Christians in Name Only

About a week or two ago, Bill Maher the comedian and satirist, wrote a commentary that was printed in many Sunday papers. It was entitled "Praise Allah and pass the hair gel." The comic was suggesting that if we wanted to fly with our haircare products and bottles of liquid, that the simplest way to do so would be to convert to Islam. He was referrencing the news of the Fox journalists who were realeased by their kidnappers after they read a two sentence statement announcing their conversion to Islam.

It wasn't the best editorial of the day, but it was perhaps the shortest. The part that got my attention was this paragraph that summed up what would really be happening if we converted.

"And the best part: Nothing would really have to change. We're not asking Americans to disrupt something essential in their daily lives, like changing your e-mail address. We'd be Muslims in name only, instead of what Americans are now - Christians in name only. I mean, look around, we don't care for the poor, or defer to the meek, or avoid judging people - it's not like we're that committed to Christianity. Seriously, is the Koran that different from the New Testament? Sex is bad, women are inferior, and when in doubt, blame the Jews."

What troubles me is that I believe Maher is right about us being Christians in name only. Or at least me. "It's not like we're that committed to Christianity." My continual teaching and preaching emphacizes practice more than doctrine. I actually believe the doctrinal world of Christianity to be fairly simple and straightforward if we take Jesus at his word. But when we take Jesus at his word, it is the praxis of our lives that comes up short.

Maher is right, though there are many in the faith who do things like care for the poor or defer to the meek, it is the issues of doctrine and politics that dominate most of the headlines and bylines. The American religious world is more concerned about holding on than letting go. We give in percentages, trying to figure out how we can have the appearnace of generosity and still holding on to more of what we've got. We are not close to lavishly sharing out of our abundance. We want the strong Christian who is in-charge and confident that they know God's purposes for our lives. We don't have time for the meek or the humble who might simply trust God without fanfare or great schemes. We want something that works! It's interesting that our culturally dominated Western styled Christianity has led to the observation of a religion that is anemic at best, hypocritical at worst. Christians in name only.

This is not blog that makes logical sense. It's just a short rant that asks, when will we take the Kingdom of God seriously? When will the radical nature of Jesus' message be the dominant theme of our lives and not something we will take up when we're done raising our families or approaching retirement. When will the Gospel be untamed in our lives? As long as I hold on to the things I've accumulated - (I went to the dump twice, filled up three dumpsters with stuff from my garage over vacation!) - and seek to accumulate more - there may never be room for the secret message of Jesus.

Anyway, what if we started where Maher let us off? What if we did two things Jesus said. Let's give to the poor - more than leftover care and money. And let's defer to the meek - pay attention when they talk, give them a place of honor, share the power. What would happen to us if we did that? What would happen in the world if we did this?

Comments

[Pastor David]

I once saw an amazing statistic about what would happen if Christians actually started tithing.

It is frightening how lightly so many of us take our faith. But here is a follow-up question: why is primarily those on the fringes of their faith -- either the extreme right or extreme left -- who approach their faith with anything approaching seriousness?

How about some militant moderates? Or maybe just someone passionate not about the latest pet cause of the right or left, but for the creeds?

[Chris]

I'm teaching a class on the Ten Commandments at the moment and have to present 3) Do not misuse the name of the Lord. This Maher quote will be an excellent discussion starter. His question is posited by many sources, but much more provacative.

Is "Christian" in name only a misuse of the name of the Lord? This will be a fun one. Thanks.