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If you ever need a time for extended reflection I recommend the drive from Stillwater, Oklahoma to Dallas. I finished that trek yesterday and I had much time to listen to music and think. The group “Casting Crowns” has recently been resonating with me. Let me take that a step farther. Their lyrics have been kicking my butt all over the field.

One song in particular stuck in my mind, heart, and soul during that long drive. The song is called “Stained Glass Masquerade” and the title says it all. This song speaks powerfully to the all too human desire to be phony at church so that the others (who are also acting phony) will not think less of us. To have an impact in this culture we have to be genuine, real, authentic. Young men and women have a phony detector that is tuned to pick up the smallest deceit. I am tired of the phoniness. I am tired of the masks we wear. Just reading the lyrics will not give you the total power of this song but it will give you a taste. 

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Chorus

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Wow. Thank you to “Casting Crowns” for writing and performing such an honest and transparent song. The message strikes straight to my heart. The body of Christ (the church) must be real to work as it was designed. It is up to you and to me to drop the stained glass masquerades and have the courage to be transparent. Our mission is pretty simple. The Apostle John outlined a strategy that could spark a revival in this land.

• Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Carly Simon sang “We Haven’t Got Time for the Pain” in 1974. Thirty-one-years later we haven’t got time for the pain of trying to be happy plastic people under shiny plastic steeples. I am committed to dropping the stained glass masquerades. Any one interested in jumping on board?

 

Here is one of my core principles. You never want to have USA Today lead a story about you with the word “embattled”. For example, in todays issue the paper reports that “embattled author James Frey defended his best selling memoirs on Larry King’s CNN talk show Wednesday.” Embattled and having to talk to Larry King? How much can one man endure? 

Frey is the author of the mega bestselling book “A Million Little Pieces”. As I type these words the book is the number one seller on Amazon.com. The Barnes and Noble website review called Frey,  “Prodigiously talented, poetic, unflinchingly honest, and relentlessly present. A lot to live up to? Not if you’re James Frey, whose memoir Pat Conroy calls “the War and Peace of addiction.” As Frey will unapologetically assert, he’s an Alcoholic and a Drug Dealer and a Criminal.” (caps his).

But a problem has arisen with that little “unflinchingly honest” phrase in the B&N review. It appears that Frey has been a bit less than honest with some of his recollections. It seems that the investigative website thesmokinggun.com has published an extensive expose accusing the author of embellishing or even inventing much of his criminal past.

Frey defended his work by noting that only 18 pages of the 432–page memoir were in dispute. He incredibly declared that was “an appropriate ratio for a memoir.” The author also defended the ‘essential truths’ of his work. This is a fascinating story of the cycle of celebrity. We exalt them and then seek to destroy them. But Frey could have learned a few valuable lessons that would have kept him out of the media frying pan. Aristotle wisely noted that, “The least initial deviation from the truth is multiplied later a thousandfold.” I am sure Mr.Frey could identify with the timeless wisdom of that quote. Bill Copeland wryly observed that “when you stretch the truth, watch out for the snapback!”

The problem with the revelations about some of  Frey’s book is the pall that it casts over all of it. An unknown writer said to “beware of the half truth.  You may have gotten hold of the wrong half.” Unfortunately Mr.Frey has called all of his recollections into question because he misrepresented some of them. Some of his descriptions are indeed powerful. But did they really happen as he describes?

The point of this rambling is not to throw James Frey under a speeding self-righteous bus. The application of this story for me is much more personal. I have an obligation as a follower of Christ to be accurate and truthful in all of my writing and speaking. I don’t believe there is an “appropriate ratio” of inaccuracy. That doesn’t mean that there will never be mistakes but they should be dealt with quickly and called by their name.  I totally agree with Mark Twain who said if you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.

And isn’t that a peaceful place to be? No franctic cover ups or wondering what you told him or her. Stretching the truth a bit to embellish a resume or a story is so easy. Who will find out? Chances are that someone will. Stupid Google!!!

But that is not the best reason to always be truthful. King Solomon wrote in Proverbs some timeless wisdom that applies to James Frey but it also lands squarely on me.

