Bob: Good Works are a Form of Idolotry

If Bob Dutko didn't exist, you couldn't make him up.

Fresh back from his "mission" trip, Bob spent a considerable amount of time on Tuesday criticizing Pastor Rick Warren for his so-called "P.E.A.C.E. Plan".

Bob apparently thinks that Warren is devoting too much time to helping the poor and healing the sick. You see, Bob thinks these good works are getting in the way of what Bob thinks should be his number one mission: converting people to Dutko-brand Christianity. Bob claims that Warren isn't pushing Christianity in this initiative and is (God forbid!) working with non-Christians to achieve the goals of the initiative. Bob prefers the "Compassion International" model of charity where if you don't receive the lecture about Jesus and eventually proclaim that you're a True Believer, you don't get the food, clothing, and education paid for with Bob's money.

Wow.

Now, first off, I think Bob's dead wrong about Warren not pushing the Christianity. One of the features of his initiative is to "Plant Churches." That sure sounds like Christianity promotion to me!

But more importantly, I have to wonder just how calloused is the heart of Bob Dutko? Does he not have the ability to show compassion and be charitable without demanding a measure of fealty from the recipients?

Bob's idea of compassion is completely opposite of mine. I routinely give my time and money, as well as donating my blood, without demanding that the recipients of this charity have religious beliefs that match my own. In fact, these religious beliefs never even crossed my mind. The only thing that's important to me is that I'm helping the recipient(s) survive and prosper. That's what makes me feel good about doing it.