Are You a Pharisee

Heart of the Matter: Exploring Faith and Doctrine

From the Mecca of Mormonism This is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology. LONG and so let’s pray. Show 46L Are you a Pharisee? Taped Sunday August 8th 2021 Aired Tuesday August 10th 2021

Hey, Sunday September 26th we are going to host our Annual Open Water Baptism for anyone looking to dedicate themselves to the Lord in a public expression. It will start at noon and go until 2PM. We will place our giant cattle trough out in the parking lot, fill it and let you come down to the river. Food served! Join us – and when it comes to water baptism we will do it any way you want – sprinkling, immersion, in the name of Jesus only or father son holy Spirit – and you can have anyone baptize you as you see fit! Just bring a towel and change of clothes unless you enjoy that staying damp feeling. Sunday September 26th twelve noon here at our CAMPUS location in Murray Utah. All welcome – we do not care what church you attend.

Upcoming Changes in the Ministry

This is a little reminder you are going to hear for the next twenty weeks or so as we gear up to make a shift in the ministry. And it is going to be a shift. And we want you to be with us, team with us, join us in the shift. And the way you do that is by sending us an email with your name and state or country of residence. That is it. We will follow up from there. But know this – once the shift happens, the door of the ark will be closed. And then the ability to join us will change. That is all I can say right now. We have been working behind the scenes on this shift for a couple years now and if you have enjoyed our programming and views you will probably want to be a part in what’s coming. So, my email is on the screen. Name and state or country of residence – that’s it – and we will go from there.

I recently did a show called, the Deification of Flesh and in the comments one person wrote that it was the best articulation they had ever heard and another wrote that he had really tried to give me the benefit of the doubt but this was too much and he personally deigned me a heretic and apostate. Last week I did a show on things that Mormonism proposes that are black, white and grey – and one person wrote that I am unstable in my views and am carried about with every wind of doctrine.

Navigating Criticism and Understanding Faith

If I say one word against the Catholics, a Catholic viewer will lash out. One word against a Mormon, Baptist, Calvinist – whatever it is – some will applaud and some will condemn. I am constantly amazed by the phenomenon. I mean, I could literally spend 45 minutes singing the praises of any religious institution, and all I have to do is say one thing against it, and people will rush in to defend their preferred faith with passionate fury. And I have been on a personal quest for years to try and figure out what is driving us to be this way, and to see if there is a cure?

Of course, I came from places in my past where I too was hyper vigilant against anyone who criticized my Mormonism, or my Christianity. So, what happened to me? Did I lose something or gain something on my road to my present destination? Naturally my LDS friends and family will suggest I lost something really important – what they would call a testimony of the Mormon Gospel. And then many Christians describe me as having lost my mind by having gone off what they say is the “deep end” of things theologically. But again, have I really lost important items or have I gained something far better?

Did I lose zeal and passion and devotion to God and Christ when I lost my testimony of Mormonism or my agreement with standard eschatologyStudy of “last things”—TGNN teaches all biblical eschatology was fulfilled in 70 A.D. More, views on eternal punishment and the makeup of God OR . . . OR . . . Am I more God honoring, despite my views (which are not at all unique), because I am rarely ever angered by other people’s doctrinal differences or practices or religious allegiances, and truly am led of Him to love all people always and to let him do the judging?

The Heart of a Pharisee

Is angry with me, who believes I have fallen from God’s grace, or that I am going to pay in the afterlife for my views that are different than yours, have you ever really sat back and thought about this? Have you ever allowed yourself to wonder if you have the heart of a Pharisee? That maybe if you were a Jew in Jesus' day you too might have cried, “Crucify Him!”

I ask this not because I am anything like our Lord but because the very spirit of hate for people who believe and teach differently is the spirit that drove the Pharisees. I mean, I know – I am pretty hard on Calvinism – but I'm really not on Calvinists. And I’m hard on Mormonism, but not on Mormons. Does the fact that I differ with your beliefs actually justify in your minds the right to condemn me as a brother? No matter what religion you follow?

The Gift of Agape Love

I mean, isn’t it sort of funny that some Mormons condemn me, and some Christians condemn me, and some Catholics condemn me – but that there are LDS people and Catholics and Christians who do not? Which camp are you in? (beat) I will from the heart break bread with all of you, I will love you and consider you my brother or sister in Christ – shouldn’t THAT be enough for friendship, fellowship and to call me brother? I have articulated my stances clearly and emphatically over the years. We are heading into the sunset of the ministry and I have come to see, first hand, by the Spirit and by experience, that agape loveSelfless love marked by patience, mercy, and humility—central to living in spiritual liberty. among people is paramount to our God.

This does not mean we withhold what we believe to be true about Him – but it does mean any follower of His would never withhold from the heart love from those who believe and practice differently than them. I am a double-edged sword. And therefore must be approached with caution as I am no respecter of persons but I am sold out to loving them all as they are.

Unity in Diversity

Can’t we get along in this world? Are we going to forever allow the doctrines and dogmas of religion to dictate how we will receive others? I am of the personal opinion that there are a band of souls out there who love and seek God, who believe as they believe, but who will strive irrespective of their religious choice, to put love for God and love for others OVER devotion to their religious affinities.

If you are one of them – Calvinist, Arminianist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic, Orthodox, LDS, Baptist, futurist, preterist, Seventh Day Adventist, Jehovah’s Witness, agnostic, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim – join with me from the heart in the two great commandments God has given to humankind –

To love God with all our heart and mind and soul and to love neighbor as ourselves.

And email us with your name and state or country of residence.