WHAT'S A MUPPIE? PHARISEEISM DOMINATES LUKEWARM EVANGELICAL CHURCH
WHAT'S A MUPPIE? MANY EVANGELICALS HAVE CREATED A 'DESIGNER JESUS'? PHARISEEISM IS ALIVE AND WELL!
(originally posted 10/2002, updated: 4/20/10)
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING ITS POWER. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ALWAYS LEARNING AND NEVER ABLE TO COME TO KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. "II Timothy 3:1-7
"Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:7
This is NOT a blanket accusation of all evangelicals but is a discernment based upon experience and observation of many different evangelical churches. The term "cultural Christians" is interchangeable with what MUPPIES actually believe. Many evangelicals exemplify the verse above in honoring God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him. Their "gods" are their own selfish agendas and egos and thus they have little problem in marginalizing and even dispatching anyone that they deem to be "beneath" them. This powerful segment of pharisees in the greater evangelical church that I call Modern Urban Pharisees (MUPPIES) are increasingly self-indulgent, decadent and even eccentric in the American church. Many may seem to be intensively "religious", as were the Pharisees of Jesus time but their self-piety is also phony and their real motivation is often to be in the "elite" controlling class of the church- to be recognized and affirmed by others and to gain as much control and influence as they can. They excell at projecting the "right image." They know all of the right culturally Christian lingo and they are able to act appropriately around other Christians but inwardly, many of them are snobby, phony, 'stepford Christians;' often feircely intolerant of those who are "beneath" them economically, socially and especially "intolerant" of those who may have "offended" the elite in the church in some way because of their stand for truth and righteousness. Heavily influenced by and thoroughly indoctrinated in the creeker/seeker/positive-only-shuller "gospel", most muppies have been bound into despising any kind of Gospel that includes any kind of "judgment" or sounds like "fundamentalism." Their true religion is "judge not lest ye be judged", which they believe means "DON'T JUDGE ANYONE EXCEPT THOSE WHO DO". This inner mantra makes anyone who identifies major error and even apostasy in the church, a "heretic" and a demon in their eyes. Those people that they deem to be dangerous fundamentalists, can be unrighteously judged, condemned and marked as 'persona-non-grata'. MUPPIES have bought the neo-evangelical, positive-only gospel that has "transcended" the old-fashioned, Bible-based message of repentance. They see themselves as being "egalitarian" and "not like those repugnant, judgmental fundamentalists." Their new religion is the highly compromised synthesis "gospel" of the Emergent apostate church. Granted- some fundamentalists are condemning and hyper-judgmental but these muppies despise any kind of Bible-based "judgment" or truth that actually convicts and reveals their sin to them. So all sorts of stealthy sins, doctrinal error and those who commit them have become "untouchable".
These phonies may talk all about forgiveness but they keep score and hold grudges forever. They easily shun and discard (with their attitudes and behaviors) those they have deigned to be beneath them in any way. They may even know the scriptures but default to their own way of thinking and doing things (a haughty, godless, worldly way). Some of them are mercenary control freaks who develop complicated methods of marginalizing, controlling or even destroying anyone whom they consider to be a threat. These are the ones that if Jesus came knocking on the front door of the church, they would tell him to get a bath, shave and buy some new clothes, before even thinking of coming back. It is extremely necessary to write about this because a new kind of fierce, cultural Christian, one who creates their own reality and tries to impose it upon others, now dominates evangelical christendom. Instead of being full of grace and kindness, they project expectations upon others or severe disappointment. Major portions of scripture concerning the end-time, apostate church have been fulfilled. They so covet having prominence and dominating others, that they actually project and create their own reality, which they expect others to conform to and indulge. They become supremely arrogant and are actually practicing a type of witchcraft that can be extremely difficult to come against because they tend to be "charismatic" and even have a following due to their often intense projection of expectations onto others. Yes, I strive to forgive these people and so must all those who claim to Christians as difficult as that is! Those in authority MUST lovingly confront these human land mines before they hurt or destroy others.
