Lately, I have been reading and thinking about what is wrong with the institutional church. That wonderful montage of buildings, politics, piety, bills, tithes, and not mention the strange group that promote such things known as people. I love what I read once on a T-Shirt, "Lord, Save Me From Some Of Your Followers." Which goes to say that most of the institutional church's issues and the mass hemorrhaging that is taking place as people exit the church, is frankly caused by, drum roll please...people. I doubt very seriously, when we take an honest look around at the modern church, that what we see remotely resembles what Jesus had in mind for his followers. Let me focus on just one aspect of why I think people see the church as a hypocritical place, who therefore want nothing to do with it: the marketing that is done in Jesus name. How many books, blogs, authors, preachers, bookstores, plastic action figures, games, CDs, movies, etc., do we need to buy so that we are inspired to be more like Jesus. I think that Jesus once told a rich man, "Go sell all you have, and once you do that, then come and follow me." Perhaps he had to sell off his Michael W Smith worship CD collection, the Buddy Christ figure, the Armor of God costume set, the hand carved Rosary made of walnut, the Holy Mary glow in the dark socks, the books that explain how to change the world in Jesus name, the fish tie, the bumper sticker that reads, "My Boss Is A Jewish Carpenter," the boxing nun, Jesus soap on a rope, his last supper lunchbox, and the entire series of "Popes Throughout History" baseball card collection in mint condition! All of the marketing that takes places so that we can become better, efficient, worldly aware, more loving, forgiving, and self-less Christians ought to make anyone feel queasy NOW! When Jesus overthrew the money changers tables in the outer court of the Temple, he was making a profound statement. Who controls access to God? Those who make money in God's name by forcing the faithful to buy the proper "items" so that their offerings will be acceptable to God? Or, is access to God to be without obstacles that people want to shove in front of us so that they can make a buck off our own journey?
I don't want to sound as if I am squeaky clean here, and pretend that I have not fallen prey to this. I have by my own choice prostituted these companies that sell music and books mostly. I have sunk hundreds of dollars into them. For what? To prove that I am better than everyone else because I have read this or listened to this? To show everyone that I have my nose stuck high up in the cleaner skies of God avoiding the real people and real issues of what it means to live life by chance and choice? Take for example my friend. He generally does not listen to music other than what is labeled as Christian. He reads books that are labeled Christian. He wears many T-Shirts that sport a Christian message or theme. Now, granted when I was new to the faith, and zealous for it, I bought into the T-Shirt thing. Living Epistles made these T's that had some controversial statements (at the time) that was supposed to make people think. Now, when I see most of those kinds of T's I am sickened. I went to Lifest this past summer (a Christian music festival) where I saw the new breed of faith T's. Every T-Shirt they were hawking, I swear was designed by the GOP Right Wing, conservative Christian base. Every one of them had messages that had that "turn or burn" theme. I was especially turned off by the anti-gay agenda some shirts blatantly uplifted.
If what Jesus said was true, then I am to love my neighbor right? But, when I see shirts that promote an intolerant posturing of ones faith against the "sin" of the world, I doubt very seriously those who wear those shirts have a clue what it's like to have as friends some of the best people in the world, who also happen to be gay/lesbian. I doubt very seriously if those squeaky clean intolerites, could even stomach sitting by one much less share their lives in friendship with a gay man or a lesbian woman. How dare they wear shirts in Jesus name promoting intolerance. How dare they downplay Jesus command to love all people. Course part of that statement that Jesus says is, "Love the Lord with your heart, soul, and mind. AND love your neighbor as you love yourself." I guess if people do not love others, that means they are quite intolerant of themselves too. Perhaps self-loathing is a way for them to hide behind their intolerance of others. Clothing that is labeled as Christian is about as intelligent as fast food that is labeled as nutritious! They both give gas and the runs when consumed! Trust me!
I guess when it all comes down to it, people like the palatable and consumable when it comes to their faith. People like books, media, movies, shirts, music, and art to represent the niceness, the innocence, and the likability of a faith that God wants nothing to do with at all. God wants people's hearts. Not their preference of books because it talks about Him as a judgmental, hypocritical God who suffers from self-esteem issues. The overwhelming picture to this is just as I wrote at the beginning. Man-made religion as an institution contorts, misrepresents, and misguides people. Labeling anything Christian just so it sells to that audience is a contortion of preference, judgment, and common sense. I am convinced when people stop getting into bed with "bad theology" and bad taste as it relates to the design of their faith, that's when the church will become the church. That's when people will wake up and begin to care about the things that God cares about. You might say that I am being harsh here. But, take a look around. How many churches do you see that promote an agenda far from anything Jesus ever desired? How many people around you are dumbed down by this need to get their faith just right, and so they do everything they can to stay away from the world and all of its evils? Now, yes we need to be careful in the world, but not to the point that we become cloistered from it. We are the bringers and apprentices of the gospel. We share it with our lives. We do that openly, but not stupidly! Wearing the shirt, buying the music or books, hanging out with the right people do not prove anything but how intolerant you are of anything having to do with the world, including the beautiful types, colors, shades, and personas of people that inhabit it.
I am tired of people who paint me with the same brush stroke of marketing. Yes, I buy some books, buy the music, and media, but I also have a brain. I think about the messages those items tell me, I weigh it, I pick and choose what I can live with, and the rest of it, I throw out. I am not a mindless drone who must consume and believe that which is labeled Christian. Just because it is labeled as such does not make it any more consumable as if it were labeled satanic, self-help, children's, or non-fiction. Hey people, wake up! Don't just frequent the Family Christian Bookstore because you think it's the best store for you and your family. That's not always where "real" people hang out and learn about the world. Get out from the protection of the store, get into the world, and learn from people not like yourself. Perhaps then, you will really be like Jesus. More later...
