It’s interesting to watch as the religious community comes to terms with itself, now that the Republican Party and the religious community have become so intertwined.

Here’s a fire and brimstone article from a radio preacher’s website, in which he makes a case that celebrity preachers have become more social and political animals rather than preachers.

He wants to see preachers become crusaders against immorality even when that means attacking the favored political party, and even if that means being socially unacceptable to the kind of people you want to attract into your mega-church.

He seems to be saying (subtlely) that celebrity preachers are so wedded to their role as recruiters and apologists for the Republican Party that they cannot attack the Republican power structure for its immorality.

America’s Basic Problem Is A Pastor Problem

. . .

Instead of championing truth, today’s pastors champion political parties. They cater to wealthy contributors. They wiggle around controversy and grovel before government bureaucrats.

With an all-consuming passion to “succeed,” they avoid preaching “negative” sermons. They take great pains to never be confrontational. Their current pastorate is merely a “stepping stone” to the next big opportunity. They read all the latest and greatest “how to” books. Their messages are more noted for what they do not say, and they don’t mind talking about sin as long as they don’t have to name it.

. . . Do you hear them challenging President Bush when he refuses to assist Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore or when he increases federal spending for abortion providers or when he appoints numerous open homosexuals to high public office?

Make no mistake about it, the actions and inactions of “big-name” pastors are meticulously calculated. They have been well-schooled in the art of what is socially and politically acceptable and what is not. And they are rewarded, are they not, with bigger and bigger congregations and greater and greater notoriety? So, where is the incentive for the “little” preacher to speak out?

In addition, has it ever been popular to be God’s man? Did not the prophets and preachers in Bible days sometimes pay a horrific price to be faithful? In fact, try to name a Bible preacher that wasn’t thrown in jail at least once! I submit that it has never been easy or popular to be a man of God, but what I want to know is, when did men of God decide that it should be?