Just over a week before the steamy “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie opens on Valentine’s weekend, controversial founding pastor of the popular Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas, Ed Young, says he will baptize copies of the book on which the movie is based, calling it a “perverted attempt to trap readers.”
“There is a cultural epidemic out there that is wrapped up in complete fantasy. The book, Fifty Shades of Grey, is a perverted attempt to trap readers and leads them to a misunderstanding of what intimacy and connection are all about,” said Young in a press statement Wednesday.
“It is a pathetic distortion of a more powerful reality about relationships. God is not anti-sex, and he isn’t grey when it comes to relationships. I want to wake people up to the reality that God’s purpose and plan for their lives is so much greater!” he added.
[…]
The megachurch pastor says he’ll be raising awareness about the perversion of Fifty Shades of Grey by baptizing copies of the book at locations in Dallas, Miami, Florida and London, England.
“The sad thing is that so many have fallen prey to what that book represents and have missed out on the truth that God has a better way and purpose for them. By baptizing the fantasy of that book and raising to life the reality of God’s plan, I want to show people that it comes down to one thing — fantasy vs. reality!” he continued.
No argument about the evil of 50SOG, he’s right about that. No argument that God intends much better things for His people.
But baptism is meant for people alone, and it signifies God’s acceptance and transformation of them, granting them new life; it is a sign and seal of the new covenant.
It’s not meant to be perverted by putting a book underwater, and bringing up something else (the Bible, perhaps?!), or whatever the hell it is he’s planning to do, in his sacrilegious, highly misguided act, abusing a sacrament for a show-biz-y gimmick.
Moreover, it could lead to confusion, that God is endorsing 50SOG. Is that what he intends to teach? If not, why do this? (Other than to generate publicity for himself and his ‘ministry’, of course.)
I can’t believe how stupid this so-called pastor is.
Churchian evanjellyfish fool!
Patriactionary 
theconservativewife
February 6, 2015 at 12:12 am
The word “mega-church” is enough for me. Anything to drum up more publicity and hence, more money in the plate. God did not send out beggars. It sickens me that these so called preachers only use God as a tool to fill their pockets. But….judgment begins at the pulpit and God is still in control…
Will S.
February 6, 2015 at 12:14 am
Hear, hear!
Agree, completely.
Wilson Mount
February 6, 2015 at 12:33 am
I’m hoping he us “baptising” the books as a means to render them illegible.
Besides, anyone who is PAID to preach is not doing the work of God. The Bible was written by laymen, and intended to be read by the layman: Jesus was a carpenter, Peter a fisherman and so on. “He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.” (John 10:12, ESV)
Will S.
February 6, 2015 at 12:44 am
My fear is that he’s going to pull a stunt – dunk them underwater or pretend to, then pretend to pull Bibles out of the same water – based on what he said.
All three of the major Christian traditions – Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy – hold that some are called to the ministry, and that the Church should support them for doing so. Even though Protestantism has held that Scripture indeed is meant to be read by the layman, we do recognize, as per what Scripture itself teaches, that private interpretations can fail us, so we have the Church, and confessions, and catechisms (in traditional, Reformational Protestantism, anyway).
So, we’ll have to agree to disagree there. 🙂
Wilson Mount
February 6, 2015 at 12:57 am
I’m referring more to the excessive salaries of these ministers and so on. If they have a decent wage, are in direct contact with the community and actually HELP that community (by not moving on, by staying as the shepherd as per the previous verse et al) then there are no qualms. Unfortunately, those sorts of men are few and far between.
Caelan McKenzie
February 6, 2015 at 4:14 am
Following the link, you can see that this is ultimately a promotion for his new book, “Fifty Shades of They”.
Yes, really – that’s the title.
ballista74
February 6, 2015 at 6:08 am
Shameless self-promotion personified in this guy indeed. That’s really the only reason he’s doing it.
BTW, if you’ll indulge me since it’s related: The Raunchiest Film in a Decade Is Not Pornography
Carnivore
February 6, 2015 at 8:27 am
If he is not speaking figuratively, then he’s being sacrilegious. If he is, then he’s causing scandal by using the word ‘baptism’. A good, old book burning would be better but that would only enrich the publisher and author as his congregation goes and buys the book to bring to his event.
He would do better without the theatrics and give a fiery sermon admonishing the women of his congregation that literary porn is just as much of an evil as visual porn.
Will S.
February 6, 2015 at 8:37 am
@ WM: Ah, okay. Gotcha. And I agree.
@ CM: Ah… So, he’s not even promoting Scripture, but his new book. Wonderful. {/sarcasm}
@ ballista74: Agreed.
But hey, I welcome YOUR shameless self-promotion, because your posts are always welcome! 😉
@ Carnivore: Yes; either way, he’s committing a most egregious sin.
Indeed, that’s the problem with book burnings, and one reason I’ve never though they’re a good idea…
Alas, he’d rather use this occasion to sell his own book, than to simply proclaim truth…
Eric
February 7, 2015 at 12:48 am
Will S.
February 7, 2015 at 1:23 am
LOL! 🙂