We humans keep brainstorming options and plans,

    but GOD’s purpose prevails.  

   It’s only human to want to make a buck,

    but it’s better to be poor than a liar.  

      Fear-of-GOD is life itself,

   a full life, and serene–no nasty surprises    (Proverbs 19  The Message)

Jesus said this to His disciples who had claimed to believe in Him.

“If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.”  (John 8 – The Message)

I am not in the mood to pick up stones to hurl at James Frey. Steven Soderbergh chillingly noted that “Lying is like alcoholism. You are always recovering.” I am in the same boat as a follower of Christ. Through the grace of the Lord Jesus I am always recovering. “Hi, my name is Dave and I am a sinner.” Keeping that truth in mind will keep many of the ‘nasty surprises’ at bay.

Rumination… a noun.

1. The act of pondering; meditation. 2. The act or process of chewing cud.    (courtesy of www.dictionary.com)

I am going with pondering and meditation as my preferred meaning as I review some responses to previous posts. By far the greatest volume of readers and responses to this fledging blog was in response to the Victoria Osteen incident prior to Christmas. Some took me to task for my call for Mrs.Osteen to humbly repent and seek forgiveness of those affected.

Reader Kevin wrote the following…

I will pray that you never make any mistakes around your house or the wall mart , so you don’t have to feel like her .
Pls lets just pray for that family that is touching not just the neiborhood but the world.

• It is because the Osteens have such a wide audience that I believed they needed to immediately respond. I can assure you Kevin that I will make mistakes and my prayer is that someone around me will have the courage to confront me and challenge me to respond in a way that reflects Jesus in my life. My point was never that we don’t make mistakes. Of course we do. My point is that Christians have a higher standard in how we respond. So if I make a mistake around the house I have a godly wife and three sons (when they visit) who are very committed to pointing that out. If you see me make a mistake at the old Wal Mart or anywhere else you have my permission to let me know. When I started writing Christian books and blogs I raised the bar on my life. So when I do make a mistake I must repent and repair. Period.

Mary Jane shouted this at me…

NO ONE IS PERFECT.

• I don’t recall ever saying that. See above or any of my posts about the incident.

The most personally meaningful weblog I have written centered around the amazing grace demonstrated by friends going through the trials of life and death. On Wednesday January 4th I wrote about my Nominations for Persons of the Year.

Sue wrote about being in the room when Trisha’s too short life ended…

We were privileged to be part of Trisha’s “Bon Voyage party” in her hospital room, and Mike redefines the concept of “radiant faith.” Even in the face of soul-crushing grief.
Jesus is so very real!

• I will tell you that I would have thought comments like that were ridiculous before I came into a relationship with Christ. Now I have experienced and witnessed first hand the kind of faith that Sue described in her post.

The next day (January 5th) I wrote about what really matters in this life in a post called the “Good Stuff”.

Mark wrote…

“I am getting slightly better at not allowing the irritants of life to rob me of the good stuff.”

Regretfully far too true, particularly where the church is concerned. I must say church has been the worst experience of my life (so not that bad a life then!) whereas my family have been the best. But I’ve let the irritants distract me and spoil me.

• My heart aches when I hear comments like that about being wounded by the church and other Christians. How far have we strayed from the teachings of Jesus that we have thousands and thousands of people who would echo Mark’s said comments? Perhaps some are self inflicted or even false perceptions but as my granddaddy used to say, “when there is that much smoke there has to be a fire somewhere.” I was joking the other day that I am starting a minsitry with the acronyn CTC. That stands for Cut the Crap! I think that the events of last week (the homegoing of my friend Trisha) brings home again that my days are uncertain. I want to finish strong for the Lord. And I don’t mind you holding me accountable to that goal. I will finish with the last couple of paragraphs from the “Good Stuff.”

I am getting better at discerning and treasuring the good stuff. I am getting slightly better at not allowing the irritants of life to rob me of the good stuff. Every day is a treasure. Every day that you can look into the eyes of those you love is a gift. Jesus knew what the good stuff was all about. He wasn’t a cosmic killjoy trying to keep us from pleasure. Jesus taught us what mattered.

