Christian Churches Are Being Hijacked to Support Causes Outside of Their Christian Mission and Purpose

Evangelicals Promote Falun Gong -backed Movie, "The Firing Squad" 

Decades of influence from conservative, far right wing political elements is causing Christian churches in the United States to be distracted from their evangelistic mission and purpose.  They are being used for their financial support and their promotional ability which helps legitimize whatever cause is intruding on the church's ministry and mission.  

The result is an equating of anything identified as "conservative" with "Christian," when much of the ideology promoted by the conservative group is not Christian at all, and in some cases, is actually counter to Christian doctrine and theology.  

The linked article references a movie, backed by a group originating in China known as Falun Gong.  This group is considered "conservative," because it is opposed to communism, which is attractive to conservatives in the United States, especially Christian conservatives. 

But Falun Gong is not Christian.  It's philosophical foundations are based on Taoism and Buddhism, and it makes some rather strange, outlandish claims, such as the claim that aliens from outer space are trying to replace humans.  It follows the model put in place by Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church, functioning as a religious organization to capitalize on non-profit status and use terms that make it sound legitimately "religious" in order to attract supporters, especially with money.  It's leader promotes himself as a messianic, divine figure.  w

This film was first screened in the United States for Evangelicals attending a gathering of the National Religious Broadcasters.  It contains Christian themes, however, no connections were mentioned to Falun Gong as part of the promotion of the film, something BNG reporter Steve Rabey claims is "how politically conservative Asian religious groups come to the United States and exploit mass media to gain influence, legitimacy and money."  

And most of the Christians who help them do this are deceptively careful not to mention their association with what amounts to a pagan religious group, and uses their conservative, anti-communist politics to gain that legitimacy and support.  Not only is deception dishonesty, which goes against the principles of the Christian gospel, it is taking resources given to churches away from their evangelistic ministry.  

Part of the culture of conservative Evangelicalism in America that is a result of decades of far right wing extremist political influence, is the perception that associations are an indication of endorsement.  In this mindset, everything is connected.  When John Kerry was running for President, I knew conservatives who refused to buy Heinz products because his wife was a member of the Heinz family and to them, that constituted endorsement by the company of his candidacy.  

So with that kind of mindset, along with these groups being considered politically conservative, the presence of an evangelism campaign, called "The Million Souls Campaign," led by Jesse Connors, a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a former spokesperson for Baptist-affiliated Liberty University, would appear to most Christians to be a complete endorsement of where the support generated by distribution and promotion of this film, is going.  And because its association with Falun Gong is being hidden, Christians are unknowingly supporting a non-Christian intrusion into their ministry.  

In Far Right Wing Politics, the Christian Label is Meaningless

The only motivation for doing something like this that makes sense is that those who are being deliberately deceptive know that there might be objections from some conservative Evangelicals, to giving so much money and support to what is essentially a pagan cult.  Their interest is not in Christianity, or the promotion of its gospel and the lifestyle that goes with it.  It is in using Christian influence to promote their own financial and political interests.  

That's what's been happening with much of conservative Evangelicalism in America for a long time.  Not very many Christians have objected to the use of their church's resources and influence on behalf of secular politicians who may share a few conservative principles with them, or who are willing to make deals to exchange some political actions for their votes.  The message that sends is that their faith practice and the value of their convictions is cheap, and can be negotiated away for something they want to gain politically that they think God isn't providing for them spiritually.  

The small, somewhat obscure book of Jude, likely written by the Apostle of the same name who also happened to be one of Joseph and Mary's sons, is an explicit warning to the Christian church about this kind of intrusion, bringing in licentiousness, discrediting the testimony of its members and diverting its resources and influence to their own interests.  Whether it's the Unification Church, Falon Gong or the MAGA cult, Christian faith and practice is not compatible with anything that denies the Christian gospel, even if it is politically or socially "conservative."