Relevance or Irrelevance of Christianity...
Let us begin with this premise: When we stop asking the challenging, difficult and uncomfortable questions, we stop thinking and growing, and we cease to be what God intends and diminish the gifts He has given to us. When we cease to explore and probe, we cease to be anything else than a simple beast, or in some cases flora or a solid rock [immovable and unthinking]. We must recognize what differentiates us from a rock, a tree, and the common beast [whether from an evolutionary perspective or a creation perspective, the answers are not too dissimilar]. To this, let’s add another: you cannot use laws, regulations, and force to transform someone’s soul and belief system [not in a single lifetime - through generations, you might transform the masses, but it would be inch-by-inch]. Perhaps one more: Christ is good, Christianity, not so much. Tradition is also good, but traditionalism is bad.
Here beginneth the lesson/questions:
If you look at others in disdain, feel better than or superior to others, feel ill-will to others, treat others poorly or as less than human, with a base form of inhumanity, or classify others as somehow different [and because of that, lesser], then how in any way do you reflect Christ? How would you expect anyone to see Christ’s Light through your actions and words? We need to remember that it is not our time in church, not our prayers, and not our sense of piety that delivers the loving light of Christ and His Word to others [and so spreads the message of peace, love, and joy which dominate the Word]. We need to listen attentively to criticism and test ourselves to make sure we actually send out Christ’s message, not our own, not that of another entity wrapped in a paper mache version of Christianity, and not an idol or power. Since so many groups and sects claiming to be Christian have spewed or supported things like this, and we justly and logically lump them together under the banner of Christianity, what goods does Christianity demonstrate? What value(s)? Is Christianity, in the real world, representative of Christ and His Word?
Consider the WWJD stickers, wristbands keychains and visual images… If we truly ask What Would Jesus Do, would He put on a bumper sticker or somehow throw it in your face or would He behave and approach it differently? How would Jesus speak AND act towards others that spoke volumes to their souls and let them see not just the Inner Light and Love but the Eternal Flame that only He can spark? If we truly ask WWJD, then we would not need a constant personal reminder nor would we flaunt the idea in front of others. Instead, by the Loving Light of His Guidance and Word, we would both demonstrate His Love and speak with His Beauty in every word.
Something else for us to contemplate and meditate upon, and if truth be known it should not take us very long, is to which political party would Jesus belong? By the way, the answer is NONE! He would not side with any party or nation, period. If you question this, then look back upon His walk with us. Would He gravitate towards the Romans? Would he side with King Herod [paying particular attention to the king part]? Would He find more in common with and follow the Saduccees and Pharisees? Since they are the only political and religious leaders with whom He interacted, where would be the basis for any claim that Jesus would support any political, religious, or other control mechanism or leadership? You will hear someone say, with all fervor and conviction, that God loves their party or leader. Like he loved Herod? I would accept that as He loved all of us and forgave all, that yes, from that perspective He loved Herod, but would He follow Herod? Would He do His bidding? There is ZERO biblical evidence to even slightly suggest this as a possibility, so therefore He would not love a political leader. Some will point to the Old Testament, the likes of Solomon and David. Well, it is the Old Testament, and we were released from the sacrifices therein by Christ’s blood and as He taught from it, He also took us to the next level. Would anyone, given Christ’s interactions with the leaders and powers of His time on earth, say that He loved those leaders or powers? As God loved David, Solomon and other leaders, they also fell all-too easily from grace and failed. We must recognize that we are all, these flawed humans, clothed in error and faults. Would anyone, with a soul emptied of the world and its influences, claim that any leader today is David or Solomon, Moses or Abraham? If you remove the world, how can you?