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?   Luke 9  NIV

Loving your family. Having friends who will be there when things are rough. Knowing that you and those you love have a relationship with the living God. That’s the good stuff. Don’t let the world tell you otherwise.

 

 

Recently Salon Online Magazine (April 28, 2005) ran an interview with atheist and evolutionary activist Richard Dawkins. At least the writer of the piece, Gordy Slack, made his slant clear early on.

• Given his outspoken defense of Darwin, and natural selection as the force of life, Dawkins has assumed a new role: the religious right’s Public Enemy No. 1. Yet Dawkins doesn’t shy from controversy, nor does he suffer fools gladly. He recently met a minister who was on the opposite side of a British political debate. When the minister put out his hand, Dawkins kept his hands at his side and said, “You, sir, are an ignorant bigot.”

What a charming response from Mr.Dawkins! I would never think of denying common courtesies to those who would disagree with me or even call me an ignorant bigot. I was taken aback by Slack’s apparent assertion that the minister was, in fact, a fool. I was surprised that he proclaimed Richard Dawkins as Public Enemy Number 1 of the religious right. I guess I am not on that mailing list. I continue to be amazed that the level of discourse has reached such an ugly level.

Dawkins is concluding a two part series on British television called “The Root of all Evil?.” The program is Dawkin’s polemic about the destructive role of religion in modern history. In part two, “The Virus of Faith,” he attacks the teaching of religion to children, calling it child abuse. “Innocent children are being saddled with demonstrable falsehoods,” he says. “It’s time to question the abuse of childhood innocence with superstitious ideas of hellfire and damnation. Isn’t it weird the way we automatically label a tiny child with its parents’ religion?”

Well at least Dawkins isn’t pulling any punches. His vitriolic style does not lends itself to discussion. But if I could sit down with Mr.Dawkins I would have to let him know that hellfire and damnation was not the focal point of their upbringing. I would tell him that we did not force our sons into our faith but we did attempt to model what we believed. But he compares that to a virus that gets into the operating system of a computer and it cannot be stopped. Dawkins continued in the Salon interview.

“Similarly, the child brain is preprogrammed by natural selection to obey and believe what parents and other adults tell it. In general, it’s a good thing that child brains should be susceptible to being taught what to do and what to believe by adults. But this necessarily carries the down side that bad ideas, useless ideas, waste of time ideas like rain dances and other religious customs, will also be passed down the generations. The child brain is very susceptible to this kind of infection. And it also spreads sideways by cross infection when a charismatic preacher goes around infecting new minds that were previously uninfected.”

Dawkins is the self proclaimed arbiter of what is a good and bad idea, what is useless, and what is a waste of time. Rain dances and other religious customs? I feel like the cave man character (an analogy that I suspect Dawkin’s would love) on the insurance commercials…

(sniff)…”That is soooo condescending….” 

 Reading the interview made me think of Job’s response to his “friends”. 

Job answered:

    “I’m sure you speak for all the experts,

    and when you die there’ll be no one left to tell us how to live.

    But don’t forget that I also have a brain…”  (Job 12, The Message)

Admittedly, by Dawkin’s evaluation, my brain is teeny-weeny. But it is large enough to discern arrogance and the same bigotry that Dawkin’s accused the minister of harboring. On the question of evolution Dawkins admits that, “Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose.”  (The Blind Watchmaker, W. W. Norton, 1986)

Okay, help out “bitty brain” here. If there is the appearance of design what is the problem with exploring that? Dawkin’s is convinced that he is right. But there are a number of very bright men and women who would argue with many of his assertions. For example, check out the Probe Ministry article about Dawkin’s book “A River Out of Eden” (A Darwinian View of Life – Probe Ministries).

So where does Dawkin’s think the opposition to evolution is coming from?

