Josiah Concept Ministries

This is why I wanted to break away from the Buddy Christ icon most of all: the creed written by Bishop Pat Buckley that has become the statement of faith for the International Church of Buddy Christ. Bishop Buckley was consecrated a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church, but is not legally a bishop, so to speak. His ordination was valid, but unlawful since it lacked a papal mandate.

I thought I’d analyze the creed here.

I believe that in this world it is impossible to understand God.
I believe that God made this wonderful universe and all that exists.
I can find God in nature, in animals, in birds and the environment.
I believe that God made all men and women,
That He made them all equal,
And that He loves and cherishes them all equally.
I believe that the whole human race is the family of God.

We are good right up to “He cherishes them all equally.” See, the problem with this statement is that it denies simple truth of Holy Scripture. It is impossible to meaningfully interpret texts like “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” (Rom 9:13) if you believe that God loves all His creation equally. Same with believing that the whole human race is the family of God.

I believe that there may be intelligent life on other planets
And if so, they too are part of God’s family.

No comment.

I hold that religion and faith are two different things,
That religion can be both good and bad
And that it is spirituality that counts.

Good, good, bad. Spirituality fails to define what feeds the spirit, it leaves you open to find your own path. That helps Satan more than it helps God; for God very narrowly defined how to feed your spirit for a reason.

For me your religion is an accident of your birth
Or a gift of God’s great providential diversity.
There is no one true church.
All churches and all religions contain aspects of the truth.

I can’t believe that your religion is an accident, since God chose the place and time of your birth. He would have also known what religion you would be born into. This means that He intended that from the beginning for His glory. I don’t think that accidents and coincidences are part of God’s plan.

Not all religions contain aspects of the truth. Some are very dangerous.

But only God is truth.
No man is infallible.
A Buddhist or a good atheist is as acceptable to God as a good Catholic.

The problem is the Bible clearly states that there is no one that is good. No one seeks after God, we humans only do evil without the grace of God. So I disagree that there is anyone acceptable to God who is not in Christ.

“No man is infallible” certainly is true, but it puts Bishop Pat square out of the Catholic Church since the Pope is supposedly infallible.

I believe that sex is good and so is the body.

Of course sex is good. If you’re doing it right (as my wife and I are), it is more than good–it is great!!! However, the body we now possess is tainted by sin. The fact that this creed never seems to address sin, man’s fallen nature, or any sort of need for restoration to God’s grace means that the Holy Spirit doesn’t have to enter us and restore our original goodness. Obviously, this is a necessary step in sanctification that is glossed over by Bishop Pat.

The only sexual act that is sinful is the one that uses or abuses.

Disagree. God defined sexual morality the way He did for a very important reason, and we should obey His rules. They aren’t mean or spiteful, they are there for our protection.

I believe in people, especially suffering people.
I believe in the power of weakness.
I believe that all men and women will be saved.
I believe in a packed Heaven and an empty Hell.
And even Satan might get another chance.

Where do we begin on the errors in this section? Well, for starters, any casual reading of the Bible, with a little bit of common sense, would indicate that not everyone is going to get saved. God never intended that. How could He grant us free will unless there was a way to make a bad choice?

Packed Heaven and empty Hell? I think Bishop Pat got it backwards. Jesus Himself said as much (Mt 7:14).

Satan won’t accept another chance; his pride is too overpowering for that. He needs only to believe on Jesus as the Savior, but he won’t do that.

I believe in the freedom of God’s sons and daughters.

To do what, exactly? Could this statement be more vague?

I believe that dogma is often evil.

Loaded statement.

I believe that life is a journey towards God
And that no one has the right to insist that you go a certain road.

Not even God? He has insisted that we travel a certain path: “I am the way, the truth the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me” (Jn 14:6). God insists that we must believe in Jesus as Lord and that He rose again from the dead in order to complete the journey to Him (Rom 10:9)!

I believe that God and reality are too big for my poor words.
I believe therefore that I am only at a beginning.
Only knocking at a door.
And I believe that the best is yet to come.

I agree, but I’m not so sure that Bishop Pat will get anything better than this life. But, I guess I can’t judge a man’s heart, that is only for God.