When a Critic Plays 'the Pharisee Card'

[saturneptune]

How do you propose you do that? My experience has been that most in the Pharisee set of today are like those of Jesus' day and are not only so blind that they cannot see themselves as they are they will adamantly oppose any suggestion that it is so. They will stand boldly proclaiming they are merely being bold for the cause of Christ, all the while hanging millstones about the necks of all who listen to them.

I have told this story before, but the example that sticks in my mind is the overweight Pharisee at a pot luck shoveling food in his mouth and talking about another member who bought lottery tickets as a bad example. It was hard to understand him, as his mouth was full of food. It says to me that while we worry about lottery tickets and dancing, we give a wink and a nod to gluttony and gossip.

 

[humblethinker]

I have told this story before, but the example that sticks in my mind is the overweight Pharisee at a pot luck shoveling food in his mouth and talking about another member who bought lottery tickets as a bad example. It was hard to understand him, as his mouth was full of food. It says to me that while we worry about lottery tickets and dancing, we give a wink and a nod to gluttony and gossip.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[Van]

The Pharisees distorted scripture, which made it to no effect. They espoused legalism, holding to the letter of the law but missing the spirit of the law. They were quick to find fault with those, like the advocates of the Way, who held different views, especially those who claimed the Pharisees held errant views. So many false teachers are like Pharisees, making the word of God to no effect, and also like cult leaders, saying those who hold differing views are of Satan.

Bottom line, you can have folks name calling to disparage a differing view, and thus using the Pharisee Card like the Race Card, or you can have folks behaving like the Pharisees of old, finding fault with others, thinking they are holier than thou, but blind to the truth.

 

[Revmitchell]

Christians who are the victims of the dreaded "Pharisee card" are all too often those who have the moral courage to defend doctrinal purity in the church. They stand for righteousness and holy living. They faithfully present to men, whether in the church or in the culture, a message based on a certain, "Thus said the Lord." Yet they are unjustly portrayed as too narrow-minded, too rigid, unloving, intolerant, and without compassion.

Clergy from the left are quite adept at hurling accusations of being a Pharisee at preachers on the right. And is it any wonder since their view of Jesus himself seems so skewed by the political correctness of the day? They see Jesus as someone who would always speak of peace and love without being divisive. Yet Jesus said his way would divide even family members (Matthew 10:37). They always speak of Jesus as tolerant and inclusive. Still, Jesus said there was only one way to God and that was through Him (John 14:76). They rarely, if ever, open their mouths against sin and proclaim judgment, nevertheless, no one more than Jesus lifted higher by word or example the need for genuine holy living. And Jesus spoke more about hell then he did about heaven.

The above quote from the op is a very apt description of the use of the "Pharisee Card".

 

[mont974x4]

I have told this story before, but the example that sticks in my mind is the overweight Pharisee at a pot luck shoveling food in his mouth and talking about another member who bought lottery tickets as a bad example. It was hard to understand him, as his mouth was full of food. It says to me that while we worry about lottery tickets and dancing, we give a wink and a nod to gluttony and gossip.

I must be the odd man out. I have preached on gossip. I did not need to preach on gluttony as those who had weight issues did not have gluttony issues, and they were working with their doctors to address the weight issue. In that church in the course of 2 years there were 3 people who lost over 100 lbs.

Of course, I also have been known to call people pharisees and legalists when there attitudes and actions warrant such/


BTW, in an unrelated matter, if you know a church needing a pastor shoot me a PM, please. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I must be the odd man out. I have preached on gossip. I did not need to preach on gluttony as those who had weight issues did not have gluttony issues, and they were working with their doctors to address the weight issue. In that church in the course of 2 years there were 3 people who lost over 100 lbs.


BTW, in an unrelated matter, if you know a church needing a pastor shoot me a PM, please. :smilewinkgrin:

SBC, right?

 

[saturneptune]

I must be the odd man out. I have preached on gossip. I did not need to preach on gluttony as those who had weight issues did not have gluttony issues, and they were working with their doctors to address the weight issue. In that church in the course of 2 years there were 3 people who lost over 100 lbs.

Of course, I also have been known to call people pharisees and legalists when there attitudes and actions warrant such/


BTW, in an unrelated matter, if you know a church needing a pastor shoot me a PM, please. :smilewinkgrin:

I commend you for addressing gossip. When someone comes up to me at church and it starts off with "did you hear what..........." there are two purposes. Either to let me know so we can pray for the person and gently bring them back into God's will if necessary, or as is usually the case, the purpose is the entertainment of gossip. My normal response is that I do not want to hear it.