Continuing the Salon interview he answered, “It comes, I’m sorry to say, from religion. And from bad religion. You won’t find any opposition to the idea of evolution among sophisticated, educated theologians. It comes from an exceedingly retarded, primitive version of religion, which unfortunately is at present undergoing an epidemic in the United States. Not in Europe, not in Britain, but in the United States.”

Ouch! Retarded? Primitive? I hope he has gotten his refund from Dale Carnegie. He continued…. 

“My American friends tell me that you are slipping towards a theocratic Dark Age. Which is very disagreeable for the very large number of educated, intelligent and right-thinking people in America. Unfortunately, at present, it’s slightly outnumbered by the ignorant, uneducated people who voted Bush in. But the broad direction of history is toward enlightenment, and so I think that what America is going through at the moment will prove to be a temporary reverse.”

I once thought that the broad direction of history would be toward enlightenment. But that seems to me to be, if I may quote Mr.Dawkins,  “saddling oneself with demonstrable falsehoods.”

Madeline Bunting, a columnist for the Guardian, wrote: “There’s an aggrieved frustration that [atheist humanists] have been short-changed by history – we were supposed to be all atheist rationalists by now. Secularization was supposed to be an inextricable part of progress. Even more grating, what secularization there has been is accompanied by the growth of weird irrationalities from crystals to ley lines. As G.K. Chesterton pointed out, the problem when people don’t believe in God is not that they believe nothing, it is that they believe anything.”

Or as the prophet wrote in Judges.

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21, NASB)

People like Richard Dawkins used to either intimidate or infuriate me. Now they just make me sad. His anger and contempt for me and what I believe is unfortunate. We could probably agree on some of his points about religion. I suspect that Jesus would agree with him on a few of those points as well. Part of what got Jesus crossways with the authorities was condemning a religion that had become hypocritical and proud. Jesus taught about a relationship with God. I am not ashamed to proclaim that relationship with Jesus. I am afraid, Mr.Dawkins, that I have succumbed to the virus. But don’t worry about a cure for me. I am feeling just fine.

 

Oops, we did it again. The uproar from the Christian community and the boycott campaign from the American Family Association has given unmerited sympathy to a horse that should have been shot Friday night. I wonder if NBC wouldn’t have quietly let the show “The Book of Daniel” die without the always predictable controversy that the evangelical community generates.  The network is now likely concerned about appearing to give in to the pressure. No doubt the show will receive support from the usual suspects entirely because of the controversial boycott attempt.

From my view “The Book of Daniel” did more damage to the television industry than it did to Christians. I haven’t seen a family with this many problems outside of “COPS”! In fact I would recommend that the families of “COPS” watch “The Book of Daniel” to feel better about their families. The beleaguered clan of show patriarch Daniel Webster has hit the sin lottery. You list a sin…they have a family member knee deep in it. But the show’s dialogue was perhaps the biggest sin of all.

The reviews from the press that we so often vilify as being unremittingly against Christianity were often scathing in their commentary. The New York Times opined that “the real mark against “The Book of Daniel” is not any antipathy it might show toward the family or sympathy for the devil. The real objection is that it’s just not very good.” (NY Times, Ned Martel, January 6, 2006)

 Tom Shales of the Washington Post wrote, “I cannot recall a series in which a greater number of characters seemed so desperately detestable — a series with a larger population of loathsome dolts. There ought to be a worse punishment than cancellation for a show that tries this hard to be offensive and, even at that crass task, manages to fail”….”Perhaps realizing they’ve created a crop of characters who are irredeemably mean, venal and idiotic, the writers try to tell us these people are really sweethearts — not by depicting good qualities through action but simply by having them primitively vouch for one another. “He’s a good boy,” mom says of the cautious and confused Peter. “You’re a good man,” the priest is told by a golf crony. “She’s a good girl,” Jesus says of Grace even after she’s arrested for selling marijuana, and later, of the priest’s bigoted, oafish father: “He’s a good man, Daniel. Everybody’s different.” (Tom Shales Washington Post, Friday, January 6, 2006)

The Jesus in “The Book of Daniel” is portrayed more like the stereotypical 70’s Jesus Freak than a figure that could inspire a movement that would change the world. I expected the song “Peace Train” by the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens to play every time Jesus popped up with some banal piece of motivational poster drivel. This is not the same Jesus who confronted hypocrites ruthlessly, sin honestly, and truth relentlessly. Jesus was such a revolutionary that His teachings got Him killed. I don’t think the Jesus of “The Book of Daniel” could even stir up a good debate at Starbucks.

