Following are some examples of Ministers saying one thing, but doing something else.  Do you recognize any of these?  If you do, you may be as cynical as I am, when it comes to Organized Religion.  I guess you could also be offended.  If so, all I can say is Read Matthew 23.  The Ministry, I sat under for 30 years, were Pharisees by Matthew's Definition.  I am in no way saying that the Talks are wrong, at face value.   Just that the Walk is hypocritical.  Some of these ministers, when confronted explained: "It's not hypocritical, it's just a double standard."  I'm still thinking about that one.

The Talk: "Hi brother Smith, Hi Jim."

The Walk: The "Brother" in front of Smith is code for: "I believe you are a child of God and if you don't change anything, I will see you in Heaven."  Brother Smith has never met Jim, but the fact that he was not called "brother" tells him unless Jim changes something, he won't be part   of that reunion.  No facts.  No questions.  Just a harsh conclusion.                                                                                  

The Talk: "You need to get it from GOD."

The Walk:  This phrase means, Talk to GOD and he will show you the same thing he showed me.  If not, I will have some forbearance with you but there will come a TIME when you should have gotten it already. 

The Talk: "The Bible has all of the answers."

The Walk:     This means that the Bible is the inspired word of God and that God inspired me, to tell you what it means.  I will also be here, for you, anytime you need pummeled with guilt when you don't agree with me, I mean the Bible.  You know Me and the inspired word of God are almost the same thing.  The only difference is someone wrote the Bible down and I speak my truths.

The Talk: "Trust God to heal you."

 

The Walk: This means that you should forget what you have learned about your body.  Ignore the fact that washing your hands kills germs.  Eat it, God will take care of things.  You ate it and you haven't pooped in days.  Don't take a laxative.  God will take care of things.  You didn't take the laxative and that huge thing pushing out of your stomach is starting to concern you.  The non stop pain that has kept you up for the last 72 hours is kinda getting on your nerves too.  Do not see a doctor, God will take care of things.  He was a good christian; so God decided to take him home.

  

 Comment:  No, God let him walk through the door he opened himself.   This is about as crazy as waving off the Fire Department when your house is on fire.  Just stand there in the middle of your burning house.  It's OK, God will provide.  Would you look at that person and think he died trusting God to put out the fire?  God expects you to use the basic sense you were born with and let the Fireman and the Doctor help you.  I am not saying that God can't heal.  I've just seen many good people who thought God would heal them and it is now very clear that God had no such intention. 

The Talk:  "Wearing things that meet the Standard, glorifies GOD."

The Walk:     This means there are not specifics in the Bible but you know, I am close to God and he has shown me that it is a sin to wear any unapproved items.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, look around.  There are many sisters you can copy.  This will also help the world know what group you are a part of.   It also helps me know what's in your heart.  I can see that your heart is not right because you wear pants.

The Talk:    "God can do anything."

The Walk:   Anything, that is, but help you control a TV, or help you decide what modesty is, or help keep women from taking over the church if you treat them as an equal.  Maybe the talk should be, God can do almost anything and what he can't do I can take care of.

The Talk:     "I love you like a Brother. "

The Walk:  Brotherly love is reserved for you only if you are a brother.  Your act of betrayal by leaving the Church means you're not my Brother anymore, so I don't have to treat you like one.  As a matter of fact, I will probably treat people I don't know better than I treat you.

The Talk:    "There are no big I's or little you 's."

The Walk:  It's way more complicated than that.  There are different levels within the ministry.  In the churches themselves, there are different sizes and some are blessed by God more than others.   When it comes to the lowly flock, there are so many levels I can't keep track.  You know, there are the ones who do everything right.  They are such a blessing.  Then there are those that raise questions.  You know the type, always bucking up against the Ministry.  That alone puts them on a level lower than an out and out sinner.  At least a lowly sinner knows where he stands in this level thing.  Sometimes people just don't know who they are talking to; if they did, they would treat me with the respect I deserve because of my position.

The Talk:      "I believe the story of the one lost Sheep."

The Walk:   If they think that I am going to go after that ungrateful sheep, they have another thing coming.  I preached and warned them and they still left.  I have plenty of people right here who do what I say.  They just complicated things anyway.  Besides they're not lost, they decided to be where they are.  When they come to their senses, we will be here.

The Talk: "I believe the story of the Prodigal Son."

The Walk:  You mean to tell me, you left the truth and went to another land.  Now that you have decided to come back, don't think you're getting any special attention.  As a matter of fact, you need to show us that you're serious and prove some things before you're totally accepted. You should have known better anyway.

The Talk: " I don't have a TV because bad things come across it 

and You can't have one because you can't handle the 

                                      temptation."                 

          

The Walk: I'm a good christian because I don't have a TV.  Oh that?  That's just the internet. It's not the same thing you know.  It's a powerful tool that we can use to reach souls.  Never mind the fact that porn is the leading content on the web today and TV has more good choices, now, than ever.

   

The Talk: The Bible says:"The love of Money, is the root of ALL evil."

The Walk:   Yea I know what it says and yes I don't have a TV because I can't handle the temptation.  But money and material things are different.  I have control over the money thing.   Anyway, my pastor said I could make as much as I like; as long as I give at least 10% of it to the church.  Also 10% of a huge pile of money is  still a pretty big pile of money.  People look the other way on things, if they are benefiting from my money.  It also helps to keep down the questions, if you spread a little around.

The Talk:  "I don't wear new styles because it's worldly and flashy."

The Walk:  Hey Brother.  Let's take a ride in one of my many new cars, to see one of my latest houses.  You know, there is a big difference in what you wear and what you have.  And anyway, I gave more than required to the church; so it's none of your business.   

The Talk:  "Smoking is a sin because you are defiling God's temple."

The Walk:   Eating so much, that you harm your body more than smoking does, is not the same thing.  You don't have to smoke to live, but you have to eat.  That is why I haven't preached anything about eating too much.  It also wouldn't go over well, at home, with my fat wife.  She does the outward standard thing so well, so she deserves some slack.

The Talk: "Drinking is a sin, on any level, because you are defiling 

                                      God's temple."

The Walk:   I know the Bible says to drink a little wine for your stomach's sake, but you know   the wine they drank in the Bible time was just grape juice.

The Talk:  "The alter is a place where you should publicly humble 

                                      yourself before God."

The Walk:   You have never seen me at the alter because there has never been a reason for me to kneel there within the last 30 years.  That's for you guys.