Bishop Vasa Does It Again!

Thanks to Dad29 for bringing this article to my attention!

I first heard of Bishop Vasa in a group I was in from those who were going to have him as their new Bishop, asking if anyone knew anything about him other than the fact that he was coming from Lincoln, Nebraska. Speculation then was that he would be a 'good' Bishop. He has far passed that viewpoint in my humble opinion, and went straight to the top of my list where there are a few ties for my favorites when he spoke out so very plainly for Terri Schindler Schiavo.

We have all been told 'not to judge lest ye be judged' by people who continually take this verse out of context and turn it into something it is not in order to justify 'tolerance'. It is usually used to 'put us in place' when we speak out against sin of one sort or another.

We also often then hear the famous 'What Would Jesus Do?' with the ensuing explanation that Jesus would just accept and love...etc. Yes, Jesus would love. But Jesus also corrected Sin.

And His followers did not CONTINUE in the sin of their choice when He confronted them, and forgave them. Jesus spoke Truth. Always.

Bishop Vasa says:

We live in an age which places a very strong emphasis on tolerance, mutuality, and acceptance. I have heard repeatedly over the years that “Jesus never judged, condemned or excluded anyone.” I wonder if Peter would agree as the words of Jesus, “Get behind me you Satan,” rang in his ears. I wonder if the Scribes and the Pharisees would agree as they rankled at being called whitened sepulchers or broods of vipers. I wonder if those who heard Jesus say, “Whoever leads one of these little ones astray, it would be better if he had a millstone tied around his neck and be cast into the sea,” nodded approval and said, “He is so tolerant and accepting.”

He continues:


In our “compromising age” we are loath to name something too strongly. If we do, we are accused of harshness, judgmentalism, perhaps arrogance, certainly intolerance and possibly pharisaism. While it is always necessary to speak the truth with love, the Church also believes and teaches that it is also necessary to speak the truth with strength. It is necessary to defend truth and not be too quick to rationalize, justify or excuse misleading teachings or teachers. There is a point at which passive “tolerance” allows misleading teachings to be spread and propagated, thus confusing or even misleading the faithful about the truths of the Church. There is a very strong word, which still exists in our Church, which most of us are too “gentle” to use. The word is “heresy.”