Remember my argument from last Friday’s post was to wait and see what we were dealing with before we ran screaming around the room that the sky was falling. I urged Christians to see the show, develop a response, and hit the watercooler to discuss. There was much fodder for discussion from the show. Reader’s of this blog had such comments as…

“Next week I’ll do something enjoyable instead.”  – Steve

Fair enough. You did your homework. You get a passing grade.

“Thanks for being a voice of sanity. “ – Bridgette

I put this comment in just because it so amusing to see that written about me.

“I see it as toxic waste on our mission field, and we already have enough of that.”  – Chris

I would gently disagree with Chris. Anytime we have chance to engage others in a discussion about Jesus in the natural flow of culture I think it is an opportunity. This show is a treasure chest of opportunities to discuss faith in real life. I used the example of Paul as the working model of engaging a culture that is often less than sympathetic. Paul went to the intellectual epicenter of his day and that visit is recorded in the book of Acts.

The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got–all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols. He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along. He got to know some of the Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well through these conversations. Some of them dismissed him with sarcasm: “What an airhead!” But others, listening to him go on about Jesus and the resurrection, were intrigued: “That’s a new slant on the gods. Tell us more.”

These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation over at the Areopagus, where things were a little quieter. They said, “This is a new one on us. We’ve never heard anything quite like it. Where did you come up with this anyway? Explain it so we can understand.” Downtown Athens was a great place for gossip. There were always people hanging around, natives and tourists alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most anything. So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, TO THE GOD NOBODY KNOWS. I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with. (The Message – Acts 17)

Paul proceeded to lay out his argument and then the author of Acts tallies the results.

 Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, “Let’s do this again. We want to hear more.” But that was it for the day, and Paul left. There were still others, it turned out, who were convinced then and there, and stuck with Paul–among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.

Maybe that is why we are often more comfortable decrying the culture instead of engaging it. Most of us don’t like being labled as airheads (The Message) or as a babbler (NIV).  I certainly don’t enjoy the very real fact that some will laugh at me and walk off making jokes. But perhaps some will want to hear more. And the reason for taking the chance is that some will be convinced. How do I know that such a strategy works?I sat with a group of six guys at a meal break last Saturday discussing “The Book of Daniel”. For twenty minutes we discussed Jesus and faith in a very natural way. And the door opened because of a not very good TV show. Isn’t it amazing what God can use for His purpose if we will just let Him?

 

As I read about the brewing evangelical storm over the new TV series, “The Book of Daniel,” I was tempted to paraphrase the immortal words of Ronald Reagan. “Well, there you go again.”

I am referring to the call by the American Family Association to boycott the show and put pressure on local affiliates and NBC to not air the show. The strategy includes downloading a document, filling out the call letters and phone number of the local NBC affiliate, and passing it out at church services around the country. Then churchgoers are to call the local affiliate and besiege some poor receptionist who will likely resign and never go near a church again. Christians are urged to forward the email located on the website to get the word out. Here is the description of the show from the American Family Association site.

• While the public has not seen the program, NBC is promoting “The Book of Daniel” as a serious drama about Christian people and the Christian faith. The main character is Daniel Webster, a drug-addicted Episcopal priest whose wife depends heavily on her mid-day martinis. Webster regularly sees and talks with a very unconventional white-robed, bearded Jesus. The Webster family is rounded out by a 23-year-old homosexual Republican son, a 16-year-old daughter who is a drug dealer, and a 16-year-old adopted son who is having sex with the bishop’s daughter. At the office, his lesbian secretary is sleeping with his sister-in-law. NBC and the mainstream media call it “edgy,” “challenging” and “courageous.” The series is written by Jack Kenny, a practicing homosexual who describes himself as being “in Catholic recovery,” and is interested in Buddhist teachings about reincarnation and isn’t sure exactly how he defines God and/or Jesus. “I don’t necessarily know that all the myth surrounding him (Jesus) is true,” he said. NBC considers The Book of Daniel a positive portrayal of Christ and Christians.