I write this to warn the true church about dangerous pretenders who are now a plague in even Bible believing churches. Not to mention the fact that there are even worse infiltrators in the church who hate biblical Christianity and seek to destroy godly ministries (actually antichristians). This is a call to repentance for those who see themselves in this message that they are now reading. The infection of 'affluenza' and 'status', plagues the church in the same way that it plagues Western society. Our hyper-materialistic, "success"/worldly, sophistication orientated and idol worshiping culture has also thoroughly infiltrated our churches with a wide range of bold agendas and behaviors. Preference, deference, unearned respect- even adulation and idolatry is slathered on those who have achieved worldly success, as though worldly gain was an earmark of godliness. The brand of modern "evangelical" pharisees tend to be so slick and cunning that very few ever discern just how dangerous they are to the true church. They have no desire to honor or obey God but to re-create their own personal reality within the church and to subjugate the weak and meek who dare not oppose them. They may even believe that they are "on a mission from God" but their methods and behavior betrays them. Their real inner mantras or doctrines, revolve around their narscisistic selfishness. Often their real doctrines have been plucked from psychology or other pop philosophies but is almost always a mixture crafted to empower themselves and to justify their agendas. However, they are not all rich and affluent. Some of them are merely control freaks or wannabe suck-up lackeys who will do whatever they need to make points with their elite friends or have their way. Many of these may seem like the nicest people in your church but are completely two-faced, posers. The idolization of major evangelical pop leaders gives license to many muppies to act in the same manner as do their leaders.
Many "successful" evangelical leaders are idolized instead of merely being respected. Does a subtle social pecking order exist in your church? Are there those in your church who not so subtly believe and act as though they are in a special high stratum of existence and are simply "better" than others? Oh- most of these don't consciously act and project this ungodly attitude- it has become second nature to them, evoking automatic superior behavior and the subtle mistreatment of others "beneath" them through condescension. They are dominated by a 'haughty spirit' (snobbery), which is the antithesis of the Gospel and of how Christians are to treat others. These people by nature condescend to people they deem to be "beneath" them and they kiss up (spirit of flatteries- an antichrist spirit) to those whom they respect and even idolize. This pharisaical hypocrisy is super-charged in most of the "elite" (no such thing should exist in the church) in the church- who feel that their lot in life and their sharp business acumen make them a "cut above" others in the church and deserving of projecting ungodly authority and control. Many of these types flock together and create clicks in which they affirm their snobby station within the higher echelons of churches and even project a fierce and controlling spirit towards some with whom they are at ought or seek to oppress- when others aren't looking! They have perfected a stealthy "might makes right" hidden attitude and agenda that passes inspection of the other elites and most of the church who seem to have a "one-hand-washes-the-other" brand of classicist, condescending spirit toward those with less aggressive social acumen or status in life. Authentic, humble, loving, Christians are usually their mark because they inwardly are jealous of genuine spirituality and seek to oppress and destroy them- if they can. These types are usually offended by genuine, devout Christians and seek to 'lord it over them' through a spirit of control or sow seeds of hatred or gossip to derail them. These types of muppies can be extremely dangerous and toxic to Christians and the church. Discerners and the pastorate must confront them (in love) and call them to repentance before they do irreparable harm to individuals and the body. These types have themselves convinced that they are "good Christians" because they create their own reality, which is actually the practicing a type of witchcraft. Hardened "Christian" snobs will not enter the kingdom of heaven and I think that deep inside they know where they are headed but rather enjoy damaging, destroying and undermining others!
Have biblical spiritual qualities (like loving and honoring each other on the basis of being a Christian) been replaced by a carnal and worldly system now found in most evangelical churches? Is there a type of religious snobbery (high-minded hypocrite) that is acceptable in God's sight? This type of pretender can be intensely treacherous as they often put on the most lovely image that any phony two-face can project, then cunningly cut you to pieces (gossip) behind your back. Many of these savor pretending to be Christians to your face, then turn around and practice character assassination when speaking of you to others. This evil spirit has become pandemic in the church, fueled by selfishness, gross lack of personal integrity, character and maturity; extreme licentiousness, self-indulegence and the desire to "create reality." Most of evangelical Christendom (I call it "churchianity') inadvertently believes and practices (to differing degrees) a type of neo-calvinism, that "justifies" their lust for their shallow, materialistic lifestyles because they "deserve it" and are "entitled" to it because inwardly (unspoken) they feel that they are "special" and a "cut above others". Many of them desire to have "prominence" and recognition in their churches and communities and to lord it over others. At the heart of hyper-Calvinism, is the belief that THEY are especially "chosen" (while most others are not) by God and that their success and affluence is proof of God's "special choosing and blessings." The apostate, hyper-"Word/ Faith" movement, is the most extreme, heinous example, though this plague of HAUGHTY AFFLUENZA in the church is found almost everywhere and very little, if anything is said about it because the professional pastorate FEARS angering and losing big donors, not to mention their own jobs!
