God Help Us

Sometimes, I wish this stuff were all a joke.

The headline read "Protesting Methodist LGBTQ policy, confirmation class takes a pass".  It appeared on my Facebook thread posted by a friend who was celebrating this action.

I can't.  There is no way that I can, at least in the manner that I understand confirmation.

I mean, maybe the Methodists understand things differently, but confirmation is much, much more than simply becoming a member of a church.  Confirmation is first and foremost affirming your faith.  Confirmation is saying, "When I was an infant, my parents had me baptized.  Because I was unable to make any promises before God myself, my parents made them for me.  They promised to raise me as a Christian--to teach me the tenets of the Christian faith; to prepare me for the day when I could make those promises myself and say loudly and clearly, 'You know those promises my parents made for me?  Those promises are no longer my parents' promises.  They are mine!! I no longer follow Christ because my parents want me to.  I follow Christ because I want to!'"

These teens stood in front of their congregation and said, "No.  Not now."

No.  I don't want to affirm my baptism.

No.  I don't want to follow Christ.

No. I don't want to adhere to the tenets of the Christian faith.

Because I (myopically) disagree with my denomination, I won't become a Christian.

And the congregation gave them a standing ovation.

Let that sink in.

I wish this were all a joke.  A very bad joke at that.

If this is the "church" (and I use that word very, very loosely) that is emerging in the U.S., then let it die.  Let it go the way of the dinosaur.  It deserves nothing less than death and condemnation for it applauds when kids walk away from the faith.  It is the part of the vine which needs pruning and badly.

Don't want to join a church?  Fine.

Don't want to be a part of a denomination?  Find another.

Don't like your current denomination's policies?  Reform or start your own.  

Applaud when kids refuse to confirm the faith?  God help us. 

Offensive to Christianity

People take shots at Christianity all the time, and of course, the news media wants Christians to become offended.  Perhaps this is why THIS STORY actually garnered a headline. 

I don't watch television.  Didn't even know who Hank Azaria was until I read the article.  Yeah, I fell for the clickbait.

But get offended?  Not in the least. 

Apparently, the show in question raised numerous issues with faith and belief in God. 

From the article:

His sponsor, Shirley, played by Martha Plimpton, suggests going to church, but Brockmire calls the Catholic church the "real life Slytherin," and says, "at least with Mormons you get magic underwear and your own planet."

Well, I'm not Catholic, and I know that the Catholic church has issues--some big ones at that.  But what is missing here is any sort of counter balance to what the Catholic church has done and is doing throughout the world.  Catholics have been at the forefront of anti-poverty movements and healthcare movements throughout history.  Catholic Charities  has been and is one of the most recognized, world-wide organizations that brings relief and care to the poorest of the poor.  To offer no counter-balance to such claims does a great disservice to the Catholic church.  Perhaps in later episodes, such balance will be provided, but controversy and offense sells.

Mormonism is a horse of a different color.  I have my own criticisms of their beliefs and practices because I don't adhere to the Book of Mormon.  And neither am I versed as well in their organization and its structures, so I'm not apt in providing any sort of defense.

After he brings up the Holocaust, the two storm out of the church early. "Why did you bring up the Holocaust?" Gabby asked. "Well, the priest is the one who brought up a benevolent God. I thought that called for a rebuttal witness," Brockmire replied."No, you called Jesus the Mayor of Auschwitz," she said.

This criticism of God is well known and warranted.  It actually is the most problematic question of faith: if God is good, then why the problem of evil.  It is quite unfortunate that such television series don't engage some of the top thinkers when putting together such programs.  People of faith have wrestled with this question for centuries, and there are some good responses to such questions.  But the answers cannot be spouted in 30 seconds.  They won't fit in 140 characters.  They can't be bumper stickered.  Yet, that's what television is built for.  Those who put together television programs oftentimes think of themselves as deep thinkers and cultural critics, but the stuff they put on television is quite intellectually shallow--one of the primary reasons I don't watch it.

