... but the pastor said so!

I came across this YouTube video from a blog I regularly read. Now, I really could care less about US (or Canadian for that matter) politics, but I do care about church politics...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eUkc9GCMEQ

Wow, this is pretty pathetic. At first it also makes me laugh, but then it pretty much makes me sick.

In the original blog entry there is a line "sell us on the idea that ministers have enough intelligence to make us take what they say or recommend seriously." Is this ever true -- that the average pew sitter believes at face value what their "trained and ordained" ministry person tells them! Of course I have found some flaws in that, and I promise not to even include any of my personal anecdotes of things that have "happened" to me!

Flaw # 1 - Pastors are humans, relatively incapable of objectivity...
First of all, they are forgetting that this person, often male, is a human being, full of flaws and imperfections like the rest of us (don't get me wrong, I have my proper respect for the "dominee", however, I do not believe that everything he says goes!) As much as we would like to believe its not true, that pastor/theologian telling you things still has A LOT of potential to say and do damaging things. They are not off limits when it comes to accountability to Christ, and as their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, we are the ones to hold them accountable! I believe that the pastor is my brother/sister in Christ FIRST, and my pastor second. Why do I make this distinction? Again, the accountability factor - we have obligations to each other, to hold and restore each other to right relationships with God, REGARDLESS of our worldly human positions and status. No one has more or less right than the next person, even though our earthly minds very often tell us so. What is GOD saying? That each person on earth has equal potential of being close or far from God!
(And don't even get me started about the fact that some of these pastors are more like wolves in sheep clothing, acting out their personal agendas and calling it church business, or worse, good ministry!)

Flaw #2 - Who's the boss?
Second, in what world does the pastor also adopt the role of CEO for the church? The members of the church technically employ the pastor, so when it comes to the "business" of the church, sure the pastor should be involved, but in control? NO! Why bring this up here? Because that is what we seem to be allowing our pastors to have - full control over every aspect of the church. Maybe its me, or maybe its just cause my last name is French, but it seems to me that we've got it all backwards!
But to be a bit more realistic, I don't think that we should ever be in a position where one person or one "side" has total control. The best way to run a church would be for everyone to actually work together for the greater good of God, and not just trying to satisfy what we think our own needs are. But we are human, and virtually incapable of being that objective!

Flaw #3 - I am cynical
So, this isn't really a flaw with the topic so much as a flaw with me. Will I ever trust another pastor? I know that I must, I am supposed to forgive. I am supposed to give a second chance. I am supposed to not allow these things to affect my spirituality. But they do, because I am also human. They do, because I have yet to see proper accountability of most church leadership. To be honest, this whole video, this whole topic is exactly what I find WRONG with the church.

I have my faith, all you denominations can keep your politics.