Comments on: NBA great Charles Barkley: sick of ‘fake Christians’

by: Bob Macauley

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:47:17 +0000

I’m amazed at the hypocrisy of those critical of believers who have entered the fight to resist sin, and yet fail. Meanwhile, these critics stand on the outside refusing to do battle themselves. If one believes our nature is as scripture claims, then it is brave and honorable to resist sin - in spite of its grasp and ability to defeat us. To fail and still determine to fight is a mark of true faith. Pandering to those who reject our faith and practice, who are not at all interested in resisting sinful impulses, and yet criticize those who are “in the good fight” is not wise. Rather, these require correction and instruction as to what is real in Christian practice.
I propose to you, this is the same hypocrisy of the Pharisees of Christ’s time on earth. They were not truly in the fight. They set high standards for others that they refused to keep. They had a form of religion, that even atheist demonstrate, but deny its power. They are not people of faith but are self-serving; living life according to their appetites. These are those who might benefit from “tough love”; a stern rebuke.
Too many believers are silenced by the lie they should not judge the behavior of others. This idea is illogical based on how our world, individually and collectively, works. Matthew 7 is an instruction on “how to judge”, if read in context of scripture. You even now judge the content of this letter and therefore me. The person who would rebuke another for judging “sin as sin” is involved in judging as they speak. Judging is a fact of life and enables us to choose right from wrong. It enables us to correct behavior that is unacceptable.
Jesus demonstrated proper judgment concerning the woman caught in adultery. He did not condemn her. He “did not come to condemn the world, but that the world thru Him might be saved.” What He did do is tell her to “Go and sin no more.” This clearly expresses His awareness of her sinful behavior and He follows by giving her instruction on how to live subsequently. When as believers, we tell others they must repent of sin and live in obedience to Christ, we are following this model. Calling sin what it is, follows this model. It is hardly condemnatory to encourage people to flee from sin and yield to the will of God in their lives. This is what is necessary to bring deliverance from “the world, the flesh and the devil.” We must not let the world silence this message if we are to remain light in darkness and salt of the earth. Even if they hate us for it.

by: ultrajones

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:32:43 +0000

You ROCK as always Sir Charles! Sure Wolf had to ask him to explain what he meant by “fake christians” but we ALL already know exactly what he meant.

His explanation was obviously only partial. There are a thousand reasons why the religio-fascist right wing neo-cons are “fake” at EVERYTHING they claim to be. All they care about is being “right” and accusing others of being wrong - they couldn’t care less about DOING the right thing. The new nationalist GOP is fueled almost solely on the mindless fervor of these fake back-stabbing bigoted self-righteous nosy civil rights violating constitution hating big brother loving outsourcing idiots, who always come to conclusions first and skip the facts entirely. Every time they vote they think they are electing a damn pope or something.

They must be brought under control fast, before we tumble into depression and a civil war breaks out with our fear-mongering fascist police state overlords. We’d better all speak up and fight like Charles before we find ourselves fighting Black Water for our lives!

by: spencer

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:32:54 +0000

Again? Reagan tried the same thing back when Mellencamp still had a Cougar in his name. Same song, too. I guess making the same stupid mistake makes McCain “Reaganesque.”

Different song, actually - McCain was using “This is Our Country,” which wasn’t even released until the Gipper was dead for a few years.

My favorite part of that story is how McCain then switched to using “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty - who promptly requested that McCain knock it off.

by: MAJeff, the God of Biscuits

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:12:39 +0000

You’ve gotta have faith…!

I’ll take George Michael.

by: MikeEss

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:09:04 +0000

“He isn’t recorded as saying anything. The Gospels were all written decades after he died by people who didn’t know him. They are, at best, historical novels.”

But, but, but Jeff, they were INSPIRED by god! So they’re just as good or better than what any (real or imagined) Jesus may or may not have said. You’ve gotta have faith…!

The part I’ve never been able to figure out is when Jesus and the disciples learned King James-era English, and who taught them…

by: MAJeff, the God of Biscuits

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:58:51 +0000

One would think — based on fundie political involvement — that the core of Jesus’ teachings revolved around abortion and homosexuality, when in reality he never is recorded as saying a word about either.

He isn’t recorded as saying anything. The Gospels were all written decades after he died by people who didn’t know him. They are, at best, historical novels.

by: blujersey

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:11:31 +0000

by: jeff

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:52:38 +0000

That’s the beauty of it, isn’t it? The really useful thing about religion is that it’s a completely empty vessel into which anyone can pour whatever damn fool thing they want.

That’s really not true. The power of Christianity was that it rejected the power of the strong over the weak. This was an amazingly powerful idea in the days of the Roman Empire.

by: r68

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:57:23 +0000

From http://barkleyquote.blogspot.com, which has quite a list of CB quotes

As it happens, I’m sitting near my copy of Barkley’s “I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt It”. Here’s a great quote from the dust jacket:

“Like Molly Ivins or Bill O’Reilly, Charles Barkley is utterly his own thinker, and everything he says comes from deep reflection.”

Sorry, I know I’m being a bomb-thrower. I like Barkley; he’s a funny guy and he’s basically honest. But the love-in here is just so absurd, it’s like applauding Reagan for being a feminist because he appointed the first woman to the Supreme Court.

by: june

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:45:31 +0000

Wow, I had no idea that Charles Barkley has been a vocal defender of gay civil liberties and a woman’s right to choose. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.