Windbags

Dr. Michael Richardson
​Prov. 18:13

Introduction:

1. Prov. 18:13 “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”
2. Mt. 6:7 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”
3. Frederick Munchausen fought in the Turkish Wars from 1735-1739. 
4. The Turkish Wars were between Russia and the Ottoman Empire after the Turks invaded the Crimean Peninsula    and shut off Russia’s access to a warm water seaport.
5. Frederick Munchausen retired from the military in 1760. He became somewhat of a minor celebrity when he told outlandish tales about his exploits during the wars to the royal families of Europe. 
6. He became very upset when he was made to appear as a comical windbag in the novel, Baron von Munchausen’s Narrative of his Marvelous Travels and Campaigns in Russia.
7. In that novel it was claimed that he:
   • Was a great sportsman
   • As a soldier rode a cannon ball in flight
   • Traveled to the Moon

    8.   In 1933, the comical windbag, Baron Von Munchausen, was introduced to the American public
          during the days of radio with a program entitled Meet the Baron starring Jack Pearl as the Baron
          with Jimmy Durante
    9.   Today, I want to make some comments about windbags and refute some ridiculous comments
           made by a windbag.

Part I—Some General comments about windbags

 A. Windbag is a word but “bag of wind” is an expression.
 B. The difference is important:

• Words tend to get absorbed into a language with incremental variations
• Expressions are ideas not a word

 C. There is a pejorative link between words such as: “Airhead”, “Windbag”, “Fool”
 D. The Latin word “follies” means: a bag or sack, a large inflated ball, a pair of bellows
 E. The English word “folly” came to England by France.
 F. It is used in Chaucer’s, Canterbury Tales, with the idea of “foolish, stupid, and ignorant”
 G. They are perfectly described in Prov. 18:13;

• There mouths run like water
• There words evaporate into the “nothingness of time” only to be replaced by a flood of more “bloviation”
• They are always sharing their “expertise” and offering solutions when they have not even considered the matter and circumstances
• Like Jesus said, They think that they are heard because of their “much speaking”

     
 H. Windbags never grasp the concept that “ You do not have to “outtalk” someone to
      “outtalk” some one.

 I. We live in the “Golden Age” of windbags:

• We cannot escape them. They are everywhere; we see them in political pundits on news programs, sports figures, and politicians, 
• Windbags often tout their ‘education” or some book they wrote.
• Windbags often attempt to disguise their ignorance of a matter by the use of large vocabulary words. The Apostle Paul mentions this in Rom. 16:18 “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

 J. Cultural differences in attitudes concerning windbags are interesting. In Japan they have a saying:
     “People who do not know talk. People who know do not talk.”
 K. Famed atheist and biologist, Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion wrote the following: The
     God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction jealous and proud of
     it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic,
     homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic,
     capriciously malevolent bully.”
 L. Richard Dawkins is a windbag!
 M. But the greatest danger is when a windbag stands behind a pulpit!

Part II—Refuting a windbag preacher

 A. Richard Hagenston is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ
 B. This is a very liberal denomination
 C.Fabricating Faith. How Christianity became a Religion Jesus Would Have Rejected is a book authored
      by Mr. Hagenston.
 D. One can readily see that Mr. Hagenston holds views that are far to the left of normal Christian’s views.
      If what Mr. Hagenston says is true, then Jesus lied in the Great Commission ‘ that he would never
​      leave us or forsake us.’
 E. But Mr. Hagenston has also written an article entitled 8 Things Your Pastor will never tell you About
     the Bible.
 F. So, let us look at these 8 things he states Pastors will not tell their Churches.
    1. The 12 Apostles knew nothing of the Virgin Birth:

• In this article Hagenston makes the claim that no one wrote of the Virgin Birth of Christ until the Apostle Paul in Rom. 1:3-4
• Hagenston claims that the Virgin Birth of Christ described in Matthew and Luke were added later.
• This is an argument from silence, which is the weakest kind argument.
• Just because Mark does not mention the Virgin Birth does not mean that he did not believe it or know about it. It should be noted that Mark does not deny it either.
• Mark is presenting Jesus as the “Servant of God”. It did not serve his purpose to mention the Virgin Birth.
• Hagenston makes that same claim about John but does not discuss John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

