Boots and Bibles

Open the Eyes of Our Hearts

There's a good deal of bellyaching about the "post-modern" or "emergent" movements in Evangelicalism. Some of it is quite necessary; other parts, not so much. The "I'm Okay - You're Okay" theology moving along within that sect and the glorification of old church traditions and rituals that still aren't old enough to accurately reflect the beliefs or practises of original Christians are two examples that come to mind. To be sure, a great deal of what they're resurrecting within Protestantism might be some of the most nefarious examples of syncretism that set Jesus' movement down the wide and comfy path that leadeth unto Constantine.

But not all of it is...

A few criticisms in particular strike me as burning the body to fix the warts. While "messy spirituality" has become a codeword for cheap grace, and the "solidarity" with the felt needs of unbelievers seems like the new wave of seeker sensitivism (which the emergent movement supposedly goes against) – not to mention an easy out on ever having to stand for anything, other aspects of the emergent church could probably use re-assessment from some of those so thoroughly opposed to it.

What troubles me more is that some of these aspects seem so integral, so utterly biblical that it boggles my mind how the theological intelligentsia has come to have such grave issues with them. Particularly, I keep hearing about the evils of "mysticism", "contemplation" and "spirituality".

Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to pick these notions apart right now, and point out that while the emergent toffs still probably get it wrong, these matters in themselves are absolutely vital in experiencing God, and living out the Christianity fully.

By Jesus, Said Patty...

The national holiday of my preferred forebears once again casts its green shadow over the land. Today, thousands, perhaps millions, of people, many of whom have no Irish ancestry whatsoever, will get together to do which of the following:

• Pay homage to the man who years after escaping a life of slavery and deprivation, returned to the realm of his bondage to live in solidarity with its most impoverished people, and preach freedom, charity and peace?

• Thank the Irish for saving civilisation?

• Count the cost at which Irish independence was won, and the violence and tyranny with which foreign agents (who shall momentairly remain nameless) tried to suppress the Irish people?

• Remember the millions who died under oppression by the certain unnamed people, who, despite crop failures pushing Ireland to a pandemic state of famine, still stole food from the Irish and sent it to their other colonies?

• Commemorate the thousands killed during "The Troubles", and that peace in Ireland is still precious and tentative (especially with deteriorating economic conditions)?

No! Of course not! Because like with every meaningful celebration nowadays, it is either being marginalised or totally undermined. "Celebrate the Irish and their patron saint? No, I'd rather just have an excuse to get drunk and act like an idiot."

"Welcome to Trader Joe's – I Love You"

I tend to see grim, dystopian predictions of the future as the most valid and accurate. Nineteen Eighty-Four rightly predicted the surveillance state and institutionalised disfiguring of language. Brave New World foresaw mass-market streamlining of existence coupled with a society exploited and controlled by its most petty desires. Then there's another brilliant work of dystopian satire, which while perhaps not as weighty as the two aforementioned novels, still bears heeding and attention: Mike Judge's Idiocracy. In particular, while at Trader Joe's today, I was reminded of a scene where the movie's protagonist, played by Luke Wilson, goes to one of the Costcos that have overrun the future. Upon entering, a greeter hails him and every other customer as they come into the store, saying "Welcome to Costco - I love you." This is not a genuine proclamation, but something spouted out by a blithering moron whose capability for experiencing or expressing true affection ends with their paycheque. She is someone too stupid to even understand what she is saying - or why it is so ridiculous.

From the moment my wife and I walked into Trader Joe's we were bombarded with greetings, smiles, questions as to whether we needed any help. These are all a part of any decent retail experience though. To whit, I've always appreciated Trader Joe's dedication to customer service. The employees have always been considerate and polite, but this went beyond either considerate or polite. It was intrusive. It was irritating. The employees weren't helping anyone or anything, they were getting in the way, and worse, making me sick to my stomach by even having to be around them.

On Communist Plots to Destroy Western Culture

It's strange how often conspiracies grow on one side and another. The left has its Zeitgheist, its military-industrial complex*, its "vast right-wing conspiracies". The right has its one consistent bogeyman -- the Dirty Red Menace™.

Let it be known that I am no fan of Communism. In fact, a large part of my testimony involves escaping the philosophical clutches of Marxist thought, and finding out that God did not approve of genocidal campaigns against the upper-class. Granted, I often times wished He did -- there are fewer things my vindictive, working-class self would love to do more than bleed the Bernie Madoffs and Richard Fulds like stuck pigs, not to mention all the trust-funded idiots ravaging the Village these days.

However!

However!

I know where God draws the line, and thankfully He draws it long before the question of "upper-class genocide" comes up.

Anyway, after watching a video that a friend recently posted on Facebook, I found myself shaking my head at a few things, particularly the supposed "success" of Communist psychological warfare against Western culture.

My Very Drunk Mother

"'My country, right or wrong,' is a thing that no patriot would think of saying. It is like saying, 'My mother, drunk or sober.'"

-G.K. Chesterton

I didn't feel like a patriot yesterday.

Yeah, I heard Obama's speech. Yes, I know the importance of the occasion. If the truth were to be told, I couldn't get behind any of it. I couldn't get happy. In fact, I was somewhat mournful, not just for my country, but for the world.

So let me tell you a quick story, for explanation's sake...

I've been teaching a Bible study at Graffiti Church for the past several months, and only two people regularly show up (I mean, besides myself and Kareem). They are an Indonesian couple. I'd wager the only reason they continue to go to my Bible study is because (as they have confessed) their English isn't all that terrific and they can't understand about 25-50% of anything I'm saying. It's worth noting that anyone who can understand 90-100% of anything I'm saying quits going after about two weeks.

All that aside, I'm quite thankful that this couple does come and I love seeing them. They encourage me greatly, and offer me a perspective that it helps to have an injection of from time to time – namely, a positive one.

They're taking over restaurant business in Queens right now, only after having come from Indonesia some five years ago. They've got a whole flock of kids, and a lot of concerns on their shoulders. If things don't go well with their business, for example, they might have to move back to Indonesia. And they've also mentioned their oldest daughter – and how she's about to turn thirteen...

And this became all the more interesting as we had a missionary from Indonesia come to Graffiti last Sunday and give a talk on her efforts. One part in particular stood out to me, when the missionary explained how Indonesians view Americans. She said, in so many words, that first of all Indonesian children want to be like Americans, they want to live in America, they don't care so much about Indonesia at all, and would give away most of their cultural identity to be here as one of us.

Following up, she then mentioned that most Indonesian kids think that MTV duly represents us. The missionary related how she had to dispel myths that all Americans slept around and lived in tremendous "Cribz" style mansions, and reassured them that American women actually do wear clothing. From time to time.

She neglected to mention whether this affected the Indonesian children's feelings about our country, but to me, she had already said enough.