At the heart of Shullerism, is this same self-indulgent spirit that actually encourages people to indulge their "ego trips" and to create their own reality (a form of witchcraft actually). This "alternate reality creating" (witchcraft) is pandemic in even evangelical churches. It is super-charged in most "Faith/ prosperity" ministries and they get downright angry and militant when they confront this kind of truth- and justify it by spewing: "do not touch God's anointed", with a usually unspoken threat as to what happens to people who "attack" their sacred cows. Shullerism and the seeker-driven apostasies, have more subtly spread this spiritual disease at break-neck speed throughout Christendom.
You can believe the entire letter of the law and the Gospel (even the demons believe and tremble) but if the Word is not made alive (quickened) in your heart (soul, spirit, conscience) by God's Spirit through Faith in what He says, and you are not being transformed (continuous for all true Christians and the proof and fruit of seeking and walking with God) you are not born-again, and cannot have a deep personal, spiritual relationship with Jesus! Many in the greater evangelical church are merely POSING as Christians. (If you have been convicted by this, repent of your phoniness, ask God to lead you in repentance, and seek Jesus with your whole heart NOW!) The Lord Himself said: "seek and you shall find, (HIM) knock and the door shall be opened unto you". The Lord "earnestly rewards those who seek HIM." WORD!
The authentic life for a Christian is a blessed, personal, supernatural relationship with God Almighty that has come about as a result of genuinely seeking Jesus, repenting of your sin and selfish orientation, and honestly desiring Jesus more than any person or thing on this earth. Jesus will do this ongoing work in you if you desire HIM, repent of your sins and FOLLOW Him! God does not give His Spirit to those who are not serious about knowing, and surrendering to Him. You can know His awesome Presence in your life, but most never get to this place because they aren't ready to take up their cross, deny themselves, and follow Jesus with all of their heart. 'Easy believism', 'cheap grace' and the cultural Christian emphasis on accepting Christ (necessary) without the proper discipling and follow up, has produced a predominantly lukewarm church- void of the personal transforming power of Jesus and His Holy Spirit and a deep relationship with Jesus. I know this intimately because I lived it for many years.
This is not a call to perfectionism or to legalism but rather is primarily a call to repent of hardness of heart and to return to a deep, child-like love and adoration for Jesus- to 'break up the fallow ground' of our souls and seek intimacy with Jesus! This is impossible in people who are overly-sophisticated, self-sufficient, proud, self-righteous and unbroken about their sins- particularly their snobbish orientations. The threshold for entering into fellowship with Jesus, is brokenness and acknowledgment of our fallen natures (repentance) and our desperate need for Jesus our Savior.
WE ARE ALL DESPERATE FOR JESUS... SOME KNOW THAT AS FACT WHILE OTHERS ARE SPIRITUALLY CLUELESS!
Only the preaching of God's Truth (His Word) anointed by God's Holy Spirit, can combat this plague and lead to repentance and revival!
