Have you seen this? No kidding, a guy named Thomas O’Connor, a 63-year-old Lake Tahoe man, who legally changed his name to Santa Claus (no middle initial) in 2005, is suing the Pope. The article reveals that he was recently elevated to the title of missionary bishop in the Apostles' Anglican Church, an ecumenical Christian denomination based in Ohio and Michigan. On behalf of the many children sexually abused by priests, his mission is to, “explore and utilize a variety of legal means,” the statement read in part, "to hold the Roman Catholic Church, especially the Pope and the Vatican, accountable for the suffering of many thousands of vulnerable children at the hands of clergy, straight and gay, young and old, celibate or not."I know, it sounds like an episode of “Boston Legal.” The jolly old elf shows up at Denny Crane's office with a naughty and nice list with the Pope at the top, and a big bag of coal for all the Roman Catholics in the world. Fuming mad, Denny Crane takes the case and strikes a blow against the church and saves the suffering children.
Don’t get me wrong, like many of you I am appalled at what happened to these children at the hands of those clergy and it was an abomination. Every child deserves to be nurtured, protected and loved. We are called to condemn these actions and every Christian including Roman Catholics have. But here’s the problem. The article says ‘his mission’ is "to hold the Roman Catholic Church, especially the Pope and the Vatican, accountable..."
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)
The Bible tells us that God wants us to be wise when we deal with people in the name of Christ. Folks, Santa suing the Pope is perhaps the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Instead of calling for prayer for the victims of these crimes he calls for litigation.
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." (Colossians 4:2-4 )
What did the Apostle Paul do to make sure that he would be wise to those outside the family of God? He devoted himself to prayer, and he asked others to devote themselves in prayer for him. In other words, Paul understood that it was absolutely vital to first go to God about the people before he went to the people about God.
A wise person once said, "Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess." This is a man who is trying to be someone he isn’t and doing it in the name of Christ, as an Anglican bishop. It’s dumb… It’s moronic… It brings no glory to God and makes all of us “Anglicans” appear foolish.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses it saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." (Matthew 5:13)
On the next episode of Boston Legal, The Easter Bunny sues the major candy companies for making children fat.
Be wise, be salty…
Bishop Ian
