Beware the False Prophets Among Us

I am frequently reminded of my God and my Saviour’s demand that I “Love my neighbour as myself.” (Leviticus 19:18 / Matthew 22: 37-39).

Neither God, Moses nor Jesus ever said it would be easy, nor convenient. They never said it would be fun. They never said we would get a trophy. They, also, never put the challenge up cafeteria style, for those of us who claim Jesus as our Saviour, to decide when and where this was to be practiced. This was further accentuated in the Gospel of Luke, when my Saviour stated that we should: “Do unto others as we would have done unto ourselves” (Luke 6:31).

I am deeply saddened and disappointed to continue to witness those in my beloved community who seem comfortable using the same religion I love and deeply espouse, as a means to manipulate others. The late much revered and loved Reverend Billy Graham reminded us of this when he opined: “The far right have but one interest in religion, and that is to manipulate it.”

We all have an entitlement to our opinions. We all have the right to express them.  I’m a huge first (and second, for what that’s worth) amendment advocate. What I am not an advocate of is the gas-lighting of manipulated scripture and ideology by, seemingly, false prophets in my community, that use a house of God for self-serving political purposes. While this is strictly forbidden by law for entities enjoying tax free accommodation, it is widely ignored in communities where it is well known that there will be zero accountability. How ironic for a small group which screams for accountability from others.

It is sad to see our elected officials ignore their oaths of office, to possibly win  “indulgences” from their political coffer fillers. Despite the beautiful lives lived by my spiritual heroes Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict, Mother Teresa, Rev. Graham, Pope Francis and others, It is even more disappointing to see (what appears) to be the reincarnation of Pope Urban arising within our own midst (Matthew 7:15).

Please allow me to be clear: I have no problem with any church or religious organization in our area. I am dear friends with many who attend a variety of houses of worship, to include my own. My problem is with the increasingly small, yet vociferously loud and lying lips of the small handful who seem comfortable leading God’s children astray, for their own hate filled, anti-child, anti-American, self-serving political ideology.

My wife and I have been part of this beautiful community for over 25 years. I was, personally, born and raised in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Our 21 year old son was born and raised here. I would, kindly, encourage my fellow citizens (especially those who attend houses of God) to search the scriptures themselves. Read for yourselves. Take the time to get to know those whom your false prophets are slandering and defaming. Be wary of those, who because they may share your religious affiliation, assert they are best suited to lead our beautiful community politically and policy-wise.

To those who blindly do as they are directed by others, I encourage you to personally do your own homework — ask tough question of others, not just those whom you are told to beware of. Listen critically to their responses.  You may be surprised.

Beware of those “Sample Ballots” and other pamphlets that get bullied into your hands, hoping to make it into your hearts. Make sure that the decisions you make are ones which you can justify, based upon your own homework, not that of others, who claim to have your “best interest” at heart.

We can civilly, and with calm discourse, agree to disagree and still love one another.  We will not, however, survive as a community if we continue to act with laziness and apathy, and simply do as we are told by those who have but one self-serving interest, to become political power brokers cloaked in a charade of faith while setting a standard of “us versus them” hatred based on negative political and social stereotyping.

Self-Disclosure: I have had to, personally, apologize for how I have at times failed as a Christian over the course of 57 plus years on this planet, by not loving my neighbor as I wish to be loved. I admit that I, myself, need to be better. I am more than willing to sit with anyone over a hot or cold beverage of choice, in a public location, and engage in civil discourse.

Michael S. Williams
Front Royal, Virginia