I had quite an interesting experience with the business of Christianity this past week. I was invited to a Christian warehouse sale, that is held every 3 months about an hour from my house. We got there early and there already was a line formed out the door and down the side of the building. When we finally got in, all I can say is "wow!" It was huge and there were large amounts of Christians of all ages. Tables and shelves were full of Christian items marked way down. I didn't know what to do or where to begin, it was like a feeding frenzy.
I noticed a very peculiar Christian trait - the ability to shove you aside while giving you the nice Christian smile. You know the smile: God loves you but get out of my way. We use it in our ministries all the time as we push through our agendas. I must admit, it is effectively disarming. I loved to be smiled at as I'm looking up at the bottom of your designer sneaker.
Anyway, I was supposed to meet my friend who brought me, so I finally made my way to our pre-arranged spot in the center of all the activity. As I waited for him, I started turning around (similar to Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music) soaking it all in. There were books, videos, dvds, calendars, stuffed animals, pictures - the old guy beside me even had a do-it-yourself Tabernacle kit under his arm - everything Christian you could imagine. There was even the smell of Christian sweat in the air - another oddly peculiar trait that we possess.
While spinning, with the mixture of awe, sweat, sound, frenzy and tabernacles surrounding me, I suddenly became overwhelmed with a feeling that I tried to liken to Jesus in the Temple, but that's not fair to Him or the Temple. It was more like, "I can't believe that Christianity is such a grotesquely self-perpetuating business!" I'm not against the books, I'd love to write one myself and sell many, many copies. I'm not against cds, DVDs, posters, calendars or even do-it-yourself Tabernacles. Honestly, I don't know what it was that bothered me. I was just bothered and so I thought I'd write it down. Something felt wrong. Write to me and tell me what it was - or if I'm just a holy downer. Seriously. The last thing I want to be is a cynic with a critical spirit snuffing all the fun out of Christianity.
If you want to purchase copies of this blog, please see me at the end of the service.
6 comments:
possibly, at least how i see it, all the people who went to this event were more consumed with the stuff of christianity rather than holy spirit. they get more excited about all the products on the christian market and not the real essence of it all. maybe it is all just a replacement for what they really need. maybe it is all just another way to fill the void. and its awfully tempting to fill that void at a bargain price, right?
haha! good stuff tdags.
i can't possibly explain the motives of those devouring marketplace christianity, i but i assume, like pete, that it is filling a void the local church/community has not been fulfilling. books, dvd's and the like can be solid forms of encouragement for people, and to be able to get them cheap! YIPPEEE!
i've had very similar feelings at soul fest. it's strange because our band played there and we really enjoyed it, but i was completely struck by the fact that our faith seemed as though it were up for sale. it was all a marketing game. it felt like any other business. i didn't like it.
maybe you should write a book about how people shouldn't buy books! ha!
I'm with both of you. I struggle with it, because it always makes you sound like you know the right way, everyone else is grasping at straws, when in reality, there ARE people, like you say, who are legitimately helped by these things. So who am I to say -just that it felt wrong.
That's a great idea for a book. Make everyone feel guilty. Or better yet, DARE them to buy it.
Now you know what it's like to be at a NASCAR event. The smell of gasoline and burning rubber, the sound of 700 horse power motors pinned wide open, the videos and dvd's of famous drivers. Whoops, wrong blog...I thought the title was Ignition and I immediately thought of a race car.
I know the feeling you're describing - I got the sense at the Joel Osteen event I went to. Now I know the feelings about Joel Osteen and his preaching, but hear me out for a minute.
The music was electrifying. The preaching was good. People got sucked into the moment, but when the next day rolled around, it was all just a memory. There really wasn't any fellowship going on except when the 5 gallon Home Depot construction pail crossed the aisle for the offering, and the person said "careful, it's heavy".
I've never understood the void that these people are trying to fill. It's all a very materialistic life they are leading, and maybe they feel that if they have a Tabernacle full of Noah's stuffed animals that God will view them in a more favorable way.
I must say that my experience at "The Sale" was much different. Although in awe of the expansive choices of Christian materials, on sale to boot. I had great experiences and even had people finding me the elusive "sale Karaoke CD's" and I therefore struck up conversations and found some CD for others. as we gleened the CD tables, we politely switched places as we worked our way around the tables. I guess I went expecting a crowd and decided to enjoy the trip. In all it was a great time. Nice to know Christians still want to buy and read and listen. I found that to be encouraging.
Me personally, I think it is a sign of old age :) My family knows that I hate the "buying frenzy" that happens during the Christmas season. Even when the kids were small I would send Joe out to buy the presents. We highly sensitive persons can get over stimulated and stressed. We need our quiet times to recharge. Too many people, too much stuff.....Can you relate? Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam. Little house on the prairie. The Waltons.
By the way Tom, thanks for being a great pastor to my boys and girl.
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