Dolly

According to Gina Miller & Reformation Charlotte:

COLUMN EXCERPT:  Dolly unquestionably had an unusually warm and approachable public presence, even as people who disagreed with her on political or social issues still found her likeable. She had fans on all sides of the political aisle, and she never made her politics a divisive issue in her career. But it was largely her generosity and her Southern charm that made her so loved among Evangelicals.

She often spoke about God, prayer, faith, and even her Pentecostal upbringing. She wrote and sang songs about Jesus, and co-authored songs with other Christian musicians.

But none of these things are evidence of saving faith. None of these things demonstrate a life that has been transformed by the blood of Christ. Talking about God or Jesus is not a substitute for repentance and faith, and being warm and cozy does not guarantee that one will inherit the Kingdom of God.

But listening to some Evangelical leaders, one might believe that it does.

Now, here’s where so many people reading this are going to pull the Pharisee card on me. But before you do, I would recommend you read *this article* [It's linked in the column in the first comment below].

Dolly Parton explicitly supported same sex “marriage” and the LGBTQ movement in 2009. When asked by Joy Behar if she supported it, she answered:

“I know that’s true … I always say, ‘Sure, why can’t they get married? They should suffer like the rest of us do.'”

As far back as 1991, Dolly Parton was affirming homosexuality. Her song, “Family,” from her album Eagle When She Flies explicitly included homosexuals in her definition of “family.”

In 2023, Parton publicly opposed legislation protecting children from genital mutilation surgeries while affirming “transgender” ideologies. In an interview with Hollywood Reporter, asked about her thoughts on this legislation, she replied:

“I have some of everybody in my own immediate family and in my circle of employees. I’ve got transgender people. I’ve got gays. I’ve got lesbians. I’ve got drunks. I’ve got drug addicts — all within my own family. I know and love them all, and I do not judge.  ...If there’s something to be judged, that is God’s business. But we are all God’s children and how we are is who we are.”

Dolly Parton would always reframe biblical moral judgment as “sinful” and “judgmental” despite Scripture calling Christians to do so. In a 2014 interview with Billboard, responding to Christians opposing homosexuality, she said:

“But as far as the Christians, if people want to pass judgment, they’re already sinning. The sin of judging is just as bad as any other sin they might say somebody else is committing. I try to love everybody.”

“[My "gay" fans] know that I completely love and accept them, as I do all people…”

She consistently used “love” and “acceptance” as substitutes for faith and repentance. Parton clearly did not care that her sexually immoral fans and followers were leading and living a destructive lifestyle that only leads to judgment. Her fans made her rich.

But it was her bizarre view of eternity that really casts doubt on any credible profession of faith she may have had.

When asked about her view of death, she replied:

“You don’t really know, you just hope,” … “I think we’re recycled, and if nothing else, we just go back into that great flow of divine energy and hopefully we spread ourselves around in other wonderful ways.”

A person who truly understands the Christian faith and believes the gospel does not frame her views of the afterlife as uncertainty or speculate about being “recycled” or “reincarnated” into some unknown, undefined “divine energy.” This view is not just strange, it is diametrically opposed to the gospel.

[These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.  --1 John 5:13]

[And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.  --John 17:3]

To add to this, there is no credible evidence that she ever actually believed the true gospel. Any reference to the biblical gospel is conspicuously absent from her public life, at least as far as I could find. Again, she spoke regularly about God, love, prayer, kindness, generosity, purpose, and “divine guidance.” All of those words can sound Christian, but using Christian vocabulary does not establish that one understands Christian doctrine.

Yet, we have a laundry list of Evangelical leaders, Christian artists, and more who simply want to preach her into heaven, not based on a credible profession of faith, but on her persona.

In a now-deleted post by Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board leader, Shane Pruitt, he says, “Dolly Parton went from singing ‘There was Jesus’ to “There is Jesus” face to face with Him. Rest in glory, Dolly.”

... Crosswalk Ministries published an obituary stating, “As Dolly rests in the arms of Jesus in heaven, let’s live with wholehearted faith every single day here on earth, as she did!”

... And The Christian Post documented declarations by several Christian musicians affirming her presence in heaven, including Zach Williams, For King and Country, and Steven Curtis Chapman.

And Ed Stetzer’s publication, Church Leaders, published an obituary called “Woman of Faith” that affirmatively repeated her nephew’s declaration that “Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens.”

