IMMORAL

There are those who would, behind smoke and mirrors, convince us that morality only has to do with sex and particularly with whom you sleep and how.  They put that "out there" so that they can hide their truly IMMORAL practices around greed and their idolatry to Mammon (wealth) and Mars (power) and Narcissus (prestige, position, self-importance and promotion), above all others.

The reason that "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil", is because LOVE is to be reserved for God and Neighbor (who Jesus defines as stranger and even enemy - Luke 10:25, ff.).  But when we give our devotion and make our whole lives about making money for ourselves, or those just like us, especially at the expense (exploitation, trampling down) of others, it is IMMORAL.  When our love is reserved for only self and getting what we can for self at any cost to others around us, it is IMMORAL.

For instance -

31% of Georgians who would be eligible for ACA insurance (ObamaCare) will not receive benefits because Georgia's Republican Governor and Republican Legislature has rejected it in this state and declined to participate.  These 31% are NOT those who are eligible for Medicaid now, who are receiving substandard healthcare, but healthcare none-the-less.  These 31% are those who are WORKING, so they make too much to receive the health insurance from Medicaid, but they do not make enough to be able to afford insurance on their own - you know - those who are the working poor, penalized by low wages and no benefits or job security because they live in this "right to work (for low wages, no benefits and no job security)" state.  Now, they are further penalized, because their Republican politicians in office want to keep them from the affordable healthcare they could have through the ACA.

THAT is IMMORAL.

For instance -

Republicans in Congress who claim to be in the fiscally RESPONSIBLE party, many of whom gleefully got us into 2 wars that have cost us TRILLIONS of dollars and THOUSANDS of lives, will not balance the budget (their self-declared #1 agenda) by raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans and American corporations, or even get them to pay what they owe, calling them ENTITLEMENTS, but rather want to cut aid to the poor and have done so... so that women and children have food taken away from them, head start classes for the poor are shut down, elderly programs slashed, etc., etc..

THAT is IMMORAL.

For instance -

Republicans in Congress shut down government and it cost our nation $24 billion.  This from the party that wants to save a few bucks by cutting individual aid to families.
Republicans are engineering voter suppression, gerrymandering every district they can, spreading misinformation and lies about our President and raping the country's environment for profit, all while claiming their patriotism.
Wealthy individuals and corporations/industries are buying politicians and their votes, in order to further exploit the environment and destroy it at will, and workers here and abroad, while claiming to love democracy. 
And people are being duped into believing those are good things to do.  And people vote for the ones doing those things!

THAT is IMMORAL.

We are becoming an IMMORAL NATION,
NOT because we do not have public prayer in the schools - even WITH that, these "right wing" folks would give their true devotion to Mammon.
NOT because of gay marriage, even WITHOUT these equal rights being recognized, their GREED would drive them.
NOT because of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists or "Liberals"...

BUT because we as a nation, AT BEST, give our LIP SERVICE to God, but give our TRUE DEVOTION to Mammon (wealth), Mars (violence) and Narcissus (self).

"This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines."  Mark 7:6,7    JESUS
"You cannot serve both God and Mammon."  Matthew 6:24    JESUS

IMMORAL.  Unconscionable.  The new norm in American perspective, philosophy and practice.

So, what will WE do about that?

Pastor Jamie