Sarah came up with a fun way to buy each other our 1-yr anniversary gifts: pick a genre of store, set a price-limit and see what we could get. She made the mistake of offering "a Christian bookstore" as a choice, and I picked it. That was it. But then it took me forever to find a Christian bookstore around this area of Jersey; I finally found the Carpenter’s Shop Christian Bookstore. It’s just like everyone’s worst nightmare of a Christian bookstore. Above are some of the things that I just had to take a picture of. From salvation bracelets, to scripture cookies and mints, to anointing oil, to horrible, horrible books, to…well, you get the idea. The one redeeming thing I saw was, well…the gift I got for Sarah and the two books in the bottom right: When God is Silent by Barbara Brown Taylor and When God Doesn’t Answer Your Prayers by my favorite professor at Whitworth, Jerry Sittser.
The funny part was that I wore my "gay? fine by me" shirt to the bookstore - wondering if it might be a ‘conversation starter.’ I didn’t get a reaction though.
Anyway, I thought you’d enjoy the photos…more detailed ones here.
{ 72 comments… read them below or add one }
Something about that store reminds me of a bunch of prepubescent teenagers singing back and forth to each other right before a concert:
“We love Jesus. Yes we do. We love Jesus how about?”
Dude just go ahead and slap on the WWJD bracelets. You know you want one. Comeon. Get on the (PoP) Evangelical Train. You know you want to ride it. ;o)
I am rather fond of Larry the Cucumber…
That store is almost as funny as the “gay, fine by me” t-shirts some christians wear.
>>>>That store is almost as funny as the “gay, fine by me” t-shirts some christians wear.
When I use to work for a Christian Bookstore chain I use to get amazed at the number of kids I would bust for stealing in the store. Man they always went after the toe rings and other things. I am totally thinking dude if you are going to steal then please don’t steal something that is going to give you a guilt complex latter.
Speaking of funny things to steal from a Christian bookstore… I had a friend steal a Scoffield Study Bible KJV. Now I go back and think dude you could of done so much better. *laugh*
(Not that I am endorsing stealing at all. In all cases above I do support the idea that it was wrong.”
Correction. I did not put my friend up to stealing a Bible. That was his own choice. I was simply the lucky individual whom became his confessor.
>>>why would you even post that?
I would answer that, but it would be commenting about a different post, and that’s against the new blog rules.
Dan, I appreciate your respecting the policy. Although, one could wonder why you posted the initial comment that you *knew* would get people asking ;) but that’s okay.
Adam,
because although it referenced a different post, it was actually about this post.
Adam,
do the punk’s comments violate your blog rules? What you gonna do.
Ugghhhh! Torn I am on this subject…
Thought 1: Darn right. We have created a monster in Western Christianity where we believe selling crap that references Jesus is somehow doing something for the “Kingdom of God.” What a rediculous idea. And the plethora of worthless books that “Publishers” keep putting out there ’cause dumb Christians will buy them is silly.
Thought 2: By taking pictures of “funny” books & merchandise in a store, are we doing anything other than being petty and knocking down a “weaker brother or sister”? I mean, what part of Christ’s prayer for unity does this NOT violate? I’m all for making fun of ourselves as Christians, but this actually seems to be making fun of someone ELSE instead of laughing at “us silly Christians.”
All that said, the wearing in of the T-shirt to spark “conversation” seems to be a little bit over the top. Was that to spark conversation or something else? It sure would be nice if you’d gone there with a desire to love and not mock… crap, I came down on a side.
And additionally - rules for blogging comments are good, but you can’t go ahead and open up something for discussion (you mention wearing the t-shirt into the store) then question someone for commenting on it… Don’t forget, as the blogger, you set the tone for your blog.
>>>The funny part was that I wore my “gay? fine by me” shirt to the bookstore - wondering if it might be a ‘conversation starter.’
Odd that you would walk into that store with that t-shirt in order to start a “conversation”, yet on your own blog you would block comments on it. Something about that doesn’t strike me as entirely genuine. I think you’re infatuated with the idea of “conversation”, yet at the same time it scares you.
Don, thanks for your comment.
I ADDED the mention of the-shirt into the store AFTER that initial comment had been made about the shirt. So it was technically an out-of-place comment, but now that I placed that in the post, it’s up for grabs to comment on. But thanks for asking.
Sure, the argument can go that Christian bookstores are helpful for some people, etc., they’re doing some good, etc.
I just think they’re horrible. And some of the stuff in there I have some serious theological issues with - and I think most seminarians would as well. But you’re right to offer the other half of the perspective as well.
The t-shirt. Well, it was not so much to mock, but really was more of an experiment - I really just wanted to know if the person would want to get into a conversation about it, or if it would seem weird that someone wearing a shirt like that would be shopping in a Christian bookstore (my presupposition being that they would think I *wasn’t* a Christian for wearing that shirt).
Adam
ahhh… reviewing Dan’s comments, I do see no reference to you actually wearing it in there, indeed.
