“Away with such teaching to the nether pit whence it came!” ~ C. G. Finney

 

Actually, if we are going to be accurate for Finney’s sake, we are going to have to make the context of this verbal gem match the quite liberal abolitionist stance he took during his theologically revolutionary life … And to do so, I think we are going to have to replace this statement with the one that follows – Heed its call well, my dear … Heed its call well!

 

“Repent post haste, all ye who would condemn the misdoings of others … Repent post haste from the nether pit in which you soak your own Souls – the nether pit of arrogance, the nether pit of callousness, the nether pit of intolerance, and the nether pit of hypocrisy; the nether pit that is the steaming, vile broth into which your conscience sinks whenever you attend to that which is not yours to attend!”

 

Or, as Jesus himself would say – “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.  Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own? … You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to identify the speck in your neighbor’s.” ~ Matthew 7:1-5

Filed under: Burnishing Bigotry by Scaughdt