Circle the wagons! Activate the good old boys network in the Southern Baptist Convention. It allows members of the club to operate in ways that run counter to your values and beliefs. Need proof that it exists? Look at how the elites rallied around Russell Moore. Even the NOBA issued a letter in defense of Dr. Russell Moore.

 

It is nothing but denominational politics. These are all good men, but this is nothing but SBC politics as usual.

 

The NOBA insiders try to excuse Dr. Moore’s hateful rhetoric against Donald Trump voters by calling it a “prophetic” voice.

 

It is anything but prophetic. Dr. Moore is a pundit and not a prophet, as one commenter here put it.

 

Russell Moore called fellow Christians heretics, called brothers and sisters in Christ “illogical” and said they had “repudiated” their Christian beliefs. And he said all that because they voted Donald Trump.

 

All this from a progressive, former Democrat who idolizes pro-abortion Southern Baptist Foy Valentine and even models the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission on Valentine’s example.

 

Every time someone insults another Christian it is excused as “prophetic.” Sorry. That term is so overused these days that it has lost all meaning. When standing against sin, it is one thing to condemn sin. However, in this election season, Dr. Moore rebuked fellow Christians about their moral decision to pick the lesser of two evils. It seems incredible that denominational insiders move to protect someone clearly on the other side of conservative, rank-and-file Baptists.

 

We need fewer “prophetic” voices and many voices of exhortation—voices encouraging fellow Christians to live a better life that includes our involvement in politics. Compare the nasty “prophetic” voice in this last election with the possibilities of encouragement where we are reminded how our pro-life, pro-family and pro-freedom beliefs can function and thrive even when the major party candidates are a major disappointment.

 

Instead, we received advice from Russell Moore, a guy who went on the syndicated Rick & Bubba radio show and couldn’t even answer their reasonable questions about what to do as Christians in this election—his only advice was to avoid voting Trump! There was only negative, and no positive advice. How disappointing. Also, this type of one-sided attack on the GOP candidate enabled some evangelicals to vote for the pro-abortion, anti-family and anti-religious liberty candidate Hillary Clinton.

 

To an observer outside the Southern Baptist denominational elite, and to an observer who doesn’t know Dr. Russell Moore’s heart, it sure looks like the former Democrat was trying to undermine and even destroy the evangelical pro-life consensus.

 

Some within the Southern Baptist Convention think it would be better if Southern Baptists voted Democrat instead of Republican. Some within the Southern Baptist Convention believe there is an unholy alliance between evangelicals and the GOP. However, there is a reason that evangelicals since the 1980s have grown more Republican—the moral stands on life, liberty and property of the GOP better fit the moral standards of the Bible. There is no perfect political party or platform. However, there are a few disqualifiers such as the Democratic Party stance on abortion, the family and eroding religious liberty in the name of equality. For a Christian concerned about these cornerstone moral issues, it is impossible to vote Democratic, or sit idly by and allow a Democratic candidate to win.

 

It is fair to ask why Dr. Moore didn’t understand this. It is fair to ask if Dr. Moore’s political priorities match with the rank-and-file political priorities of Southern Baptists. Dr. Moore is not a prophet; he is an employee. If he doesn’t match what Southern Baptists believe, then he should be fired. He has no entitlement to be paid by folks who share a fundamentally different approach to politics.

 

You can make that happen. Here is our guide to Draining the Swamp in the SBC.

14 thoughts on “Southern Baptists insiders try to protect liberal Russell Moore”

  1. Can you point to a scripture that would support firing Dr. Moore because his views didn’t match the “political priorities” of “rank and fire” Southern Baptists.

    I can point to many verses from God’s word that would support what Dr. Moore was saying about Mr. Trump during the election, so where would one fine Biblical support for your crusade against Dr. Moore.