Again, I cannot personally render an infallible judgment on her final eternal state—that is between her and God only. I cannot know every private, personal belief she had, or every private conversation she had with others about her faith. And the Scriptures clearly teach that God can save anyone, even in the final moments of [his] life, just like the thief on the cross.

But refusing to declare her in Hell does not mean that we should declare her in heaven. In fact, the evidence suggests otherwise. She never made a credible public profession of faith, and it is irresponsible for Evangelicals to preach her into heaven based on her persona and good works.

It is only the blood and righteousness of Christ that wins our place in eternity with Him. And based on her public words, I have no reason to believe that Dolly Parton really understood that.

Does she hear herself? 

First, she approvingly hyperlinked to an article at The Disntr, the propaganda wing of Reformation CLT.  In the past, they have professed to believing Democrats are most likely not Christians, & you’d have to blind to not see that they are a hate group working on the same level as Westboro Baptist Church. 

It’s true that just because someone sing a Christian songs claims to be a Christian, that does mean that person is a Christian.   It’s also true that if you speak out against homosexuals & transgenderism & tow the party line when it comes to your pet issues, that doesn’t make you a Christian either. 

Does the writer of the article hear himself judging Dolly’s eternal destiny based on whether or not she made a credible profession of faith?  Does he know what a credible profession of faith entails? 

A saving profession is between any one person & God.  A credible profession is what we use to determine if someone should be a member of our local church.  Something like the Westminster Confession or the First London Baptist Confession supplies the basis of the latter.  What you personally have going on between yourself & God supplies the basis of the former. 

In its most fundamental form, what is God’s paramount concern when we ask, “What must I do to be justified?”  According to Romans 9:30 - 32, if we use our faith and/or works to justify ourselves or seek justification from Him, that’s a nonstarter. Paul observes that the majority opinion among the Jews in his time was that justification is a matter of faith & law keeping.   

Notice that in Romans 10:10 we believe in our hearts & are justified & confess with our mouths & are saved.   These are two separate acts of God.   By way of internal belief - justification;  by way of external confession - salvation / sanctification. 

What is the target of this believing?  In 10:10 we believe God has raised Christ from the dead.  In 10:13, we call on the name of the LORD & are saved.   10:10 parses salvation into its components.  10:13 uses a more encompassing term.  We call; God responds.

It might behoove himto reread 1 Corinthians.   In chapter 6, he reminds his audience that their church looks like the world but nonetheless every one of them is washed (regenerate), set apart (in the world but not of it), & justified in the name of Christ by the Holy Spirit.   

I Corinthians 6: 9 - 11:  

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.  (1 Corinthians 6:9–11, ESV)

That or the purpose statement of the letter.   They had ignored a letter by Paul (I Cor. 5:9 - 13) & were pointing fingers at everyone but themselves. Consequently, their problems had ballooned.  Paul tells them that their church looked exactly like the world, yet they were all washed (regenerate), set apart (in the world but not of it), & justified (declared judicially righteous in the name of Christ) by the Holy Spirit. 

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  (1 Corinthians 15:12, ESV)

Here he plainly says that there are those among them who don’t believe in the resurrection, & that means there were those among them who didn’t believe in Christ’s resurrection. 

By way contrast, Jeff @ Reformation CLT has chosen to use his liturgical philosophy about LGBTQ issues & what Dolly had to say about judging the world the way 1 Corinthians & Matt 7 actually teach as his judgment rod. 

Passing the theology test for a high order doctrine like basic Christology is not a requirement for regeneration nor justification.  Yet here sir Reformation CLT & Gina Miller sitting in judgment of Dolly based on their own theology test as it relates to lower order doctrines.   

It’s ironic that they quoted 1 John. 1 John is all about the difference between the road to apostasy & the road to eternity with the LORD & His people. 

Dolly did much more than sing Christian songs & claim to be a Christian.   She really was & still is a bona fide Christian who took 1 John’s words about loving others extraordinarily seriously, as well as Matthew’s words about paracleting people unlike your own & refraining for engaging in judging others in bigoted fashion. 

So what if she didn’t pass Reformation CLT’s personal ethics & theology test —- she gave evidence that passes 1 John’s test, & she didn’t play the hypocrite in doing so.  

Dolly most certainly is in heaven right now awaiting her own resurrection, & she was & remains a bigger & better Christian than those at Reformation CLT & elsewhere as they sit there zeroing in on her beliefs about the LGBTQ & the fact that she didn’t sound like the members of Bellvue Baptist Church in Nashville or analogous congregation. 