All good, I know walking that prophetic line is tough. As much as an *ss as I usually am about some things (like Worship & the Reformed Tradition) I’m feeling more and more convicted that my mock first, love later tendency doesn’t seem to jive with this Jesus guy I purport to follow and have as my Lord. I’m still trying to figure out how to call people on something in love, which makes me more sensative to it sometimes. Wait is that the whole toothpick-log thing at work? Uh oh…
You took photos of books,which I think one should expect to find in Christian bookstore. There’s a great deal of diversity in Christendom so naturally some of the books will represents viewpoints not everyone will agree with. The trinkets, though, and the bumper stickers, are a little garish. My personal opinion is that Jesus breath mints are about the same as t-shirts proclaiming one’s political/religious persuasion, and I do think the GFBM t-shirt falls into that category, along with bumper stickers bearing the warning that in case of rapture, this car will be unmanned.
Adam-
From what I understand of “emergent” progressiveness, one of the virtues, if not the foremost virtue, is a latitudinarian tolerance for all faiths, perspectives, and traditions. I wonder, then, how it is that you can proffer utterances of something as “horrible” without much follow-up about why such a thing is horrible. Make no mistake, I’m not defending “Jesus mints,” but I am curious how a self-proclaiming “progressive” would delineate between degrees of valid and authentic degrees of expressions of the Christian faith.
Adam,
I cringe at some of the things Christian bookstores offer as well.
>>>And some of the stuff in there I have some serious theological issues with - and I think most seminarians would as well
“My personal opinion is that Jesus breath mints are about the same as t-shirts proclaiming one’s political/religious persuasion, and I do think the GFBM t-shirt falls into that category, along with bumper stickers bearing the warning that in case of rapture, this car will be unmanned.”
GFBM t-shirts don’t necessarily proclaim a political/religious persuasion - they’re manufactured by a non-profit organization to rally against homophobia and to show support for the GLBT community. But those bumper stickers are surely interesting to say the least.
Scripture cookies?
. . . fine by me.
Adam-
You are right. Though I may have a little disagreement with the GFBM t-shirt, because it would be like saying “lifestyle adulterer or perpetually abusive spouse fine by me.”
Let’s face it folks. Capitalism has one many things in this country, not least of which is the pseudo-Jesus it proclaims. Most Christian bookstores will sell whatever is popular. That is why you can have Rob Bell and Joel Osteen on the same shelf. The difference? Rob Bell = historic, orthodox, Christian faith/theology. Joel Osteen = narrow minded, psychologizer, self-promoter, who can’t seem to utter the words “Jesus Christ” in any of his tele-psycobabical shows.
:)Karis & Shalom,
Sam
Holy Jeez. I went out to eat last night and I got fortune cookie that ripped off Scripture
“The power of life and death resides in the tongue.”
“Love your neighbors as yourself.”
Anyone who buys a parents’ guide to preventing homosexuality is such a pathetic bigot that they should be neutered and have any children they’ve already produced taken from them and put up for adoption specifically by a gay couple.
I’m normally quite a calm bloke, but that book’s title is really offensive and stupid. You’re child will grow up to be their own person, all you’ll do if you try to mould them is give some therapist extra business.
“bigot”
There’s an intelligent argument.
Ian I agree that such books do seem crazy. Just we still got to remember the jury is still out as to the formation of sexuality in all of creation, particularly humans. There are still some hefty arguments for the otherside (whether it be from some sort of conditioning to the more religious views of it being an aspect of depravity in humanity).
But honestly I think what you just said is completely out of line. To portray that type of an extreme response is to committ the same sin of hatred that so many people on the otherside of the fense commit daily. Lets not fight fire with fire. I am not saying for us to practice some sort of indifference towards it, not at all. But let us take our que from the civil rights movement, and let us not forget that it took shape in a deep religious context.
Doesn’t the PCUSA in one of their mottos talk about continually reforming? Well maybe instead of abandoning and spitting upon our brothers and sisters who are committed to the vision of Christ, let us seek a reformation. Reformation ain’t easy. Ever seen a big change come about in a family… it ain’t normally pretty. But if one trully does believe in practicing a message of love and tolerance, then lets practice it.
And lets try to look into the eyes of those we disagree with. For a person to promote such a book also portrays that they have a deep love and concern for their children.
Promoting that sort of book shows anything but love and concern for their children. Attempting to “prevent” your children being themselves is a form of psychological child abuse. I really don’t think that anyone who holds those sorts of views should be allowed near children at all, let alone bring any up.
I know of someone who’s studied the Bible to see what it really says about homosexuality and he’d tell you that books like this go completely against Christian teaching. Any good Christians should be distancing themselves from this sort of thing.
>>>I really don’t think that anyone who holds those sorts of views should be allowed near children at all, let alone bring any up.
I’m assuming by this you mean a police State should remove children from their homes if the parents don’t conform to your PC view of the world. If so, I don’t think anybody who holds that view should be allowed anywhere near the reigns of power.