    I pray that you will reflect upon Romans 12:2–Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

    1. Thanks for your comment. I appreciate you taking the time to interact. Here are some of my thoughts…

      He isn’t a pastor and is a denominational employee. I don’t have to point to a scripture to fire an employee that is serving in a non-church capacity. A pastor or deacon has specific requirements and specific standards of behavior. I would be loathe to try to fire a church employee without scriptural backing. As for a denominational entity head, he serves at the pleasure of the trustees who are elected by the Convention. I can safely say that a Southern Baptist employee should believe and think like Southern Baptists. It is that simple.

      I think Dr. Moore’s political theology is severely lacking. I think the Bible creates a specific role for government–the Apostles Peter and Paul defined these as punish evil and reward good. I see no standard for character, etc applied to Caesar. Now, that is not to say character isn’t important; it is. But, this election brought out two bad candidates. The entire question of this election revolved around the lesser of two evils, and Dr. Moore failed to address this and with smug appearance after appearance and writing indicted Trump voters. When you can’t answer Rick & Bubba’s fair and honest questions, then you should probably give up.

    2. When a leader in the church actively supports directly or indirectly a candidate for president who supports murdering the unborn, that’s enough for me to reject that church leader. Jesus rejected the Pharisees on far less grounds. Jesus also drove out the dishonest money changers from the Temple. It’s time for Russell Moore to go.

      1. Terry,

        I agree that to allow evil to happen without working to prevent it makes one culpable in the outcome. It is no different than the story of the Good Samaritan. Failure to act seems to further evil.

  2. If you don’t believe we should hold Dr. Moore to a scriptural standard than surely we should hold him to a denominational standard since you say he should believe and think like Southern Baptists.

    So tell me what he has done that would go against what we are supposed to believe based on this part of the Baptist Faith and Message:

    “All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society. Means and methods used for the improvement of society and the establishment of righteousness among men can be truly and permanently helpful only when they are rooted in the regeneration of the individual by the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ. In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, and pornography. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love. In order to promote these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth.”

    1. He ridiculed and mocked Southern Baptists who voted against his recommendation because either he doesn’t understand the Lesser of Two Evils moral decision process (unlikely given his Ph.D.) or he didn’t care that many Baptists utilized this method. So, let me quote Dr. Frank Page on the election and Southern Baptist voting, “Americans voted out of principle, but also out of pragmatism. This is the way it has always been. In a republic such as ours rarely, if ever, have believers been able to choose the perfect candidate. It was not so yesterday, and it will not be so in future elections. Millions of Baptists went to the polls and voted out of principles and also out of pragmatism. They wanted to vote for a candidate that might support cherished principles among believers. Ignoring the condescending verbiage from the moral elites, Baptists voted and voted in droves.”

      The entire problem is the condescending pietistic moralism from Dr. Moore. He was out of bounds in his rhetoric against voters, and in contrast,
      notice how Dr. Mohler’s critique was exclusively against Trump.

      Now, he was out of step with Southern Baptists in how we voted because he doesn’t seem to get the cornerstone issues of life, liberty and property.

      Over 80% of born-again and evangelicals voted against Dr. Moore’s recommendations. He was repudiated at the ballot box, and should show significantly more humility than his non-apology apology where he apologized for us “misunderstanding” him. How charitable!

      So, you ask what Baptist rule did he break? He insulted fellow Baptists by calling them names like heretic over reasons that didn’t deserve it. That is a breach of simple Baptist courtesy when talking about non-essential elements of our faith. Further, as an employee he is obligated to represent the Southern Baptist way of thinking. I don’t think he grasps how the little guys who pay the bills actually think.

