Is the Editor at C?N Saying John MacArthur isn’t Faithful???
I’m not sure what to say, it seems that Dr. MacArthur is condemned by his own words. From here we read this;
You can’t be faithful and popular, so take your pick. (32,33)
But a simple search of google gives us multiple pages where Dr. MacArthur is called popular. Here’s a one example,
Dr. John MacArthur, a popular evangelical writer and pastor, expressed his deep concern about the Emerging Church during a recent visit to Answers in Genesis’ Creation Museum ***Context***
So, what are we to do with this witty and clever title. I tell you men and women, if you cannot smell the sulfur in the air, you need to pray that your nostrils to be opened.
As an aside note, you can read people who believe that Dr. MacArthur has sold out and is soft on theology.
February 11th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
I didn’t take it as them telling John McArthur he couldn’t be faithful and popular. I took it as them referring to the hypothetical celebrity/political leader in his quote. They didn’t make it clear what they were referring to.
February 11th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Actually I thought the same thing…
LOL!
iggy
February 11th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I think the “You’re all going to an eternal hell” is really not the best way to gain an ear. I can see Jesus saying to the woman at the well “You are going to an eternal hell, lady!”. If JM really wanted to be open and not politically correct he would say what he believes.
“Anyone who is listening and is not elect can never go to heaven and will be in an eternal hell so when I share the gospel now it isn’t for you!”.
February 11th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
LOL…very well said Henry Rick.
The problem is though that your last point takes logic to understand.
February 11th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Merry, I actually agree with you that they weren’t saying it to John MacArthur. That would violate some code I’m sure. This post is more satire to prove that you can make almost anything dance and say what you want when you highlight and paste (a skill they are deft at) and to prove the incongruity of their statements. They’d never use this standard on MacArthur but they’d be happy to use it for McManus or Bell, or Jones. In short, they have a hypocritical means for determining who is faithful and who is not.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:13 am
I’m just upset that a normally nice ministry such as AiG sold out and jumped on the ‘attack the E/C movement with straw-men and ignorant comments’ bandwagon.
Oh well.
Wonder if they contacted Doug Pagitt?
Joe
February 12th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Naw, MacArthur is way too popular to pass up…
February 12th, 2008 at 12:35 am
Joe,
You got all of that out of one tiny sentence added to the end of a quote? I’m very impressed.
“they have a hypocritical means for determining who is faithful and who is not.”
How can anyone not have a hypocritical means for determining who is faithful and who is not? No could but God, last time I checked.
“Dr. John MacArthur, a popular evangelical writer and pastor . . . ”
Who is he popular among? Christians. I think a person can be faithful while popular to some extent among a particular group (Christians). I think what the article meant by “popular” was popular with the world at large. Obviously one is not going to be popular with people of other religions when preaching the seemingly narrow-minded gospel.
If you differentiate between being popular with the world and being popular among Christians the article makes more sense and is less hypocritical.
February 12th, 2008 at 12:47 am
merry,
Then Shane does not fit that definition of popularity either. He is often held in suspect when he returned from places he ministered at… like Iraq. The “world” does not think Shane Claiborne is “popular”. If they did the “world” might be a better place.
iggy
February 12th, 2008 at 12:55 am
I enjoy many of JM’s writings but I detest his cult status with many. This idolization of preachers runs rampant among all the groups and we have Johannes Gutenburg to blame. He started this mass communication which now has evolved into tentacles that reach into almost every American home in some form. Ignorance was bliss until he came along!
Many follow these men in an attempt to identify with their intelligence, spirituality, or power as they are perceived. I used to quote Jack Hyles as if he was inspired. And the respecter of persons is so evident. If Rob Bell was caught in adultery many blogs would publish it with effervescence and glee, but the same blogs would ask for prayer if it was MacArthur. That is so disgusting and unlike Christ.
Popularity is irrelevant in God’s eyes, faithfulness and humility seem to be His currency.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Merry,
I’m not attacking John MacArthur. I think you and I just going to have to disagree. This man makes a statement that you can’t be popular and faithful.I took that standard and applied it to him.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Merry: Maybe you haven’t been around here long enough to realize it, but John MacArthur is just an easy target. If Brian McLaren or Rob Bell (they are “popular” among other groups) had said something similar, there would be a rush to create a YouTube post and plaster all over Al Gore’s internet!
You can always find or see what you’re looking for if you’re wiling to put in the time.
Rick said: “Anyone who is listening and is not elect can never go to heaven and will be in an eternal hell so when I share the gospel now it isn’t for you!†You obviously have a very clear understanding of reformed/calvinistic theology. 8^)> (Actually after re-reading your comment, I’d have to agree that it is a true statement–not pleasant–but still true.)
February 12th, 2008 at 10:11 am
What CRN is getting at is that you can’t be faithful and popular with the world. If you are, they will hate you for it, since they hated Him first.
February 12th, 2008 at 10:20 am
Do they ever?
February 12th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Wow…talk about having an axe to grind. He’s at the Creation Museum and has another tantrum about the ECM? Big disconnect there.
But then again, it’s been how long since his “burn book” on the seeker movement?…(which came after his hiatus since his anti-Charismatic and Lordship Salvation rants.)
I think the ECM is a real blessing from the Lord to these folks. It gives them something else to hate and fear since Democrats, abortion and gays are starting to wear thin.
Whatever.
February 12th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Joe,
“I’m not attacking John MacArthur.”
And I was not defending him. I was just trying to figure out what they were talking about. I wasn’t arguing with you, if it came across that way, I’m sorry.
February 12th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Iggy, the article did not mention Shane Claiborne, McManus, Bell, or anyone. None of those people are popular with the world, either. I think the article was just making a general statement agreeing with the quote. They weren’t bashing anyone for not being faithful or being overly popular. It wasn’t even about John MacArthur, it was just one of his quotes.
Keith, I not sure I understand what you mean. “You can always find or see what you’re looking for if you’re wiling to put in the time.” Were you referring to me personally, or just anyone in general?
February 12th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Merry: People in general…but particularly on blogs that really don’t care that much for someone like…oh…maybe John MacArthur. I didn’t ge the sense you fell into that “categotry.”
February 12th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
merry,
This is coming right after the Shane Claiborne Cedarville University incident…
The “editor” is stating that people that are popular, (anyone they disagree with which includes all you listed) are the popular ones while the ODM’s are the ones attacked.
In the SHANE CLAIBORNE MEET THE FACTS Ken calls himself the “religious specialist” and uses Tozer’s words to attack Shane. In that if one reads what Tozer is stating, Shane fits the one that is the religious specialist, and is the less popular…
In other words, this is all interconnected and is part of a huge ego trip Ken is currently on. He thinks he has momentum… but has in fact by his articles shot himself in the foot.
iggy
February 12th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Iggy, I had a point to make but now I’ve completely forgotten what it was, hee, hee! It really doesn’t matter. I think they’ve pretty much proved that no one is perfect, and it’s pretty clear that they aren’t perfect. To spend one’s day pointing out the imperfections and hypocrisies of fellow Christians is pointless, I think. To point out flawed theology for the benefit of Christians is fine. To find imperfections for the sake of writing another article is completely different.
February 13th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Thanks for posting this one Joe! I’ve been personally on the red alert with AiG and this shows how much more they are turning into the Doctrine police as well as Creation. I don’t know if there’s any Christian ministry left I can listen to in good conscience.
February 13th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
…Except for Mr. Todyaso