stop doing what Christ asked us to do is insane. Is Beck honestly asking Christians to not love others?
Fox News has always championed the conservative Christian causes. I am not sure saying things to get people to stop giving to those with less is really a Christian mindset.
I have to admit I am a little disappointed in a news personality who asks Christians to not give to the poor playing on the fear of the "Communist" and "natzi" word. What are your thoughts?
This Article has been viewed 736 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
More commentsTo equate all churches who use the term "social justice" or "economic justice" with communism is patently absurd. Then again, I think quite a bit of what Mr. Beck says is patently absurd! I don't take any advice from Mr. Beck and I certainly would never take spiritual advice from him.Me neither! Thanks for commenting Jean.
Thanks Laura,
I hope that Glenn and Rush remain popular forever, and continue their diatribes. They are the Democrat's best friends. You'll see what I mean in 2012 when sanity begins to take hold again. Check out my latest article, "Military Budgets - This You Won’t Believe"
Best.....eIt seems like every election cycle sanity's hold on America becomes more and more tenuous. I'm not holding my breath for 2012. Thanks for the comment!
Welcome to the club of being called Liberal for standing up for the poor, Laura.I know! It makes me sad that Conservatives aren't associated with helping the poor anymore.
Great article, Laura. If not Christians..or even non-Christians, who should be there for those in need? I'd be curious to know his response. Surely, not the government! (gasp - my attempt at sarcasm) The thing is, if each church or charitable entity would take on a couple families each year to help them get back on their feet, we would not have anywhere near the problems we have. People are to care for people. Anyone who thinks it cannot be done has just limited God, or whoever they bow to. Just my 2 cents.Thanks Lorrie! I agree.
Laura, let me add my comments for consideration, In the world not of the world. I know not of other denominations or faiths but many catholic priests follow the revolutionary doctrine inspired by Marx. perhaps this ios what he was referring to. In fact there is a schism in the church from the Pope on down [i wrote earlier to this] concerning this new type of doctrine. That is fact. However, the real root issue here is that so called followers of Christ are for the overwhelming part but professors not followers. Why, well you spoke of it in your article. The fruit of your labor. One need just look and see. Does you fruit demonstrate love, compassion ,mercy, for your fellow man or does it destroy, is it false, is it half truth or lies, who does one really follow? Yes as the Lord said, they pay me homage with their lips. best wishes, good job.
Glenn Beck is an entertainer, that's all. The Church should be concerned with helping those less fortunate and for tending the flocks. That's all. Both Beck and the Church are too busy doing other things (Beck preaching, the Church 'guiding' the flock to every Republican (or as someone said earlier, anyone other than a liberal) instead of instilling in it the wish to help those less fortunate) they are eventually painted with the same brush.
Very good points Laura. Just a thought, if the Church stepped up and did what the Bible said maybe the government could back off in these areas and we'd even have less government intervention AND the church would be doing what it was called to do.Do you really think churches are going to step up to help the poor more with Glenn Beck, who is very popular with evangelicals, saying that supporting social justice is code for being Communist and a Nazi, and if your church supports social justice you should run from it as fast as you can?My point is that it's not enough to just hope for the best. There is something fundamentally wrong here any many Christians are content to just let it pass because it fits their political agenda. If you believe that the Bible says that Christians are responsible to care for the poor and the sick and the outcast, how can you not denounce Beck for his statements?
My apologies if I seem like I'm over-reacting, but I'm tired of being called a communist / socialist / nazi by other Christians with a political agenda.Bruce,I am definitely denouncing Glen Beck unless he was quoted wrong. I do not care for Glen Beck and think he is generally abrasive (he is also a Mormon and I do not agree with their doctrine at all)I think it is totally wrong if he is calling Christians communists/socialist or nazi... My comment was only that we, as the church should be doing more - I happen to belong to a church who tries and does help much.I am sorry you saw something in my comments that I don't feel was there? I hear you and we (I think) are on the same team and same page with this issue. I live in Colorado Springs area where there are many ministries and I am not aware of that much support for Glen Beck here within the various churches. MarijoMy apologies, Marijo, I wasn't disagreeing with you. Sorry that it sounded like I was, and I believe we are on the team.
I live in one of the most Conservative parts of Texas, and there are a lot of Christians around here who fully buy into Beck's dogma. I don't go to a church which which feels a responsibility to the poor, and I often feel like the cross-hairs are on my back when I enter those doors. It's not a very pleasant feeling wondering when the next time I will walk into a room at church to hear this garbage repeated. I am hoping for someone to stand up and stop this insanity, but it's not happening.I accept your apology,Bruce. My husband is always saying that if the church would do what the Bible calls it to do (take care of widows and orphans for instance) then that role would be where it should be and would not fall on government to pick up the pieces and that basically the church is remiss for not doing more. I totally agree with that.It is a blessing that the church I belong to does much to help those who go there with their needs during times of joblessness etc AND the community at large also. We have had huge garage sales to earn $$ for the benovelent fund, we have a large food pantry, we have had events to earn money for and take needed items to local women's shelters. We have had about 6 events to help one couple earn money to adopt 2 special needs little girls from Ukraine and on and on - I am blessed to call this church "home".There are many, many dictates for the church (Body of Christ) in the New Testament about meeting needs, widows and orphans, food for the needy etc. I feel that this is a large area of responsibility that possibly needs attention by the Body of Christ - yes,Jesus said "the poor will always be with us... but that doesn't negate the mandates in the rest of the Word of God to have Compassion and do something about the poor in our midst. I hear you, Bruce! Glad we talked this out! MarijoMe too, Marijo. Sounds like you go to a great church.It is incredible - the Lord is there - it is small but growing - shares the truth in a loving way, the pastors are humble - that's one of the first things I look for... and the Body there really puts action to their words with open arms and rolled up sleeves.
Among the quotes:"I beg you, look for the words ’social justice’ or ‘economic justice’ on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes! …"
"f you have a priest that is pushing social justice, go find another parish. Go alert your bishop and tell them, “Excuse me are you down with this whole social justice thing?” If it’s my church, I’m alerting the church authorities: “Excuse me, what’s this social justice thing?” And if they say, “yeah, we’re all in that social justice thing”—I’m in the wrong place."
Okay, so here is the deal. Glenn Beck is simply who he is. I think in general, we all have opinions; however, he gets into hate mongering. Which is the very thing he accuses others of. Personally, I don't listen to the man. His job is to ignite the opposite of what Christ stands for. But hey, I get it. Sometimes it is better, at times it is better, to not defend your position, but hold firm your ground and stand.
Keep up the good work!
Some people complain about Glenn Beck and his message; others complain about CNN and the news media in general. Thank God we live in a country where all people are granted the freedom to express their opinions without having to worry that doing so could mean losing a job, a home, a family, or even life. And thank God that we live in a country where people have the freedom to take the resources they have available to them and use them to assist those who are less fortunate if they so choose.
More comments
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.