They Called Jesus Names Too
It's What the Religious Do
When white religious people call themselves on social media throwing shade because I am bold enough to call them out to their face? I get called all kinds of names. False prophet seems to be their favorite.
Where I come from we’d say, “now ain’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” I either laugh at or ignore them. Because when you know who you are and whose you are, who people say you are, doesn’t matter.
Learned this one from Jesus!
I’ve never claimed to be a prophet, a religious leader (for sure not that!) and certainly no prophetess or preacher or whatever.
I am loudly and proudly none of those. Not called to any of these, have no desire to be any of these nor will I ever claim to be any of these.
I’m not here to perform for pews or pulpits or people. Nor pant after favorable emojis.
See, when you truly are finally free, what people say or do, as long as they are not causing you or your family bodily harm, which is becoming more prevalent among these cult-nuts these days, what are they to you?
Do they offer to pay even one of your bills? How about buy you and your family groceries or pay your house or car note or determine whether you breathe or not. Live or not?
See, we give people far too much credit and power. Jesus knew better. And he did his best to teach those who followed him and follow him the same.
Especially in this environment of fear and intimidation.
You can have your religion, your rituals, your robes, and your self-righteous clubs.
Jesus didn’t die for religion. He died to set us free from the chains of religion.
Some of these same kind of folks once accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons.
They accused Jesus the Christ, Son of the living God, God incarnate of being demonic! That tells you everything you need to know about the uber-religious. Then and now. They are the same.
It is a matter of the heart. Only God knows a man’s heart but even Stevie Wonder can see these religious people today in America for who the majority of them are.
Cult members and idol worshippers masquerading as “Christians.” The tragedy? Some have convinced themselves they are.
And let’s be honest, many of today’s evangelical “leaders” aren’t leading anyone to Jesus.
They are leading people straight into political idolatry, fear-based doctrine, and whitewashed lies wrapped beautifully in red, white and blue.
They are just as asinine, arrogant, and spiritually blind as the religious elite Jesus confronted in His day.
He called them for what they were but we love to coddle them, idolize them or look the other way. Not me. We can’t change what we refuse to confront.
Only God can change a human heart, but we can change how we relate to them and how much of our life and thoughts we allow them to control. We can control how we choose to respond to and interact with them.
What those who do love Christ and know better should do, and I don’t know how many ways God can show the same, is to come out from among them.
He is T-totally in control of what seems to us like chaos and confusion. Two things God is not - chaotic or confused. Neither should we be.
Know God for yourself. Read your Bible like your life depends on it, because it does!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but things are not going to get better unless we proactively make them better! If you are fearful, you will experience growing fear. If you are confused, you will experience growing confusion.
Whatever we give oxygen to, grows.
If you are not in a solid Bible teaching church where the pastor preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ but the talking points of the Republican Party, you need to leave. Full stop.
We desperately need today solid, Bible-teaching churches where the Word is rightly divided, not weaponized. And support and pray for those pastors who still have a backbone and a Bible—and aren’t afraid to preach both.
We need them. They need us. We need one another. Especially now.
True disciples of Christ, across color, class, and culture are finding each other in these dark days. We don’t need robes and rituals. We need revival. Not the kind staged on cue, but the kind that starts with repentance and truth.
Leave these white, black, and brown Trump-worshiping, fake-faith cultists to themselves. Let them keep shouting “Jesus” while following Caesar. Let them have their platform, their politics, their pulpits of poison.
But as for me? I’m following the One who was, is, and is to come. Call me whatever you want.
Jesus and every follower and disciple who stood for truth was lied on, mocked, and murdered by religious people.
Dr. King preached love, justice, and Jesus until the day they killed him.
Jesus preached the Kingdom of God until the day they crucified Him.
And guess who led the charge both times? Religious people.
So if these folks call me a false prophet, I must be doing something right.
Let them talk. Let them judge. Let them spew hate.
As for me? I’ve got Kingdom work to do. Because when you really stop and think about it…
What are these loud-mouthed, hate-preaching, cross-wearing, culture-warring, Bible-twisting people to me… or you?
Absolutely nothing.