The truth of the matter is that Reformation CLT &, if, she really believes Reformation CLT’s words, Ms. Miller are just another set of ciphers for the parody of biblical Christianity that a great deal of American Christianity has become.  

All we hear is just another member of the Corinthian church starting to unravel as she points fingers at everyone around her while ignoring another letter from the Apostle Paul (I Corinthians 5) because her commitment to Conservatism is greater than her commitment to Christianity & the ethics of the Sermon On the Mount& 1 John.

Let’s look at what the Bible says & means in contrast to Reformation CLT, et. al. 

Jeff has chose to use his liturgical philosophy about LGBTQ issues & what Dolly had to say about judging the world the way 1 Corinthians & Matt 7 actually teach as her judgment rod. 

In 1 Corinthians 6, we learn that their people had decided to look to the secular world for justice while ignoring their multiple theological & ethical issues. 

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside (1 Corinthians 5:12–13, ESV)

God forbid Dolly sound like Paul. 

Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.  (Matthew 7:6, ESV)

In other words, if you choose to throw your pearls of judgment in as bigoted a fashion at “swine” like the majority of the Sanhedrin, Zealots, & many a Romans were doing, then one day, they (the swine) are liable to trample over you.  

All Dolly was doing was living out what the Bible teaches about the right & wrong way to sit in judgment of others.  Her statements shine a light on the way Gina Miller, Reformation CLT & others in the Judgment do exactly what the Bible forbids.

As to her statements about the afterlife.   If believing in the resurrection of Christ (which she most certainly believed) isn’t a requirement to be saved, then how much more so a lower order doctrine like the afterlife?!

Jeff, et.al. are looking to her personal theology test.  Where does the Bible teach that you have to hold a particular set of beliefs about LGBTQ people & sit in judgment of them like she herself does?  Nowhere. 

Believe exactingly about the afterlife as she does?Nowhere. 

No wonder Jeff states that speaking publicly about God, faith, prayer, &tc doesn’t make someone a Christian.    He’s right, & as far as his own words, he’s drawing more attention to himself & those who agree with him than he is Dolly. 

At issue is whether Dolly’s words & actions in general conform to 1 John. 

She admitted to being imperfect & a sinner.  She testified to her belief in Jesus Christ & His resurrection.  She professed uncertainty at times, just like myriads of other Christians throughout history, & through her public words & deeds, chose to shine a light on what passes for Christian ethics in the public & private square these days in the process. 

Ms. Miller & Reformation CLT are deploying a worldly standard of conduct.  

They are from  the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them…whoever is not from God does not listen to us. 

Dolly loved other Christians & others, particularly those oppressed by Ms. Miller.

Whoever does not love abides 

in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,band you know that no murderer by has eternal life abiding in him. 

(1 John 3:14–15, ESV)

Both Dolly & Ms. Miller, et.al,  confess that Yeshua is the Christ: 

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that  Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.

Whoever confesses that Jesus 

is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. 

God is love,  and whoever abides 

in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is  love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of 

judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear  in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 

The Bible says very little about getting your theology right when considering whether or not you yourself or someone else is a born again believer. 

Yes, we should all strive to be more doctrinally astute.  As a teaching elder, one of the most important things I myself am responsible for is helping people understand what the Bible teaches when we let its own grammar & syntax speak.  

That said, it’s also my responsibility to remind people that the Bible is big on ethics not just doctrine.    What we must believe in order to be declared judicially righteous doesn’t include what we must believe about politics, LGBTQ issues,  & the afterlife.  

Pay attention to the way the Bible speaks about discerning if someone is “in” or “out” in God’s eyes. The tests in large part on resting in the LORD’s mercy  & not our works righteousness.  They also center on whether or not someone clings to the world  & how we treat others, especially people who are marginalized & maligned, including those who we understand as people with major moral problems.   

Read what Jeff says when judging Dolly on the basis of her beliefs & actions toward the LGBTQ & about the afterlife while simultaneously marginalizing what she had to say about herself as a sinner in her own right, prayer, kindness, forgiveness, &tc — which if Dolly was Charlie Kirk, Ms.Miller & Jeff @ Reformation CLT would be more likely than not to view as a born again Christian.

This is the Way!  O LORD, Hear our prayers!