    2. Jesus offered nothing to the Gentiles. As a proof text Hagenston quotes Mt. 10:5 “These twelve  
        Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any
​        city of the Samaritans enter ye not’

• Just has Hagenston missed the purpose of Mark Hagenston also shows a poor understanding of the book of Matthew. 
• Matthew present to the Jews Jesus as the Messiah King.
• Chapters 1-2 show the legal right of Jesus to be king. Chapter 3 his ceremonial right to be king. Chapter 4 shows his moral right to be king. Chapters 5-7 show the laws of the kingdom. Chapters 8-10 give a list of miracles showing his power to be king. Chapter 11-12 shows the rejection of the King by the Jews. Chapter 13 is where he turns to the Gentiles.
• Rom. 1:16 shows that Jesus came to the Jews first to present himself as their King and not because he loved the Gentiles less. 

     3. That Jesus did not want the people to think of him as God

• Hagenston gives 3 passages: Mt. 19:17, Mk. 10:18, and Lk. 18:19
• In these passages Jesus asked the question “Why callest me good.”
• In the passages Jesus wanted the people to whom he was speaking to come to the realization that he was God in the flesh and that is why they can call him good. The exact opposite of what Hagenston teaches.

     4. The Resurrection accounts have irreconcilable differences

• Yes, there are some differences but that does not mean that the Bible errors
• Each on the Apostles is pointing out what they saw.
• For example: If four people saw a car accident and described the details to the police each would describe it with different details and each would be telling the truth.

     5. Jesus was against public prayer

• Of course not.
• Hagenston quotes Mt. 6:1 and Mt. 6:6 as a proof text
• Of course not
• Jesus was opposed to the giving of alms and public prayers that are done for public display to draw attention to themselves
• Mt. 6:5 sets the context that he is discussing the hypocrites

     6. Hagenston claims that some of the books in the Bible are “forgeries”

• The term is “pseudopigraphy”.  This is a book that has been written by someone else and its authorship is attributed to someone.
• It seems Mr. Hagenston is educated beyond his intelligence
• He misses the point as who the real author of scripture is. It is the Holy Spirit. II Pet. 1:21 “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
• II Tim. 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
• So, it does not matter whether the name of the author of a book is Paul, Mark, John or ‘Hey You” they were only secretaries or clerks of the real author of the Bible. 

     7. Hagenston states that some parts of the Bible were intentionally written to disagree with other parts
         of the Bible. He uses Ps. 51: 16-17 and 18-19 

• Hagenston says that in verses 16 and 17 that God would not accept sacrifices without a contrite heart. Then in verse 18-19 that God would accept sacrifices in a rebuilt Jerusalem. Thus, he claims a contradiction
• He misses the point of this Psalm. It is the classic Psalm of repentance and God’s forgiveness. Ritual sacrifice without repentance is useless. 

     8. Hagenston claims that the 12 Apostles who were taught by Jesus believed the Apostle Paul was
         wrong about the Gospel 

• If that is true why in Gal. 2: 9 are James, Cephas, and John giving Paul the right hand of fellowship?
• If that is true why does Peter call Paul in II Pet. 3:15 “our beloved brother Paul”?
• Hagenston actually makes the bold claim that the ministers of Satan that the Apostle Paul refers to are the 12 Apostles!
• Now if I called you a “Ministers of Satan” would you then turn around and call me a “beloved brother?

Conclusion

 A. Munchausen ministers are only interested in drawing attention to themselves
 B. They do this by attempting to find some fault with God’s word
 C. They are only interested in making a name for themselves
 D. Instead of making Jesus the story they are more interested in making themselves the story!
 E. Hagenston is a windbag Munchausen minister
 F. What he needs more than anything else is a good dose of salvation.