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Stumbling all over themselves to attract numbers and keep the money coming
in, the denominational industry now lives by a new creed—"There's No
Business Like Show Business." Having once made a pretense of preaching the
Bible, this industry has abandoned that old notion, tossed it out the
window, and turned their buildings into vaudeville houses.
In Elk City, Oklahoma, the First Baptist Church advertises an "award winning ventriloquist, singer and speaker," who is appearing "in person." In the true spirit of "Show Biz" competition, the Grandview Assembly of God in the same town advertises a "free concert," and the Valley View Chapel advertises their "Carnegie Hall performers." If it weren't for the eternal gravity of the situation, this silliness would be laughable. The First Baptist Church, the Assembly of God, and the Valley View Chapel have converted their religion into a vaudeville circuit in a spirit of buffoonery that rivals Pilate's soldiers in their mockery of Christ. Draping the bleeding Christ in a scarlet robe and thrusting a mock scepter into his hands and a crown of thorns upon his bleeding brow, the soldiers entertained themselves at the expense of his suffering. (Matthew 27:27-31). In the same spirit of Pilate's hardened men of war, these denominations—and hundreds like them across the world—are now having their fun at the expense of God's Son. The social gospel is bearing its fruit in the denominational world. Still mocking the Christ of the cross, the religious world wraps up its Secular Humanism in religious garb. Webster says "secularism" is 'an indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations," and "humanism" is "a doctrine, attitude, or way of life centered on human interests or values." (New Collegiate Dictionary, 1979). This spiritually festering scourge manifests itself in the religious world in the form of what we would term "Spiritual Humanism." A close relative of—if not an evil twin to—the social gospel, "Spiritual Humanism" pays lip service to God while pursuing the "interests and values" of those who profess it. From its genesis in Eden by the mouth of Satan—"Ye shall be as gods"—to Judas who asked, "What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?" (Matt. 26:15), it continues to flourish in the antics of "award winning" ventriloquists," "free concerts" and "Carnegie Hall performers." Secular Humanism removes God from the center of our existence, replaces him with man and his interests, and expresses itself in the dogma of Darwinism. The only difference between Secular Humanism and Spiritual Humanism is that the latter wraps itself in religious robes, rosins up the bow, learns a new dance step, and belts out a tune to express itself in "Religio-Show Business." This kind of religion is devoid of any spiritual value, ignores the reality of man's eternal destiny, and fiddles away while souls burn. The troupers of this religious vaudeville circuit are the Pied Pipers of Spiritual Humanism. Their system rejects the authority of the scriptures, their parameters of righteousness, and their very meaning for man's eternal welfare. Relegating the Son of God to the CEO of a spiritual Six Flags Over The World, they pipe the way to eternal hell for multitudes along the broad way. |