In the book of Jude is found a profound warning and prophecy as to the intensity of the spiritual warfare that the end-time church would find itself in. Paul prophesied in 2 Thess. 2:3, that in the end-time church, there would be a profound apostasy (militant falling away from authentic, Biblical Truth). Most cannot identify this insidious attack being carried out by worldly pretenders and fallen churchmen. These people may even seem to be "nice" at first appearance, but their words and works identify them as being worldly, sensual, selfish, haughty, and unrepentant about their glaring sinful lifestyles. Many of these were falsely "converted" into a man-centered "gospel" void of spiritual truth. These false converts have become Satan's silent servants, who actually scoff at true Bible believers and seek to hurt and displace them. The seeker movement has produced millions of these half-baked, illegitimate "converts" who are systematically programed to be allergic to any message that is not psychologically "positive." The seeker culture hates the "confrontative" and "harsh" "fundamentalist" Bible believer that does not coddle them in their sin. (Jesus never coddled sin) Compromised Evangelicals have got the same ungodly disease, which I call 'SCOFFERITIS.' True followers of Jesus have already experienced the wrath and hatred of these phonies:
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. Jude 17-19
Elitism and classicism are alive and well in most of the evangelical church, as though being a Christian is merely a type of pedigree and the result of grooming. Many of these "elites" are fiercely self-entitled. Outside of the church, many of these types are known as "yuppies" and have earned a negative reputation for being proud, self-indulgent and snobby. Unfortunately, there is a modern "christianized" version of yuppies that I have invented a new term for: "muppies," which stands for "modern urban pharisees." There are too many "christians" who look only at the outer man and look down upon those who don't project the "right social image." They are terminally proud and have a deep need to be "better" than others. They are competitive in this pursuit and long to be recognized for their accomplishments in the world and in the church. They are driven to have people look up to them as being "a cut above others. They often concoct tedious and complex schemes in order to impress others, to have recognition, CONTROL and/or PROMINENCE in the church and are quite deft at projecting the "right image". In modern terms, they have an "alternate agenda." They subtly defer to others based upon that person's STATUS, their standing in the church and the favor that they have in the eyes of others, which God deplores, as found in the book of James. We should treat all people with love and respect, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of their "status" in this world! This type of evil spirit is now able to pervade the church because so little spiritual/ Biblical truth is being preached that would expose and convict them of their pretentious behaviors. There are so few discerners in most churches today to expose and confront these phonies and call them to repentance and lead them then to restoration (not condemnation!).
Many of these muppies are practicing a 'designer Christianity' (another gospel), which is merely an elaborate religious system based on works and the developing of good habits and the picking and choosing of certain portions of the Gospel that doesn't offend or convict them, which is the antithesis of the Gospel. They have ironically developed a "designer Jesus"- a Jesus of their own creation. Their Jesus is a lovey dovey, nice, femimized, unoffensive Jesus (politically correct) who accepts and even endorses most modern lifestyles (sins), as long as that person is of an "acceptable social class". Their "station" in life is their major idol and orientation- NOT Jesus and His Word. They tend to lean toward embracing the positive-social-gospel, which frowns upon being "negative" or "critical" about other elites or their erroneous doctrines and practices. The more phony of these actually practice a type of universalism that foists a cheap grace and a "gospel" void of most Biblical truth, designed to relieve them of personal guilt, and allowing them to live out their lies. They create their own version of Jesus for the purpose of furthering their ego trips, and selfish agendas, and making them "feel good" (self-righteous). The only problem is that their "designer jesus" does not exist.
Jesus didn't die for us and rise from the dead, simply so that we could develop good habits or be "better" than other people. Shallow Christians that take on this false theology usually gravitate to embrace a stealthy form of Calvinism, which allows them to legitimize their air of superiority, and their looking down upon others not of their station in life. They would love to think that they are one of "the chosen," whereas those of lesser social classes are not. Some of them fantasize that their great lot in life is an earned blessing from God that validates their good standing with him. In their shallowness they deny that Jesus died to change our very natures but instead came to "validate their ego trips"; the "christianized", New Age poison that Robert Schuller has preached verbatim for years, and now permeates the evangelical church. There are others that equate being a "good Christian" with wearing the right clothes, and acting in an "acceptable" manner. Many of this type play all sorts of "Pharisee games." False humility and a self-piousness can just exude from this type. They will tend to be the "homage payers" (kiss ups to those of influence, in order to gain power and control) and "score keepers" in the church, who keenly watch others for stumbling, so that they can condescendingly subjugate them. They cloak themselves in religious false humility, while they condescend or even condemn others who are different from themselves. The more elite (whether rich or not) of this ilk will expect homage to be paid to them and have constructed an elaborate system that lets others know that special treatment is expected. This is the contingent that is eager to "shoot the wounded" in the church so that the church is “not embarrassed” by "those people" who have a "problem" or are not "socially acceptable" like them. Why was Jesus so tough on Pharisees? Because they are self-righteous, unrepentant, dangerous, treacherous phonies that injure and torment God's people. They often must be confronted full force with the facts or they will not repent and seek God's help to change.
