Frank Schaeffer's Disappointing Testimony

[lueffee]

guess what!!!! Christianity is not the only religion, Frank who maintains his christian beliefs, he just shed the light on the judging nature of what Christianity has become. This was not Jesus' aim to judge, and condemn like so many Christian do. Jesus loves us ALL, God loves us all, the only ones who can judge would be God him/herself. The Christian Right would like to control you, and make you give up you freedoms. Frank is just now making an act of contrition. Yes, he is sorry.

[NevilleRhysBarnes]

I read and was convinced by Francis Schaeffer when I was young and impressionable. With hindsight, I can see the superficiality of his arguments--an ounce of skepticism and they fall apart.

Franky is in a better position that anyone to comment on the Christian right, and his analysis of American Christianity is the most accurate--and courageous--of any contemporary commentator.

DeMar's argument against Franky is ad hominem and partisan. I would trust Franky over DeMar any day.

[frozenmonarch]

Here's the issue. The church has gone downhill. A lot of what frank Shaeffer has said about the church is absolutely right. There is far to many hate filled Christians who are looking to control rather than to bless. Schaeffer though seems to have decided to instead see the faults for what they are, and from a Christian perspective go after the "sins" he has decided to use mockery and put downs to try to control people himself. It's a shame.

[twitcher73]

I'm reading Patience With God right now, and I actually agree with much of what Frank says about the current church culture in North America. I struggle with many of the same conclusions he has come up with: It is consumer driven and celebrity populated; it is about entertainment and self aggrandizement; there is far too much of the "us vs them" mentality. While his case resonates with me, I also don't feel that the answer is to essentially attack and "liberalize" the doctrine of the church.

[edgwaterprog]

@twitcher73 There may be a difference between "liberating" doctrine from the right-wing Christian corporatist leaders that Schaeffer discusses and "libertine" doctrines that the right-wing always accuses the left of supporting.

[Mojosbigstick]

Frankie switched? So did Saul.

It's not possible that a man can (God help us), see the light.

[maajoour]

Maybe Franky made a switch because he saw the truth. What else could he do? So, Gary, you need to allow for the possibility that Franky is right. Or are you afraid of the truth?

[PenSword35]

FINALLY!!!!!! Someone with some BALLS! Thank you Frank Schaeffeer!!!!!

[taosimplicity]

Stop being ungrateful to a country that PUTS UP with your crap when it could take the easy way out and throw you in jail like they do in parts of Asia. Stop your whining and your bitching. You sound like a little girl crying foul Waaaah! waaaaah! They took my dolly! At least TRY to be a man. You come off as effete and pathetic. If you continue this persecution complex Americans will look at you as if you're some kind of whiny minority who is easily kicked around. America abhors a loser.

[taosimplicity]

Gary you're bereft of intellectual credibility. You're arguments seem like that of all apologists for the pro-pedophile religious right.The old "They're persecuting us for his namesake." (said in a whiny pathetic voice) has gotten old and makes you look weaker and weaker. Stop complaining, Christians can't exactly take the persection route considering you live and prosper in a country that protects you without question. Try speaking in tongues in the Netherlands and they might lock you away.

[edgwaterprog]

@taosimplicity Great point.

[OrthodoxRobert]

He beat the drum for the religious right, now he beats it for the religious left. As an Eastern Orthodox Christian I can say that many, many, many of us find him to be an embarassment.

[indkeith]

Frankie the fly...you pseudo-intellectual....you're a wannabe.....helped found the religious right....get real....spit on the grave ....uncool dude

[indkeith]

Frankie the fly...you pseudo-intellectual....you're a wannabe.....helped found the religious right....get real....spit on the grave ....uncool dude

[unimackpass]

Instead of attacking the messenger we need to evaluate what kind of culture war we have turned this into. We have become very angry and hateful. Is that the fight that we have bin called to?

[unimackpass]

I have to agree with Frank on this one. Th.ings he quotes from his dad makes one think that he would also

[c42u]

Thank you Gary. I have been very troubled about Frank. He seems a tragic figure. I wonder if he senses that Rachel Maddow is parading him out to her crowd as a spectacle, like Samson, blinded and chained.

[edgwaterprog]

@c42u You people just cannot accept the moral bankruptcy of the religious right.  When someone who knows about the problems, they accuse him of being mentally unbalanced. Sounds like he is more like a prophet than Samson to me.