Pastor doubts Christ hated caring 'liberals'

By Mike Thomas - Orlando Sentinel, Opinon
Thursday, November 30, 2006 - Web Link
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November 30, 2006

Construction is near completion at Northland, A Church Distributed.

The impressive $38 million facility in Longwood will hold 3,400 people.

Pastor Joel Hunter no longer will have to lead seven services each weekend in the old converted roller-skating rink to accommodate everyone who wants to hear him.

When he came to Northland in 1985, the church had 200 members. Now it has more than 7,000.

My friends who attend Northland all say the same thing about Hunter's success: He is a great communicator.

Now, that skill and Hunter's message have put him on a national stage. He may well become the most important and refreshing voice speaking for evangelical Christians today.

I am not trying to be flip when I say: Thank God.

In many ways, he is a classic conservative Christian. He is pro-life. He considers gay marriage a violation of the Old Testament. He believes Christians should be active in politics.

Before you stereotype him, though, read his book, Right Wing, Wrong Bird. In this very sharp and very on-target critique of the religious right, he details the pitfalls of a Christian movement that has lost its Christianity.

The pursuit of political power has replaced spiritual depth.

Condemning others has replaced the love that is at the heart of Jesus' teachings.

The strategy is to prey on people's fear and anger because that motivates the base more than appealing to their compassionate side.

Compassion is the message Hunter has preached at Northland for 21 years. Members are encouraged to go out into the community and help the less fortunate. Hunter stresses programs that rehabilitate people so they can fend for themselves.

It's a message he shares with other evangelical leaders who have grown tired of the narrow hot-button issues pushed by the religious right. That approach is turning off young evangelicals.

"This is a watershed moment in our history," he says. "Putting it bluntly, are we just going to be a voice that just tells people what they should do, or are we going to be servants who benefit everybody? I think Jesus would take the second of those."

Ah, yes, what would Jesus do?

Would he spend his time obsessing about homosexuals, an issue he never addressed in the gospels, or would he be out at the homeless shelter preaching to the poor and hungry?

Would Jesus, who showed such compassion with lepers, turn his back on those with AIDS?

Hunter thinks the answer is pretty clear in the New Testament.

Unfortunately, the religious right has become so closely tied to conservative Republican politics that biblical and political principles have merged. Hence, anything that might be considered a liberal political position becomes unacceptable.

That is why the Christian Coalition, which approached Hunter about leading the organization, changed its mind. The group could not accept some of his "liberal" beliefs.

"If you care about the environment or justice or AIDS or poor people, all of a sudden you are a liberal, and liberals are the enemies," Hunter says. "The compassion issues of Christ have been tagged as liberal issues. It is the reverse of what it ought to be."

Mike Thomas can be reached at 407-420-5525 or mthomas@orlandosentinel.com.