Okay…let me say right off the bat that I don’t suspect I will be a huge fan of “The Book of Daniel.” But who knows? Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised. I at least plan to watch the show to be able to respond intelligently.

The Mercury News review written by Charlie McCollum described the recurring appearances by Jesus. Kenny (series director Jack Kenny) maintains he (Jesus) is not some kind of imaginary theological friend to Webster or a plot device to be played for laughs. “He’s not imaginary to Daniel,” he says. “We’re not doing `I Dream of Jesus.’

“I was raised in my faith to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” says Kenny, who grew up in a Roman Catholic family. “Jesus is the embodiment of Daniel’s faith. He is the best part of Daniel. He grew up with Daniel and he’s his best friend. He’s the guy he talks to. That’s Daniel’s personal relationship with Jesus. That’s how he relates to Jesus. I think every Christian has their own individual relationship with Jesus.”

Jesus Christ, pops up every now and then for advice, conversation and snappy repartee. (in over forty years of describing Jesus the phrase “snappy repartee” has never made my list) 

Whether Jesus is portrayed as Lord of Lords or king of one-liners I still believe that overreacting to a show before it even hits the air will not accomplish the goals of AFA. I believe they are sincere in their desire to make a difference in the culture. I happen to believe this is the wrong approach.

Exhibit A. The Disney boycott. You probably missed the rather quiet announcement last summer that the Christian boycott against the company had been lifted. What was the net result of the boycott?

 “It had very little effect,” according to Roberta Clarke, a professor at the Boston University School of Management. Clarke noted that Disney had nine record years during the nine boycott years. Take that Mickey! Don’t mess with us!

But I would argue that the boycott did have a larger and more insidious effect. I believe it did damage to the message of Christ by drawing attention to an issue that is not the central theme of the faith. Many people used this as one more example of how narrow minded Christians can be and how out of touch. I can understand that parents did not want to take their family to Disney World during the Gay Days week at the park. But I would not want to take my family to Daytona Beach during the MTV Spring Break parties. Should we boycott Daytona Beach this year? 

KARK-TV in Little Rock, Ark., and WTWO-TV in Terre Haute, Ind., announced Wednesday they would pre-empt “Daniel,” when it premieres Friday at 9 p.m. Both are owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group. This will be the focus of stories about how Christians are “censoring” the networks.

I suspect that a few people have already fired off an angry email to me telling me what a bad Christian I am and how I don’t know what I am talking about. Perhaps they will even make a point I disagree with.

But the question for those still with me might be how would I handle this issue if I were the leader of the evangelical world? My first act would be demoting several of the current spokespeople (I have already abused my imaginary power!). My proposal for dealing with the “Book of Daniel” would be to challenge Christians to watch the show, note their disagreements, craft a well thought out position, and discuss it with those you encounter in a graceful way.

I must note that turning red, sputtering, and shouting, “Oh yeah, you’ll be sorry in eternity” is not a cogent apologetic. Maybe the very real problems the family in the show faces could be a springboard to discussing how faith intersects with real life. Perhaps the portrayal of Jesus could cause a discussion about who Christ is. Remember this exchange between Jesus (sans snappy repartee) and His disciples.

Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, “Who do the people say I am?”  

  “Some say “John the Baptizer,’” they said. “Others say “Elijah.’ Still others say “one of the prophets.’”

    He then asked, “And you–what are you saying about me? Who am I?”

    Peter gave the answer: “You are the Christ, the Messiah.”

Who does that viewer say that He is? A good man? A prophet? A teacher? Does the viewer agree with the way Jesus is portrayed? Can you explain why you believe He is Christ, the Messiah? How about asking if they think you can have a relationship with Jesus like the priest in the show? How does that look? If the priest is a man of God why is he having so many problems? Can a godly family have ungodly kids?

