Paul White may be known to you by now as the lead pastor of a megachurch in Florida and one of Pres. Trump’s closest spiritual advisors. She preaches a prosperity message that, ultimately, brings a lot of prosperity to her. She has recently been preaching that anyone who speaks against the president is speaking against God. She currently leads the White House Faith Office, which, in theory, is not so different from previous administration’s attempts to instill some old-time religion in the people’s house. Videos of the Faith Office staff praying loudly and, sometimes, in glossolalia, which is what “angelic language is called in the New Testament, have gone viral. Then, as now, this kind of activity was controversial. That doesn’t mean it is wrong, just questioned by some Christians. The Apostle Paul wrote that one should only speak in tongues if there is someone else to interpret; if there isn’t, he believed, you should not do it in public.
I am, theologically, an open-minded person. Having been targeted by numerous very conservative Christians over my life as a heretic, I am no stranger to being challenged about my faith perspectives. I defend Catholics when Fundamentalists call them non-Christians, an incredibly ignorant and false idea. I defended Muslims when the 9/11 terrorists were lumped in with them, joining other voices in support of devout Muslims in our community. Paula White, however, practices a false religion. Among her many missteps are: a Senate investigation into mishandling of ministry money (that ministry went bankrupt), anti-immigrant rhetoric, praying for miscarriages of what she called “Satanic pregnancies”, and statements recently that anyone opposing Pres. Trump is, in fact, opposing God. Trump himself, in 2020, stated that Pres. Biden’s beliefs opposed God.
I have written about this before, but this ugly theological perspective keeps rising over and over: I want to be clear that it doesn’t matter what Romans 13 tells us, God does not pick our leaders. God did not choose Mr. Trump or Mr. Obama – God did not choose Hitler or Mao – God didn’t elect your mayor or governor. In America, we the people are tasked with that job. Please stop blaming God for everything – God has enough to do! The Apostle Paul, I believe, was trying to keep followers of Jesus from open rebellion against Rome; he knew that it would end up with everyone dead. He encouraged patience, believing that Jesus was returning in their lifetime (something Paula and friends also believe). Ms. White’s theology is not Christian – it is false religion. She can believe it if she chooses, but she has no right to inflict it on the rest of us.
Prayer – Holy God, regardless of the details of what we believe, keep us mindful of the center of our faith, the command to love one another. Amen.
Today’s art is “This is the World” by Biagio Mastroianni.