I found this short video to be depressing on many fronts. I
realize most of my audience will not agree with all of my concerns but for me
there are so many things being revealed by this story.
First, Voice
of the Martyrs on the one hand is getting information out for which I am
thankful. But at the same time, they have an established track record of misrepresenting
the politics in other countries. That was true in this video.
While I'm certainly no friend to the Zapatista movement, you
can't understand where they're coming from apart from NAFTA, US foreign policy
and capitalism. To focus on their Marxism is to miss the point. People did the
same thing for many years when looking at groups like the Viet Cong and the PKK
in Turkey. Sometimes Marxism represents a rallying point, a narrative to attach
to Nationalism which in and of itself is anti-Marxist. Marxism is not of the
essence, it's not what makes the Zapatistas tick.
Again, not for a second do I wish to defend or condone
people who harm others in any context, but the shadow of the United States
often hangs over these issues. Evangelicalism is specifically viewed as a
vehicle of US cultural Imperialism. Sadly, there's a long track record which
gives some credence to this perception. Missionaries have all too often worked
hand in hand with both US intelligence and the Corporatocracy. Organizations
like USAID and the Peace Corps also have pretty dubious records. Hostility to
these groups is not always rooted in a pure Marxist ideology. Again, there's
more going on. There's more to the story and groups like VOM consistently
refuse to tell the full tale. It's not in their interest to do so and this is
especially true as they often encourage their supporters to petition the US
government for intervention... which to me is anathema. We don't go to Egypt
for help.
Second, Voice
of the Martyrs defines 'Christian' in the broadest sense imaginable.
Don't get me wrong. I feel bad for Catholics and
Pentecostals who are persecuted just as feel bad for Yezidis who are
persecuted. I think the media should indeed tell these stories.
But, I don't consider the Catholics to be our 'brethren'.
Now does the issue of Catholic persecution overlap with
Protestant persecution? Are the cultural issues the same?
Sometimes. In this story there is an overlap, however it's
Catholics persecuting Pentecostals. VOM is a little uncomfortable with that so
they call them Traditionalists.
Yes, they're syncretists. That's how Catholicism functions
in most of the world. European Catholics would say it's true in the USA as
well. And European Catholicism is even to this day riddled with pagan remnants.
I would say it's also true among Pentecostals the world over
and certainly among most American Evangelicals.
I realize VOM couldn't get into all of this as they report
each story but it's more than that. They've basically embraced Ecumenicalism.
Third, I guess if you're a Pentecostal then the Church is in
a sort of Golden Age. Since its advent about a century ago it has spread and
become the dominant form of Christianity on the Earth. I realize there are wide
variations in how it manifests itself and there are some Pentecostals who would
be very critical of others who take the same label. No doubt many are indeed
believers even if they are misled with regard to Authority and prophecy. That
said, overall I believe it to be a very harmful and often a pernicious
movement.
I am not encouraged by the explosion of Pentecostalism in
the Latin America, Africa and Asia. Christianity is growing in those parts of
the world but it is overwhelmingly the Pentecostal/Charismatic variety. I think
it's sowing seeds which will reap a horrific harvest in coming generations.
Theologically it meshes well with both local tradition and cultures rooted in
more emotional expression.
Sure, we're too cold in the West. I don't dispute that. But
emotionalism is dangerous and an untrustworthy guide. Who cannot feel for these
poor downtrodden people? I certainly do.
I don't look down on people who lack learning but I do look
down on people who lack a desire to learn.
Certainly knowledge puffs up but at the same time that must
be understood in its right context. Knowledge for knowledge's sake is a
creature of hubris and to be rejected.
But at the same time God has spoken to us in the form of
words. He has given us a collection of books that together make a pretty
substantial tome that averages around 1000 pages. Philippians 1.9 tells us that
our love grows through an advance in knowledge and discernment.
Of course all of our love is rightly directed toward God.
The love that we show toward fellow man flows from our communion with Him.
Learning his word and being renewed in our minds brings us into fellowship with
Him and by knowing Him we may indeed approve the things that are excellent.
Pentecostalism is almost inherently anti-intellectual and
thus has proven quite successful among the poor of the developing world. I do
not mean to insult these people. I'm certain their faith in many ways puts mine
to shame.
But, as I said to rest in that, to remain static in a place
that relies on emotional fervour... is a dangerous thing.
And the results show. We see time and again groups of people
who on the one hand demonstrate their faith by clinging to Christ amidst
cultural difficulties.
On the other hand we see the embrace of error and in some
cases heresy. Can there be Christians in congregations with women as pastors?
Sure.
But I can say with confidence they are disobeying God and
either ignoring or rejecting parts of his Word.
It will bear fruit and already does in many cases. From
false miracles to prosperity gospels to falling prey to cult recruitment, the Pentecostal
communities from Central America to China are very susceptible.
It is both interesting and troubling to see how some of
these tendencies percolate in other cultural contexts. Even though the pastor
near the end of this news clip is obviously part of the Three Self Churches,
his comments are sobering and prescient.
In conclusion I was moved by this VOM story but inwardly
groaning at the state of VOM and the general theological confusion within
Evangelicalism, the ubiquity of Pentecostalism and once again how Geo-politics
and economics play a large and largely untold part of these stories. These
factors combined with the larger issue that the term 'Christian' increasingly
becomes meaningless leave me very frustrated when I'm interacting with these
types of stories.
It has burdened me for several days. I feel like I'm wasting
my time doing the type of work that I do. But unfortunately when I looked into
missions many years ago I was so disturbed by what I found that I abandoned any
attempt at entering into that field. And I had barely scratched the surface.
Since then I've learned a lot more and that has not improved my overall
assessment.
I still long more than anything to reach out to people in
places like Chiapas or more preferably someplace cold!... but at this point in
time, my lack of credentials and denominational affiliation mean those doors
are effectively closed.
I have no words of wisdom to offer. I only wished to share
some of my thoughts as I watched this video. I've watched many like it. For me
it's more than a sad story. It's a multi-faceted and multi-layered sadness as
so many issues rest beneath the surface.
Let us pray for the folks in Chiapas.