This show would seem to be a gold mine of talking points dropped right into our cultural laps. The same issue will pop us this May when the Da Vinci Code debuts in theaters. Instead of huffing and puffing about the heresies of the film how about learning about the book, getting educated on the Biblical and historical facts, and using that movie as a way to engage the culture. I view it as a huge positive that the popular media is attempting to stick a toe in the faith pond. They are throwing open doors of discussion and we are simultaneously trying to nail them closed. Remember Paul engaging the Athenians in the book of Acts by noting they had “many gods” in the city? His well thought out reasoning about the real God won some over and caused others to think more about the faith.

If we must boycott I would prefer that we boycott our fear of engaging the unchurched. How about boycotting ignorance of biblical truth? Maybe we should boycott stereotypical overreactions from the Christian community about everything we disagree with. Let’s boycott ungraceful reactions.

“Boy, sure didn’t see that coming,” says Jesus after one particular twist in Webster’s life. That is another point of theological disagreement that I could discuss with viewers of “The Book of Daniel.”  I am suggesting that we use this show as an opportunity to lovingly be salt and light to our culture. I would bet they won’t see that coming.

 

 

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A few people who likely need a hobby subscribe to this modest effort to get an occasional laugh. I have to warn you that recent events in my world have temporarily suspended the shows at Dave’s Chuckle Hut…one show daily…tip your blogger. Readers of yesterday’s post know that a dear friend died this week and with that comes a lot of reflection.

I admit that I sporadically sample country music and one song oddly resonated with me this week. Kenny Chesney has had his own struggles lately but his recording of ‘The Good Stuff’ should remind all of us about what really matters. The song revolves around a man who has his first real fight with his new wife and he leaves in search of some liquid comfort at a local bar. The bartender walks up and asks him what it will be…

I said,”The good stuff”
He didn’t reach around for the whiskey
He didn’t pour me a beer
His blue eyes kind of went misty
He said, “You can’t find that here.”

That could not be more true. You cannot find the good stuff in a bar, a career, a house, a car, or any material possessions or pleasures. Please understand that I am not an uptight, suck the air out of the party stereotypical religious type. Those who know me will report that I love to laugh. But the message is where we find the good stuff.

Cause its the first long kiss on a second date
your momma’s all worried when you get home late
Droppin’ the ring in the spaghetti plate
cause your hands are shakin’ so much
It’s the way that she looks with the rice in her hair
Eatin’ burnt suppers the whole first year
and askin’ for seconds to keep her from tearin’ up
Yeah man, that’s the good stuff

As we recalled a life that had just ended the conversation was all about the good stuff. Talk of career and the square footage of houses and cost of wardrobes never surfaced. That no longer mattered. And the truth is that it never really did. The bartender in the song had lost his wife to cancer and then spent years in alcoholic denial.

But I’ve been sober 3 years now
‘Cause the one thing stronger than the whiskey

Was the sight of her holdin’ my baby girl
The way she adored that string of pearls
I gave her the day that our youngest boy Earl,
married his high school love
and it’s a new t-shirt saying “I’m a grandpa”
and being right there as our time got small,
And holdin’ her hand when the good Lord called her up
Yeah man, That’s the good stuff

He said, ”When you get home she’ll start to cry,
When she says, I’m sorry,” say ”So am I”
Then look into those eyes so deep in love
and drink it up
‘Cause thats the good stuff
That’s the good stuff

I am getting better at discerning and treasuring the good stuff. I am getting slightly better at not allowing the irritants of life to rob me of the good stuff. Every day is a treasure. Every day that you can look into the eyes of those you love is a gift. Jesus knew what the good stuff was all about. He wasn’t a cosmic killjoy trying to keep us from pleasure. Jesus taught us what mattered.

• What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?   Luke 9  NIV

Loving your family. Having friends who will be there when things are rough. Knowing that you and those you love have a relationship with the living God. That’s the good stuff. Don’t let the world tell you otherwise.