"Well, I don't wanna work with some thin-skinned God who can't handle a little criticism," he replied.

Probably one of the best lines in the article.  I agree with it whole-heartedly.  And perhaps the writers of this series know that there are those who welcome such criticisms.  Perhaps the writers of this show will delve into such criticisms later.  I'm not necessarily hopeful.  That wouldn't necessarily make money or get views.  Who wants to engage and help folks understand one another when it's much easier to caricature and slam the caricature which bears only a slight resemblance to the real deal?  Then, we can always walk away smugly in our self-righteousness believing we have defeated our foes.  

Any room for nuance and true engagement out there?

Later in the episode, when he becomes desperate enough, he attempts to pray to God. "All right, Sky Daddy, let's do this thing...Oh, my God. I feel something. Oh, it's like a pressure deep down inside of me. Oh, s---. I just have to pee."

Old guy with bladder problems.  I get it, and on one level, this is kind of funny, but it misses out on the nature of prayer.  It also misses out on the nature of faith.

Faith isn't simply believing in God intellectually.  It's also believing God.  Those are two very different things.

Believing in something is not the same as believing it.  I can easily say that I believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster.   But here is the rub: do I believe that the Flying Spaghetti Monster has given me commands for a way of living?  Do I believe that the Flying Spaghetti Monster has any power or authority?  Do I believe that the Flying Spaghetti Monster has the capability of changing my life and how it is orientated?  

Obviously, the Pastafarians don't either.  They are spoofing belief--faith without evidence.  That's not the concept of Biblical faith.  Biblical faith is synonymous with trust.  I don't just believe in God, I trust God.

Which brings us to prayer.  Prayer is not going to some "Sky Daddy" who may or may not give us what we ask for.  Prayer is placing one's complete and utter trust in God.  Prayer is recognizing that there are things that are above and beyond our control or influence.  Prayer is recognizing our complete dependence upon God for everything.  It is a recognition that even the most powerful entities and institutions in the world are flawed and unable to adequately deal with the problems of the world (because of their own corruption, and dare I say sin?).  It is a recognition that we need someone outside of ourselves to bring about "salvation."  

If there is anything that I think I can be confident of, I think I can say that despite our best efforts, we still haven't been able to bring about peace, justice, contentment, and the like.  We've tried every type of government and its variations.  We've thrown money at every problem and invented program after program to try and deal with it.  We've made progress in some areas, but have failed in others.  

And even though we are living in one of the most prosperous, peaceful times in the history of our world, you would never know it because of how angry, disappointed, and unfulfilled many people are.  

Prayer taps us into the One who is beyond ourselves and helps us recognize our dependence on Him.  And recognizing this and putting our trust in One beyond ourselves instills a deep sense of peace within.  

This isn't something that our contemporary culture readily deals with.  We like to think that we can solve everything ourselves.  Until we can't.  

Maybe, just maybe this show will try to deal with such issues.  They've certainly laid the groundwork to perhaps wrestle with things on a deeper level.  Maybe they've caught a few folks' attention.  If so, mission accomplished.  

But if I can offer any advice to my Christian brothers and sisters who may be feeling outrage or victimization because of this: don't.  Don't take the bait.  Respond with deep thinking.  Respond with prayer.  Acknowledge that some people actually feel this way and have such questions.  Walk with them through those questions and point them in the direction of Jesus.  Point them in the direction of Christian thinkers who have wrestled deeply with such questions and ask them to engage such thinkers.  Lead them through superficial quips into the deep water of Christian spirituality and thought.  Criticism can often be seen as a form of pursuit.  Folks who criticize us want to be in a relationship with us.  It just remains to be seen whether or not that relationship entails true dialogue or a willingness to actually learn together.  

Indeed, the Church has had its moments of dogmatism and has responded to such things with imposition instead of invitation.  Let's not become what we despise.  Let's use these moments for engagement instead of furthering the divisions we see within our nation.