  3. Is the “Southern Baptist way of thinking” strictly a popularity contest?
    Would you agree that a large percentage of Southern Baptists would not have been on the scriptural side of the race relations issue in say 1960? Should we have been calling for the resignation of any denominational leader or pastor who criticized George Wallace over that issue because the majority of Baptists (especially in Alabama) likely supported segregation?
    Unless you can cite a specific scripture or denominational belief that Dr. Moore has gone against than your campaign to have him removed is not credible and I don’t see how it advances the cause of Christ.
    I pray you will reflect on Matthew 6:33–But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

    1. We are congregational in our polity, so if vote that pickles have souls, then our employees are obligated to say that pickles have souls. Now, that hyperbole from the inerrancy debate is a bit much, but it gets to the heart of the matter. I’m not obligated to pay his salary, and I won’t do it. I’ll give money designated AROUND the ERLC and I’ll encourage every Southern Baptist I know to to the same.

      Further, if you demand a scriptural case, I’d say Dr. Moore bore false witness in calling Trump voters heretical followers of the prosperity gospel (see Daily Caller link) and insulted them before enemies on the pages of the liberal pro-abortion NY Times. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think Jesus would air internal church discussions before the demonic powers of this world.

      Lastly, I reject the idea that silence somehow advances Christ’s kingdom. I’m committed to a defense of life, liberty and property and doing so with a robust political theology based on God’s created order. I don’t think we have that now in the Southern Baptist Convention.

    2. To Brian Craig: These days one would be hard-pressed to find any real “consensus” of belief among what’s left of “Southern Baptists”. The CR debacle and the intrusion of non-baptist practice and belief over the last twenty years have made consensus impossible.

      The greatest and most effective indictment against Russell Moore is that Southern Baptists who think and are grounded in their faith ARE REFUSING TO LISTEN AS HIS CREDIBILITY WANES.

      In that vein, no reason to fire or besmirch. Just ignore and quit sending $.

      1. Sorry Scott, but no one who is “grounded in their faith” would refuse to listen to Dr. Moore’s warning that perhaps Baptists should think twice before supporting a man to be president who made his money in strip clubs, casinos and escort services, a man who mocks the handicap, brags about his sexual exploits, tells lies about his opponents (Cruz’s dad involved with the Kennedy assassination) and says he has never had the need to ask God for forgiveness.
        Now a reasonable person could decide that choosing such a man is a better choice than choosing his opponent, but to enthusiastically support such a man goes against every teaching of scripture and denominational beliefs.
        Dr. Moore is simply doing his job to point this out. To call for his firing or withholding funds from the SBC because of this is reprehensible.

        1. Curious, wonder how many of the previous generation of Southern Baptists voted for JFK and Clinton?

          Which “faith” are you “grounded” in Brian? Faith in religio-political punditry. Russell Moore used his role to play the sanctimonious opportunist and it backfired before the eyes of those with a few brain cells to go along with their faith. This guy’s taken cheap shots in the name of Christ at everybody from Trump to his childhood Sunday School teacher,. Trump may be a cad but he was spot-on about Russell Moore

          1. I am “grounded in the faith” of Christ Jesus as expressed in the Holy Bible.

            Again, I ask you the same question I asked Capstone Report, show me in either scripture or Baptist doctrine where Dr. Moore abused his position. If you can’t do that, then your vendetta against Dr. Moore is not credible.

          2. re: Clinton & Evangelicals. That is the true scandal and sad thing. If evangelicals had not abandoned George H. W. Bush, we would’ve had a real conservative majority on the Supreme Court a generation ago, but the 1992 exit polls showed evangelicals abandoned the Reagan-Bush coalition and were a big part of the Clinton victory in 1992. They returned to normalcy in 1996 by seeing the crazy of the Clinton years and its liberalism, but the damage was done as Clinton appointed two justices who were extraordinarily liberal.

            That is why I was so irritated at Dr. Moore’s stance this time. The last time the Supreme Court stood in the balance–evangelicals abandoned Bush. We lost our best chance to protect life and liberty and stand for the family. This time the Supreme Court stood in the balance, and Dr. Moore was fine with abandoning our one chance at influencing who might sit on that august bench. Odd that Clintons were involved in both of those historic Supreme Court elections.

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