A worldly spirit of "flatteries" (Daniel 11:32) is rampant among this type of pharisee. This spirit is the same one that brought us the catch phrase, "ya gotta go along to get along." This is a spirit of biblical/spiritual compromise which rules the world and "churchianity." It embodies a social pecking order, which needs to be "respected" by those lower than themselves, in their usually unspoken opinion. They defer to others by making class distinctions. Most of this is non-verbal- (negatively spiritual in nature) even unconscious. They just project this attitude or spirit, (spirit of haughtiness) which is how they identify and seek their own. Most of the "professional pastorate" goes along with this because elite muppies can destroy or even get them fired. Elite muppies usually control pastor's incomes directly or indirectly. Gossip is the major tool that muppies employ to wreak havoc and destroy others.
Some of these in this category are superior "control freaks", whose deepest mantra is "looking out for #1." Some are rigidly and ungraciously strict, and self-pious. They fool most people by putting on a convincing religious facade while in public. Their real religion, which is the same spirit that produces "political correctness," lends itself to producing a shallow religious legalism in such compromised Christians, which they use to ensnare people. They are quick to be offended (not gracious or merciful) and quick to dispatch "trouble makers," through subtle gossip and innuendo (I also call these "Stepford Christians" because it is a type of secret witchcraft). The spirit of "Pharaoh" rests upon some of these as well- those who manipulate their way to high positions of control and try to smother the real work of God. This type of person is the type that abhors other Christians who have found true freedom in Christ and deep relationship with Him. They especially hate those who have received the power of the Baptism in His Spirit, and flow in their gifts; who are not rigid, religious and "superior" like the Pharisee, because they cannot control them. These Pharisees may even learn all about God and the Bible so that they can prove to others that they have superior "knowledge" (gnosis) but their hearts have never been changed because they never mixed the Gospel they heard with faith- leading to authentic repentance and regeneration. In other words many (NOT ALL) of these types have never truly received Jesus in their inner beings at all. They are still completely in control of their own lives. They merely slap on a phony Christian facade and learn the lingo. They get grossed out when real Christians speak of being in love with Jesus. They cannot enter into real spiritual worship because they are not alive in the Spirit. They think that being a Christian is just another self-help course in which they must just learn the right rules and regulations and act the "right way." They have no desperation for, or abandonment to Jesus because their primary orientation is not Jesus and His kingdom at all, but rather themselves. They have simply slapped a pseudo-"christian" veneer over their selfishly agendized egos. In fact the worst of these worldly phonies are chameleons that function very well as pagan yuppies outside of the church. Many of them are absolutely driven by petty selfish agendas but because they are so sophisticated in their modus operandi, are able to fool undiscerning Christians. This type of person is toxic to the real Christian body because they learn all the right lingo and look, and act spiffy but they are inwardly offended by authentic, born-again Christians. They are Trojan Horses.
The acronym, which became "yuppy," has taken on a negative connotation for allot of people. Many associate the term with young, selfish, phony, careerists who would do just about anything to get ahead in life. Muppies are even more dangerous because they claim to be Christians while actually embodying the worst worldly traits, which are not always that obvious to naive and undiscerning Christians. For pagans, I can understand this orientation because they have nothing else to live for. Christians that exhibit this behavior should be confronted and called to repentance. I recently was moved by God to do this with a "friend" of mine. Godly confrontation has been made very difficult by the "make no judgments on me/ do what ever you want," age in which we live, which is antithetical to Biblical Christianity, which calls for truth in relationships. I had realized that I had looked the other way and simply ignored my friend's behavior and evil, two-faced treatment of others, which was not what God wanted me to do at all. A true friend will speak up and call a Christian friend to come clean. God put it on my heart to do so and not to mince any words.
