This is my interpretation/paraphrase of Matthew 23:2-35,37 of the sickness within the Church today. Remember that Jesus loved those who persecuted him and it is with 'fear and trembling' that I feel called to write these words. By Gods grace it is a prophetic admonition to those I love. We are all brothers and sister. Perhaps I am the one deceived? May God have mercy on us all.
"The Christians of the religious right know a lot about good morals and you would do well to listen to their admonitions; but do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They lay heavy burdens upon the sick and poor, true difficulties of life but they are unwilling to lift a finger to lighten their load and have no understanding of empathy. They do their deeds for the show, to appear holy, good, and upstanding. They love to be on the inner circle of power, to sit in honor in their suit and tie in the Oval Office; to be seen and respected, to have finally made it, to lay hands in prayer on the antithesis of the One you claim to love! Standing proud in church with the big rock band or perfect choir, You are to regard no leaders as more in tune with what God is saying as if they have insider knowledge into the mind of God. These people love to be seen as those with the answers about God and how government must be. You do not need these supposed teachers to mince words of how to be loving and kind; in your hearts, when you listen, you can clearly see and hear that there is but One God and One who truly reveals who God is, the Christ. Those who place themselves as above others will be humbled and brought low. The winners will be found to be losers.
Woe to you, blind guides! You who swear on the Bible and enter a church think that it proves your faith! You are really blind! Who is it who makes one holy? The book and building or the Spirit who dwells within? O fools! You travel over land and sea to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves!
Woe to to you, Trump Christians of the Religious Right, hypocrites! You are sure to tithe yet you scour for every tax loophole you can find to avoid paying your fair share for the common good! You deny the collective needs of anyone outside your circle and say, "that is not what government is for!" In your fear of any hint of socialism you deny the meat of the commands of God to work for justice love mercy and walk humbly! You blind guide! You cannot see outside your narrow worldview! You fight for the unborn and have no love for those struggling who are breathing air!
Woe to to you, Trump Christians of the Religious Right, hypocrites! For you try clean the outside of the nation, but inside they are full of greed, self-indulgence and hate! You blind Christians! First allow the hard work of repentance and healing so that you may allow grace to make you clean.
Woe to you Trump Christians of the Religious Right, hypocrites! You are like a graveyard that looks like a beautiful park yet underneath is full of death and decay! So you too may appear religious and good to some yet inside are full of hypocrisy and no moral compass!
Woe to you Trump Christians of the Religious Right, hypocrites! You honor the statues and flags of those who enslaved and fought to preserve slavery, By your defense you actually endorse their actions thus deny the dignity of people of color for whom Christ died as well, You hypocrites! Go ahead, show your allegiance! You fake scumbags! How will you escape winding up in the trash dump of history?
Oh America, America! If only you would allow love to penetrate your hard hearts! God wants to heal your wounds that cause you to fear rather than love. But you are unwilling! You nation is left as a disgrace. "
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