This teaching is widespread these days. It’s not particular to any one religion but I’ve noticed it in Christianity as well as in the world. Here are some of the core tenets:
- Thou shalt not critique – however lovingly or constructively – sinful lifestyles
- – Thou shalt use Matthew 7:1 out of context
- In Christianity, the above rule especially applies to preachers and Christian singers.
- The WORST thing you can do is be judgemental.
- It’s okay to be judgemental and call those that you consider to be judgemental Pharisees, hypocritical and unloving
- One must assume that everyone has the same low standards of conduct
- Unity is more important than truth/true doctrine
- Morality is relative, no absolutes!
This is something I’ve been pondering for a while. Today I wanted to post this as I read this post over at Christocentric. Here we have someone who exhibited very ungodly behaviour and has not expressed any regret or sorrow of his ways. Or I could mention many false teachers and prophets who have had obvious doctrinal errors and other bad fruit and the minute someone points out their wrongdoing, many leap to their defence. I can only hope that those same people can and do defend the gospel with the same vigour.
Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not talking about justifying character assassinations or gossip. But surely Christians of all people should speak the truth in love, as we are told to do inEphesians 4:15?
Carlotta said,
18/08/2008 at 3:55 pm
You beat me to it NaturalSystah!
Great article and I was shaking my head at those who were condemning me for speaking ill of their beloved Tonex. Yet, it hadn’t occurred to them that they were doing the same thing – passing judgement.
But as you pointed out, Tonex is of this pentecostal oneness group which means he is just so theologically off base that he just can’t see ANY truth anyways!
I’ll continue praying for him – and for those who are so easily led by him!
naturalsystah said,
18/08/2008 at 4:27 pm
Carlotta – amen. Sadly this is a commonplace phenomenon – why is it such a bad thing to have a firm belief in what the Bible says? We are to expose the fruits of darkness. Of course, when telling anyone that someone is a heretic, we should be able to back it up with evidence from them and the Bible but it really saddens me to experience professing Christians to put their hands over their ears and ignore godly warnings, or utter that refrain, “touch not the Lord’s anointed”.
I’ll pray for Tonex too as there is nothing impossible for God, for He saved me
The Doctrine of Non-Offence « Yomi Says said,
21/08/2008 at 4:26 pm
[...] article nicely summarises my article, Judge Not, on the old Yomi Says blog. Read the full article. Posted in Bible [...]
Churchboy said,
21/08/2008 at 5:39 pm
Tonex is a trinitarianif you have heard him preach then you would know that. He belives Jesus is God. He even has a song on his album Pronounced Toe-nay called Trinity
naturalsystah said,
23/08/2008 at 3:01 pm
Hi Churchboy! The reason I believe that Tonex is a oneness penecostal is because of what I heard on the “Out of the Box” CD in that he was talking about being baptised in Jesus’ name in a way that I’ve often heard “apostolic” oneness pentecostals do.
Oneness pentecostals don’t deny that Jesus is divine, but deny that God is Triune. The erroneously assert that Jesus IS the Father, Son and Holy Spirit rather than the Biblical teaching that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is One yet distinct.
Check out http://www.gotquestions.org/Trinity-Bible.html for good teaching on the Trinity and http://www.gotquestions.org/oneness-Jesus-only.html for info on the “Jesus Only”/”Oneness Pentecostal” doctrine.
jack collyer said,
05/12/2008 at 11:29 am
Hello. I am a charters school student studying Gcse It and was wondering wether i could use the image of the pointing finger in my coursework it will not be seen by the public or used for financial gain or commercial use only my teacher an external examiner and myslef will see it.