Some of these quickly take on all of the current culture and lingo of the evangelical light, seeker church, but have never truly received Christ. When their lives and fruits are examined, complete compromise is revealed. In confronting my "friend", I had to tell him that his disingenuous treatment of me and others, his ruthless business acumen, his confessed proclivity to view internet porn, and his filthy mouth all proclaimed the fact that he is not yet a true follower of Christ, though he poses in his church as a learned and devoted Christian, and even teaches Sunday school. He is a self-made man who is driven to prove that he is a cut above others. Psychologists call it a "superiority complex" while the Bible calls it a "haughty spirit." He has heaped up treasures for himself on this earth and I reminded him of how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Having wealth is not in itself a sin, but when you love money and your status in this life, you cannot get close to God. ("the love of money is the root of all evil") This person actually enjoys taunting people with his money; offering to help close friends and then pretending as though he never said a word about it. His cruel taunting even included intimating that he was going to buy my children elaborate Christmas gifts one year, which of course never materialized. He also offered to make me a partner in his business, only to suddenly change his mind and demand that I pay him a large franchise fee. Speaking to his brother revealed that he also has a long record of treachery and disappointment with him. His fierceness over being called to repentance and his defensiveness (though I cited numerous examples) reminded me of what Paul prophesied about these last days:
1 ¶ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING ITS POWER. And from such people turn away!
6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
7 ALWAYS LEARNING AND NEVER ABLE TO COME TO KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. II Timothy 3:1-7
A dozen years later I found myself on the inside of a situation that included this fierce MUPPIE. This man had developed a romantic crush on a female staff member at his church with whom he worked with via the praise and worship team. His wife learned of his crush and confronted the female staff member (as if it were her fault). Though he then left for his winter home for seven months, he felt entitled to again work with the staff member and even regain his role as worship leader upon his return. When he was told by the pastor that he could not return to the praise team, he promptly left the church. This certainly proves his self-entitled arrogance and bald-face hubris as his return to the praise team would have caused immense tensions.
The mind set of a modern urban Pharisee, (aka: M.U.P. or "muppy") is really just a religious hybrid of a worldly snob. This superior phony who loves to lord it over others possesses what the Bible calls a "haughty spirit." Many of them have been molded by their worldly experience, which causes them to feel entitled and qualified to run the "business" of the church as well. They particularly strive to have others "look up" to them, as they lust for the laud of men. This type of person is exquisitely deceived and must not be allowed to hinder God's people, no matter how much money or worldly influence and respect that they may have! Pharisees all need to feel more esteemed than others and so does much of what calls itself the church today. The pride of life exudes from them. The words "affirmation" and "validation" are being propagated by people like them instead of 'EDIFICATION' of the body. True edification is not meant to build up egos and placate self-agendized muppies. Spiritual edification begins with laying down and repenting of self, being changed by the Master, and then following Him. There can be no authentic Christian growth without receiving, and acting upon the foundation, which Christ established, and that Christ is.
Muppies usually suffer from a bad case of “affluenza,“ believing and acting as though their affluent lot in life is a sign from God that they are chosen to lord it over others. They also tend to act as though their financial “success” in this life is also a sign of “godliness,“ when in actuality the opposite is more likely. Their judgment is superficial and based on worldly philosophies- not on the word of God. A cheap and tawdry “I- deserve- to- be- blessed-because-I‘m-special,“ mentality just oozes from some of them. Perhaps they have been infected to a degree by the apostate prosperity preachers or the ones who worship “possibility thinking”? Jesus did not have very kind words for Pharisees. He called them "vipers" and "white washed tombs," (having a nice facade but whose contents are thoroughly DEAD!)
In recent years, I have had confrontations with several of these muppies. When they realize that you discern their bad behavior, they tend to make you out to be the problem. They love to play accuser when they feel "attacked" when in reality they are only being confronted about their own behavior. My friend accused me of "hiding behind Jesus." He was clueless to the fact that he couldn't have given me a greater compliment because there is no place that I would rather be than hiding behind, hiding under, and hiding IN Jesus, the One who I love more than life itself! It becomes clear that they believe that they are a cut above everyone else and that the worst actually suffer from delusions of grandeur. They are fierce when confronted and easily go on counter-offensive by making their own accusations that rarely make reference to God's word and reveal them for what they really are. copyright 2000-2010
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