As a lesson or marker for the soul in its search for an earthly leader to gravitate toward and attach to [in some cases like a barnacle], should we not at least ask these questions:
1. What has this person done to show Christ-like character? A moral center?
2. What acts of kindness has this person done?
3. What words of support, care, and encouragement, grounded in Christ, has the person uttered or shown?
4. How can we see Christ through this person, if at all?
5. What policies, actions, and behaviors of this leader and his/her minions and followers demonstrate Christ?
Where did Christ show exclusion and selectivity? Where did He show cruelty or indifference to suffering? Where did He mistreat His neighbors and associates? Where was He rude or crass? Where did He mock others? Where did He treat women differently from men? Where did He say to ignore suffering and cruelty? Where did He say to follow a worldly leader? Where did He say to hoard money and goods, to steal or swindle your neighbor, or to promote self over others? I’ll wait…
We as flawed human beings have a sincere problem dating back to the most ancient of recorded times and witnessed all through the Bible. Even with God shining through and if not visible at least present, we desire a physical human being or idol to worship in His place. We have used kings, political leaders, some civic leaders, but always a surrogate and petty replacement… Not even a mere shadow of that which is Holy, but upon which and whom we laud all manner of imagined wonders and praise. God warns us, time and again, not to fall into this trap, but our lack of faith drives us to find relief and strength in a human and worldly form. We cannot fully place our faith in a God we have not seen, as much as we cry and screech that we do, as much as we claim we do, as much as we go to church and try to mimic and speak all manner of piety and belief, we throw ourselves at the feet of worldly leaders, powers, and dominions. Only the soul which has dampened out the world and all the enemies, which has passed through darkness and emptied itself of the world and let Christ’s Light shine in and reignite and fully spark it, can see clearly and grow out of infancy and dependence upon something earthly upon which to suckle instead of something Divine and Eternal. We know not, in doing this evil, that we quite literally suckle death and eternal suffering.
“Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.” - John Milton, Paradise Lost.
In our vain attempts to create a legislated heaven [notice the lower case] on earth, we have behaved in a manner equal to if not greater than the Saduccees and Pharisees, and we wonder why less people believe and why more people criticize. If we have to pass laws, legislate, and force obedience to what we perceive as Christian doctrine and Christ’s teachings, if we rely upon that and make that our goal and ends [through support for the political parties, leaders, powers, and dominions], how is anyone supposed to see Christ’s Light? How is anyone to see the light in you? If you require force and coercion, what kind of Faith is that? How are you demonstrating Faith in Jesus Christ? Time to show AND tell. By actions and statements, by grafting unto worldly and earthly leaders and forces, we SHOW those who do not believe, are lost in the forest or mire of the world, that there is no Faith, only laws. That form of legalism is one of the many things Christ came to remove and replace. What possible worth can anyone see in a so-called Christianity riddled with government and earthly laws, rules, regulations, punishments, and restrictions? Where is Free Will? A just and valuable question from them, you say you believe in Faith and Free Will, yet at every point you restrict free will and deny faith through all these statements, rules… How am I to see anything about those from you or the government? How is Christ relevant to me or anyone if this is His world? Are not all these methods, governmental rules, laws, restrictions… attempts to make people throw on the costume and covering of Christ without any depth into the spirit, heart, and mind? Do they not simply pigeonhole the individual into a form of obedience that mimics Christ-like behavior and lets people playact the role with no more substance than an actor on the stage? Where is the actual acceptance of Christ? The hard work to open the soul to Him? Where is the light within kindled by Him and brought to full flame through a closer relationship with Him? If we break it down, are we not saying, “Believe like us or die?” Is this the way of Christ?
One of the root questions has to be, how is Christianity and Christ relevant? What have we done to make Him and it relevant and what have we done to make Him and it irrelevant? It’s not sacrilegious to ask the questions because they should increase our strength in Him if we honestly explore and answer.
Want to make Christ and Christianity completely irrelevant? Say you are a Christian nation. Besides being vainglorious and self-serving, it flies in the face of everything Christ said and taught. Where did Christ say he wanted to establish an actual nation? A people, yes, a nation with leaders and a government of any sort, no. Considering your answers above, where would relevance be found? Other than the comfort of followership and simplistic obedience, why would anyone follow Christ based upon the answers above? Where have His people shown and spoken in manners that would make Him relevant, real, and a light through the darkness?
