Or Else......

WARNING. . . . Opinionated religious rant.  You may wish to mosey on down the list.
So. . . .
I got a lead on the ticker on FB that interested me.  It concerned a group I grew up in and while I do have certain misgivings, it was my cradle, so I went.  The visit, which involved an oppositional group,  left me feeling wary and sick. 
When I was a kid, we were subjected to many "Tribulation" movies designed and produced to scare the sin out of us and send us on a serious quest for heaven.  They scared me, but my spiritual quest was to come much later when, in a whole different setting, I had exhaused my 'self'.  That is not the subject of this blog.  But per the movies.  Frequently the believers -always few, because the ones who got it right in the first place were gone- would be cowering in catacombs for fear of death and torture.  Eventually they were caught, lined up and made to renounce their faith in God and embrace a new world system.  Those who failed to comply were brutally, sometimes graphically killed.  It inspired many nightmares, but not much true repentance or redemption.  I have my opinions why.
A few years ago, we got a new governor.  When he came into office, there was a specific topic that he said he would never support.  After his election some of his supporters cried foul because he explained that the state did not have the money to win that battle and though he sympathized with those who wanted to go there, he would not sanction such a move.  We had problems we could solve and were advised to put the money where it could do good for our state.  I felt sad to admit that he was right and I admired his leadership.  He's been a good governor who has stuck by some pretty gutsy decisions that I believe were right and has made people hold the integrity of other decisions he didn't support.  So the first mentioned issue was swept under the rug in our state legislature.  To this date neither side of that argument has had it's say.
This seems to be a theme.  I watched a national news person interview a mega pastor and the main topic addressed by the news personality was one he refused to address.  He would divert.  The interviewer would return.  He would give a non answer and the interviewer would press on.  Finally, after being taunted with "You really aren't going to answer my question are you?" he replied, "Neither side of that argument has anything to do with my mission or my ministry.  It isn't my issue."  And then he changed the subject again.  I felt a little sad that he didn't make some kind of stand on one side or the other.  After the online visit the other day, I realized he really had no ability to go anywhere with that.  It's noone's victory in either case.  He was shrewd and wise to avoid an answer regardless where he stands.  There are many who agree with that tactic.  If they are forced to make a stand, they will put a weak statement of belief out, but they really don't want to go there.  Its just not what their mission and ministry needs.
But I also saw -as an infiltrator in a group I don't agree with- that this group will not be satisfied with silence for long.  Their desire is to send those with firm belief into the catacombs to hide.  They want people who believe as I do to be ashamed of themselves and of their stand.  They deride and accuse with great sarcasm and enthusiasm.  All of the things they accuse others of are in their arsenal waiting to be leveled at 'the enemy' when they have gained enough ground and strength.  In true form, I realize that they will not be satisfied with those who oppose them hiding in the catacombs for long.  These will be pulled out, lined up and forced to recant . . . or else.
Thankfully, and not so thankfully, I have read the book.  Though this issue may very well end as I have decribed, it is not how the story concludes.  It is not the issue addressed all those years ago.  That is an issue that will be dealt with by someone, someday.  But our true enemy may very well use this as a training run.  I hope I know where I will stand in the day of 'or else.'  It doesn't scare me as much as it saddens me.  Sometimes those who cry 'freedom' the loudest do not have 'freedom' in their hearts.