‘Home of the Br’…er, American Idol?
May 29th, 2007 by Nathan White
Regardless of your political stance, I think Cindy Sheehan, the so-called ‘Peace mom’, made a very interesting comment today. Centuri0n actually hinted at it before I had a chance to post.
Normally I stay out of politics, and I’m certainly not jumping into things here either. I often encounter people who try to force their views of Bush and the War in Iraq on me, but I rarely delve into defending one position or another. Personally, I see the fact that we have murdered 5million plus unborn babies since the War started, without giving it a second thought, just slightly more nauseating than whatever dreamed up love of oil or money that our President supposedly has. Where is the outrage there? And you want me to get all worked up over a couple of thousand solders who volunteered to defend this country? I have children now, and so I know: taking the life of an unborn child is the height of wickedness. I can think of almost nothing more wicked that man can do under the sun than this.
Nevertheless, Cindy supposedly resigned from protesting today, saying that our country and the political system are just too far gone. But in all her words, she said about half of a sentence that caught my attention:
Casey died for a country which cares more about who will be the next American Idol than how many people will be killed in the next few months…
Isn’t it amazing how she kind of picked up on this, that is, our countries love for things completely irrelevant to reality? Consider for a moment the attitude of America after 9/11. Remember that? There was a whole lot of talk about life, death, religion, etc., but it sure died down fast, didn’t it?
I can’t recall it directly, but Mike Horton at the White Horse Inn mentioned something of similar fashion the other day. While discussing how people just don’t care about truth now days; don’t care about Jesus and who He really was; don’t care about history; don’t care about objective truth, he mentioned that if there was ‘an atomic bomb dropped in Minneapolis, then people would sure care’.
This country is obsessed with entertainment and playing. Even the church is obsessed with entertainment and playing, and it is becoming ever so frightening. How would we respond to 40-50 million deaths in this country? How would we respond to any sort of real tragedy on a national level? I’m scared to even consider this question.
A point in fact is an examination of many neighboring churches in my area. I am utterly amazed at how ‘happy’ they pretend to be, how cheerful their sermons are, how surface level and entertaining they treat church and subsequently life in general. They talk a huge game about being ‘pumped up for God’, about ‘changing lives’, about being ‘excited to be involved with what God is doing’, but there is nothing, and I mean nothing of substance in anything they teach or do. It is sickening. I tremble to think where these people would turn should a tragedy hit. And we should all tremble and consider where we will turn when the final Judgment hits –revealing all our wickedness and sin.
One of my favorite quotes is by Charles West:
“We turn to God when our foundations are shaking, only to learn that it is God who is shaking them.”
A lesson that I continually learn in my own life is that God has to literally break me every time he wants my attention. When things are going well, I just falter and completely lose sight of reality. I get caught up in playing, in entertainment, in relaxing, in all sorts of things that this world has to offer to divert our attention from things of eternity. I just cannot keep myself together spiritually when all is going good. God has to break me to bring me to repentance; He has to break me to keep my attention on Him; He has to break me to ever begin to destroy my pride. In fact, I am starting to see that good and easy times are just as much a blessing as they are a curse. A good job, substantial income, perfect health, perfect relationships with family and friends, a retirement plan, etc., all the things that even good Christians hope for, are just starting to look ever-less-desirable to me and my wife, and I hope you will consider this in your own life as well.
Spurgeon said that ‘worldly ease is a great foe to faith’, and that has started to stick with me. Why should we want comfort and ease instead of misery, pain, and even torture, if the comfort is a hindrance to our faith?
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets- 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated- 38 of whom the world was not worthy-wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. - Heb 11
I think we as humans eventually suffer what I call “compassion fatigue” in the face of the misery we see every day. After a while, we just become numb to it. We KNOW there are thousands of children suffering with AIDS who are without parents or even basic necessities throughout many sections of Africa because we see it on tv, but we just sort of shut it out of our minds. We see all sorts of sufferings and misery in our own back yard, and too often we just drive right by or ignore it. I recently visited an adoption site in my hometown of Columbus and was amazed at how many kids are without homes because their parents are too lazy or strung out on some substance or too abusive to keep them.
In the face of all of this, it’s easy to feel either useless or just shut it out: “What can I do?”. Nevertheless, the mandate is there: “‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?” The Gospels seem most clear to me when they exhort us to not sit back in the face of all of this. Since we cannot repay God for His gifts, He has decreed that we show this gratitude to Him by extending those gifts to those around us when we can.
As annoying as these things are, you’ve been tagged. Just FYI.
You go, son!!! You probably remember my involvment in politics many years ago….then coming to the realization that you have written about here. It’s way too easy to get all excited about straightening out the world instead of proclaiming the Jesus of scripture who actually changes hearts!
Great post, Nathan. Not that it makes me feel great, but you understand.
I have sometimes wondered, as we sit here feeling vaguely sorry for our brethren who suffer harsh conditions elsewhere, “Maybe we’re the ones who ought to be pitied.”
Our full stomachs tempt us to forget God. To be clear, I’ve been both rich and not-so rich and will choose rich every time, but there certainly is a grave danger in living too comfortably.
Hey Nathan,
Very good post! It breaks my heart every time I drive past a church and see their sign advertising the latest sermons series based on “Survivor,” “24,” “Deal or No Deal,” or whatever the TV show de Jur is. The church-at-large has completely bought into the idea that the gospel is not enough; it needs to be spiced up or, worse yet, changed to be “relevant.” We live in a world where Lindsay Lohan’s DUI arrest trumps anything else that may be going on in the world and most churches are not any different.
I do need to take exception with one comment you made: And you want me to get all worked up over a couple of thousand solders who volunteered to defend this country? I think I understand the contrast you were trying to make; however, those soldiers were someone’s child. The son of one of my dearest friends leaves in a couple of weeks for his second “tour” of Iraq. I’ve known this young man since he was six and I love him as if he were my own son. He volunteered for the Army, fully understands his commitment, and, if necessary, is willing to die defending our country.
Regardless of what point-of-view someone holds regarding the war, it is significant that people are giving their lives, many of whom are our bothers and sisters in Christ, so we can continue to live the very blessed life we live in this country.
Sorry – I didn’t mean to get off topic – you just kind of touched on a topic that is near and dear to my heart. And, for just for the record, I’ve never watched any of the above referenced TV shows. They tend to be the “hot topics” discussed at work and, sadly, I know more about Jack Bauer then I would like to.
Blessings,
K:)
Kim,
Thanks for the note. Isn’t it sad what makes the headlines these days? People like to blame the media for airing the trash, but it’s really a supply/demand kind of business. They put up what people will read –DUI arrests and all.
But I’m sorry for not being clearer in the soldier comment. I certainly did not mean to discount the of the soldiers who have died in Iraq. I responded in that way because of what I hear all the time from those opposed to the war. People tell me that Bush is the terrorist, that he and his administration are the wicked ones for bringing us into that, and that we should be outraged at their deaths. I most certainly mourn their deaths, and their familes affected, but I do not see their as a tragedy of purposeful murder like that with an unborn child. That’s all I meant to communicate.
Nevertheless, ultimately I am saddened by the priorities of our country –but specifically the professing church. Don’t be mistaken, the popular church cares more about American Idol than they do for the deep truths of scripture…I’m sure you know from experience.
SDG
Nathan:
I really couldn’t agree with you more. We live in a culture that feels so over-burdened that we enamor ourselves with escapist pastimes like American Idol or Dancing with the Stars. Our technological advances serve only to make life more harried, our minds more cluttered with trivialities. No wonder we fail to see our desperate need.