Another interesting behavior to explore relates to thin skinned responses to questions and whining or decrying if there is any sort of perceived persecution. Where did Christ or His disciples whine, complain, and cry about their mistreatment? Where did they demand apologies from or assault those who spoke ill of them or whom they perceived as having somehow wronged them? When someone asks a question or challenges an aspect of your faith, to get angry, to shrug it off, to get upset or cry about unfairness or some aspect of self defense, where does that person see Christ and His light reflected in your responses, words, and actions? How can they, the potential thorn in your side, see Christ through you and see quite literally WWJD? If you respond in the manner of Christ, then you model Him and perhaps, just perhaps, that person or entity takes a step close to Him. Think of how Rome was converted. It wasn’t through getting angry, it was through sacrifice and modeling faith in Christ in all words and actions. It was where the Word, through the followers as models and first missionaries, was both spoken and shown through their actions and responses that reflected their savior, Christ, even in the face of disaster and death. It was through acts of kindness and love, respecting life and love, where these actions spoke even louder than the Word.
Sadly, all too many people rely on talking heads who unjustly and falsely claim God’s favor, strength, or support on so-called news shows, talk shows, pulpits, or podiums. They model the WRONG responses, the anti-Christian ways of dealing with problems, stress, and issues. Show me a person on any of these shows that demonstrates Christ-like behavior and shows others through the kindness and genuine concern in their words that they model Christ in as close to 100% of their words and deeds as possible. Name the person(s) and provide specific examples that encompass all they do and say, that show the vast majority of them is of Christ.
If you look around the world, which countries at least try to behave in a Christ-like manner towards its people and outward to the people of other nations? Ask yourself if your country shows this so that the model of Christ, His life and words, is visible and sensed for all to experience and find comfort. The more you yelp about being a Christian nation, the less the folks on the edge or completely on the other side will believe you. Why do you have to say it so much? Can’t you show it? Why do you have to make so many rules and regulations for others and yourself? Can’t you show it?
Seriously… Why can’t you show it? You know why? Because it’s difficult and requires depth and breadth of faith. It requires not attaching to things of this world, particularly principalities, powers, dominions, and thrones. It requires tempered actions and words, altruism, and walking the walk, not just talking the talk. Quite literally, many are called and few will follow, truly follow with all their being. Most are lukewarm, even though they sign the loudest and pray the hardest on Sundays [masking the insecurity of their faith or lack of it, even though they might not have the capacity or self-reflection to recognize it]. It’s not easy. It’s not the path of least resistance and the short road. It is the arduous journey, it is the steep climb, and it is the walk in darkness with just a glimmer of light, but as we fulfill our calling, as we follow in His footsteps, and when we put our trust in Him and humbly throw ourselves at His mercy, then we can begin to walk the walk. Many claim to walk, but few have taken but one faithful footstep.
My personal belief is we will see MORE people turning from Christianity in the next four years. With no Christ-like models visible anywhere, with pulpits attaching themselves to principalities, powers, dominions, and thrones, and with people who usurp God and claim God’s powers unto the nation trying to force their visions of God upon the masses, those various evils turn people away, fail the people at every turn, and deny the power of Christ. More reasons should be obvious if the above questions were answered honestly and truthfully, with a heart open to Christ and a soul deeply inspired and covered by Him.
Is the situation hopeless? No. Never. Will it be darker before we can see the light? Probably if history and the Bible teach us anything. To stand up for what is right, true, and good, for what Christ would ACTUALLY do and say, and to treat others BETTER than you want to be treated, then we can take a stand, show our true heart, and help others to find the light and see Christ.
Allow a perspective from someone else:
“What does not create authentic unity is the centralized power tactics of the Caesars, the Inquisitors, or any other patriarchs or paternalists. A monarchical decree is quicker than careful listening, but is usually wrong. A quick majority vote may reach a decision more rapidly but without resolving the problem or convincing the overpowered minority, so that the conflict remains.” - John Howard Yoder, Body Politics, p. 70
“If reconciliation between peoples and cultures is not happening, the Gospel’s truth is not being confirmed in that place.” - John Howard Yoder, Body Politics, p. 38
Food for the spiritual journey, for the soul to come to fruition…
