Hypocrisy? No, True Ministry.

Ok, so last week CNN ran a story in which it called the Vice President and his wife hypocritical for her choice to teach art at a private school that espouses Christian ethics, while supporting Donald Trump as President.[1] Not to be outdone, today FOX News ran a story about Lady Gaga condemning Mike Pence as “the worst representation of what it means to be a Christian.”[2] According to Gaga who calls herself a “Christian woman,” Christianity bears “no prejudice” and welcomes “everybody.”

Oh – where do I begin? Military-minded folks will recognize this as a “target rich environment.”

Let’s start with the Second Lady’s choice to teach art to students at a private Christian school. One might argue that someone in her position, the wife of an appointed Vice President (Pence was on the ticket, but we don’t elect the VP), should take care not to represent any religion that could cause problems for her husband’s boss’ administration. Undoubtedly Mrs. Karen Pence holds an influential position in these United States, and she must be somewhat held responsible for that choice. In any marriage, whenever one party decides to pursue anything that will bring attention to the whole family, all parties must be on board. This is true for Christian families as well; therefore, Mrs. Pence is complicit in her position. Every decision she makes as Second Lady has an impact well beyond that of the everyday Christian.

But I argue Karen Pence was a Christian long before she was the Vice President’s wife. I’ll also argue that despite her status as defacto celebrity, Mrs. Pence has a responsibility to her God that supersedes any responsibility to the liberal mainstream media. For Pence, hypocrisy would be not teaching Christian values, not the other way around. Remember, that’s the Devil’s argument. “’You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman.” (Gen 3:4, NIV)

Chris Cuomo, the ultra-liberal author and anchor of Cuomo Prime Time, the CNN article that started this thread, is arguably not the most famous “Never Trumper” but he has chosen to weigh in here, pitting the Pences decision, and by extension every true Christian in America, against the social acceptance of homosexuality. Don’t misinterpret what I just wrote. This issue is no more about Christianity and homosexuality than it is about broccoli and peanut butter. Cuomo seized on the conflict for ratings, calling himself a “flawed, failing, repentant Christian” while arguing that the school’s policy to call homosexual acts and transgender identity as “disqualifying…moral misconduct” for which employees will be terminated.

Again, I would argue that Cuomo missed the point in his effort to slant our opinion. He argued the exclusion at the school was wrong. He argued that as a Christian, Mrs. Pence had the responsibility to preach inclusion, not exclusion. Well, not really. “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” (Lev 18:22) “They shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” (Lev 20:13) Christian, that is about as clear cut as it gets. Cuomo twists the popular Christian adage of loving the sinner and hating the sin in defense of his lack of moral fortitude to call a sin a sin. By the way, the school requires faculty to recognize the list of morally discriminating characteristics because their charter for which families pay to be taught under strives to bring students closer to God through art.

Now for the grand crescendo! Lady Gaga, who identifies as a Christian woman, also writes and sings songs in support of overt homosexuality. Gaga, who channels her inner Madonna with sexually-revealing costumes and erotic imagery of the church, says the Vice President is the worst kind of Christian. Despite misquoting Pence’s defense of Christianity, she played to a crowd of adoring fans who are also more than generous with their acceptance of Gaga’s version of Christianity – the version that drinks too much, shows too much, and accepts too much.

Readers, this is nothing new. Christianity has been under assault by Satan’s best efforts since before Christ was crucified. Satan couldn’t tempt Christ in the desert, couldn’t kill him in the synagogue, and couldn’t drown him in the boat. Still, his followers will praise his music, listen to his false prophets on the television, and condemn actions they would praise themselves if they had just thought of it first.

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” (2 Tim 4:3-5, NIV)

Mr. Vice President and Mrs. Pence – discharge your duties. We’ve got your back.

(Photo: FOXNews)

[1] https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/opinions/karen-pence-evangelical-hypocrisy-clay-cane/index.html

[2] https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lady-gaga-calls-mike-pence-the-worst-christian-during-concert-over-wifes-job-at-anti-lgbtq-school