Greensboro, NC
*note: though I attended this event, I left the room before the stripper’s perfomance, as I did not want to take part in the humiliating spectacle.
The Bible speaks of the Habitation of demons. Rev. 19:2 KJV “And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. This verse describes what I witnessed at the Food Not Bombs “farewell event” at St. Mary’s Episcopal “church” on Friday night. I guess I knew to some extent what I was getting myself into, as I had been in years past from time to time, but it was even more grievous than I had anticipated.
I am not trying to be negative or judgmental here, though I am sure some will accuse me of that…However I am writing about this event as a real-life illustration of what happens when the “world” gets into and takes over the “church”. I went to this event only to support my husband, because he has been fed by FNB over the years and he was asked to speak. So I went for him.
I had prayed before going. I went knowing that I was not in agreement with the idealologies of this group and that I would likely feel uncomfortable because of that and because I already knew from my previous experiences that much sin is abounding there and that demonic forces were at work at St. Mary’s.
The Food Not Bombs folks seem at first glance like nice enough people. They are community supporters and activists. Hey, they do good works by feeding the hungry! How can you criticize that? Afterall Jesus said : “Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” Mat. 25:45 Jesus meant that, hey, if you fed the homeless, it’s like unto feeding me. I get that… But what struck me was that the people who go into this place may not realize that they just might me selling their “birthright for a bowl of pottage”, like Esau did. Gen.25:29 What I mean is that if one does not know Christ (lets say some homeless soul) and that person goes to a “chuch” like this because of a physical need and gets a free meal from Food Not Bombs, they will be getting their stomach full, but will they be getting their soul taken from them, Eternally?
Food Not Bombs are like secular pharisees. They are people who do “good” works for all to see. I believe they do this out of idealogical goodness and in part to quell their own consciences. They feel that they are somehow being Christ-like by feeding the hungry. But you cannot be Christ-like without Christ. This group feels they are superior because they are “tolerant” and politically correct. From what I witnessed, it seems that both FNB and the Episcopal Church tolerate anything but true Godliness. At the event I attended I saw toleration and even celebration of sin. And if one has the audacity to say something then they will call that person judgmental. They are not only anarchists in the sense that they eschew the law of man, but, moreover, they eschew the laws of God. Apparently they live on the principal that “If your good works outweigh your bad works then you are fine with God and are worthy to make it to Heaven”…Feeding the hungry does not equal goodness or godliness.
Physical food is not the “be all and end all” for people. What these downtrodden/ homeless/ souls need is indeed physical food, but more importantly, they need Spiritual Food. I understand the concept of helping people in order to win their audience. But that is not what is going on here. Perhaps some of the other churches are doing a better job of that. You feed the people and then you win a chance to minister to them. But if you read the bible you will see many followed Jesus because of the miracles he performed. In other words because of the food he provided or the healings he perfomed. But those people did not love Jesus, they just loved what they could get from Him.
Feeding the hungry for a day is temporal. Telling them the Gospel and how to attain Eternal Life through Christ is what matters, forever. Yes, Jesus loved the people. He draws all men unto repentance via his Goodness. But, true love-the love of Christ is to reveal Truth. It is not True Love to allow people to remain ignorant- in their sins- and thus wind up in Hell. Real love, tells people the truth. And there is one Truth, not many truths. Our culture is deceived and believes that there are many paths to God. That is a LIE. Jesus said: ” I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes unto the Father (heaven), but through me.” John 14:6.
So, does Jesus love the stripper who is so deceived that he shakes his hips and takes off his clothes (even in a church). Of course. But the love of God would not leave the young man that way. Love would show the young man a better way. Love would not condemn him for what he did, but instead draw him out of the muck and mire of his sinfulness. I think that young man is desperately seeking love. He probably does what he does for attention and in an attempt to receive love. I would say to that young man; true love is not found in man, but in God, through the real person of Jesus. You may get attention from what you do, but you will not get true love.
The church has failed. The church has given up the truth. They have allowed in doctrines of demons. They have exchanged the truth of God for a lie and this is and abomination to God. I truly pray for their repentance. If there is no repentance then that church is “Ichabod”-meaning the Glory has departed. 1 Sam. 4:21.
We have all failed and “come short of the Glory of God” Rom 3:23. Am I better than any of the people I am talking about? NO. The difference is that I now know the Truth. Through the Grace of God I was lead to repentance over 12 years ago. Jesus went dumpster-diving for me. He picked me up out of the muck and mire of my sins and he saved me. He is still working on me. I am no one to judge, but Christ in me-the Holy Spirit-is. He gives me the discernment to see the truth. Does the truth hurt? Sometimes it does. But in the end it is the best medicine. The truth helps us to change and grow.
I hope you will let Him (Jesus) have a chance to allow you to “see”. To FNB, please keep doing your good works, but please do them with an eternal purpose and reward by accepting Christ and making Him the center. You will never regret it.
Please, don’t miss out on His Amazing Grace.
