Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Stuff That Makes Me Shiver
Neil Cragen looks at a trip to the "Christian Store."among the items he found
This is a form of legalism run rampant. This belies the very heart of Christ's ministry on earth. Who were Christ's enemies during His earthly sojourn? They were the RELIGIOUS officials of the time. The people that adopted the form of God's word without the substance.
All these things are just a modern form of the same problem. And the worst part is we use this crap to make ourselves think we are transforming into what God would have us be. You know the legalistic interpretation of Christ's admonition in the Sermon on the Mount on "lust in the heart" says that I should not look at nudey pictures. But that misses the point entirely that Jesus was making. Jesus said later, in essence, "I will take away your desire to look at nudey pictures, if you will but let me."
This stuff is tasteless and tacky and unoriginal. But that is not what makes me shiver, or cry. This stuff, presumably in Jesus name, gets in the way of Jesus doing His intended work in our hearts.
The hymn says it best - "Turn your eyes upon Jesus - Look full in His wonderful face."
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- "Tabletop Pumpkins" with Scripture verses etched on them
- Christian versions of popular secular games (check out Apples to Apples: Bible Edition or Bible Scattegories)
- "Christian Candy"
- Jesus guitar pick necklace
He says something rather insightful:
I think my greatest frustration with the games is that it demonstrates a complete lack of creativity to plagiarize another game and tack the word Bible on to it. I'm all for creative ways to teach and learn the content of the Scripture but these games are just... well they make me want to puke!But that needs extending. The unoriginality is dead on, but tacking the word "bible," or "Christian," or whatever on anything does not in anyway shape or form sanctify it or make it better.
This is a form of legalism run rampant. This belies the very heart of Christ's ministry on earth. Who were Christ's enemies during His earthly sojourn? They were the RELIGIOUS officials of the time. The people that adopted the form of God's word without the substance.
All these things are just a modern form of the same problem. And the worst part is we use this crap to make ourselves think we are transforming into what God would have us be. You know the legalistic interpretation of Christ's admonition in the Sermon on the Mount on "lust in the heart" says that I should not look at nudey pictures. But that misses the point entirely that Jesus was making. Jesus said later, in essence, "I will take away your desire to look at nudey pictures, if you will but let me."
This stuff is tasteless and tacky and unoriginal. But that is not what makes me shiver, or cry. This stuff, presumably in Jesus name, gets in the way of Jesus doing His intended work in our hearts.
The hymn says it best - "Turn your eyes upon Jesus - Look full in His wonderful face."
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