I’m confused. The Bible I am reading is full of real life. A mixture of a wonderful message of grace and love poured out by Christ, with the harsh reality of a life we all live that is full of pain, suffering, disease, and sin.
So why, when we live in a real world, and the Bible itself addresses a real world, is “Christian” literature and music categorized almost exclusively as “Inspirational”? Seriously, take a look at the sections of your megamart that cater to your average John and Jane Churchgoer. The section may even be called “Inspirational”. The descriptions of the books and songs are filled with words like “inspiration” and “positive”. Modern American feel-good psychotherapy packaged for Christian consumption screams “Your Best Life Now!” Anyone passing these sections of the local Wal-Mart or stumbling into a Christian bookstore is bound to view following Christ as a commitment to thinking good thoughts, being happy, and escaping or avoiding tough circumstances.
It’s not just our literature. The “family” movement of American Christianity promotes a culture of escapism. Rather than asking us to engage our culture, it asks us to pull our kids out of public schools lest Johnny be confronted with kids who cuss or a homosexual teacher.
This is a blog, and I am promising thoughts here, not always well-reasoned conclusions. All I’m saying at this point is I see a large disconnect between the gospel as presented in scripture and the gospel as largely presented in evangelical, right wing America. I’m on a journey, seeking to follow the Christ of scripture in the culture of America. It’s a tough road to hoe. The thoughts I just presented are not new thoughts to me, but quickly posted as I start this blog to introduce you to where I’m coming from. As I have some insight or question, I’ll try to share it here. Hopefully we’ll learn something together.