Ian, if someone thinks that homosexuality is wrong, then as responsible parents they have no choice but to bring their children up in a manner that would steer them away from that. If I’m lucky enough to have kids, I sure want to raise them to grow up and be their own person - but if “being their own person” means nurturing a penchant for shop-lifting, that’s something I’m quite happy to try and steer them away from. I hope that my hypothetical kids grow up to be interested in spirituality, and I’ll do everything I can to encourage them in that direction. For many of my Christian friends, raising their kids to be “straight” is all part and parcel of raising them to be good, God-fearing people. I might not be 100% comfortable with that, but the issue is an awful lot more complex than you make it sound.
Nick, how can you say that GFBM t-shirts don’t necessarily proclaim a political/religious persuasion - the slogan advertises your views on an issue, how is that not political/religious?
Ian there are alot of things that can be seen as abuse by some and for others an act of love. For exampe down here in the South we have major debates about whether it is appropriate or not to use physical discipline with children. A number of parents use physical discipline in order to curve their children from certain actions because they love them. So is this abuse? It really depends on ones interprettation of the action.
And Ian dude you don’t know how much you sound like them when you said:
>>>I know of someone who’s studied the Bible to see what it really says about homosexuality and he’d tell you that books like this go completely against Christian teaching. Any good Christians should be distancing themselves from this sort of thing.
Can everyone please shut up for a second? I am trying to look at the photos. Thanks.
Parents wanting to prevent homosexuality in their children?
. . . fine by me.
a question has been asked that begs answering: how does a progressive limit authentic expressions of faith? in what ways is the CCM mode store not an authentic expression of faith?
this is the question that dogs me more and more, the further i press into the ecumenical question: that what constitutes a valid ecclesia has very little to do with my self-understanding of the matter. if i believe that community between churches is possible, it must be therefore, that to be progressive is to be progressively led by the Spirit to view what is good in even the kitschy of the kitch. it is, in other words, to be the worst kind of optimist.
>>> how does a progressive limit authentic expressions of faith?
Myles,
you raise a good question. For starters, such a progressive would start by calling into doubt the authenticity of that faith because it is “capitalist”, and therefore the Jesus it proclaims is a “pseudo” Jesus. Those poor slobs are terribly deluded because presumably Jesus only operates in non-capitalist systems where kitsch isn’t for sale. Draw attention to the obvious undisputed tackiness of such an expression of faith, and voila! You see, God is not a gauche God but a classy God. He is partial to those in the minority with discriminating tastes. He is terribly impressed by the trappings of the “high” church, the pomp and circumstance of yonder years. Not cookies, but legitimate wafers. Very classy.
Pardon the sarcasm, I couldn’t help myself. I too see the kitsch, but the sneering judment I detect from some bothers me far more. I don’t question a person’s faith just because they’re tacky and have no “class.” The whitewashed tombs whom Jesus addressed had plenty of class, and they were still whitewashed tombs. I can already picture them sneering down their noses at the kitschy classes.
Sorry if I’m being too harsh, Adam. It’s not my intention to attack you personally. You seem like a swell person. But Jesus isn’t about elitism. He’s on the side of those poor kitschy slobs. He knows their hearts better than we do.
Myles,
Thank you for re-directing attention to the question I posted earlier.
Adam,
I’m still awaiting your response.
>”I’m still awaiting your response.”
Don’t hold your breath. I’ve yet to see Adam engage anybody in conversation. It’s either ignore, delete, or ban.
Evan, that’s one way of looking at it, but there’s also another - the conversion of a message that was radical and about going to the margins into something that is nice, safe, easy and consumable.
Nah, Jesus isn’t about elitism - but he sure as heck wasn’t about t-shirts, cds, and magnets either. I don’t necessarily have a problem with people wearing a Jesus t-shirt - I have a problem with people justifying spending mega-bucks because it’s “good for their relationship with Jesus”. What a crock - let’s call it what it is.
The other thing that bugs me is that “Christian culture” becomes used as the marker for who is and isn’t “in”, who is and isn’t a “real Christian”. In my younger years, before I found a community of faith that I fit into, I really struggled with this - I was brought up in a church, but not in “christian culture”. I didn’t even know “Christian music” existed til I moved to the city. Some friend questioned whether my family was “really Christian” because I’d never been on a summer beach mission (they’re really popular down under). The classic line - though I didn’t see it as such at the time - was that I wore too much black and my hair was too short for a Christian (and no, I am not, and have never been, a goth).
So yeah…I agree with you that there can be a really elitist element to sneering at Christian stores, but I don’t think it’s just about that either…I don’t dislike them because their kitsch - I dislike them because I think they distract people from Truth.
>>>I don’t dislike them because their kitsch - I dislike them because I think they distract people from Truth.
Bec,
I’m pleased that you agree with me about the elitism. But if someone’s faith is real (and only God is the judge), the kitsch won’t stop Him. It’s all kitsch to the Lord. Our best deeds are whore’s rags to Him, remember?
As far as spending “mega bucks” on christian store kitsch, I can think of far worse things to spend money on– like spending $2,000 on the latest Apple computer? Who is to be the arbiter of christ-like spending? You?
Yes, possibly a distraction from Truth, I agree. But as distractions go, this is small time. What about some of our classy seminaries where it’s in vogue to question time-honored theological truths– and even to question the divinity of our Lord and saviour? Some would say (and I would agree) that these can be even greater distractions from the Truth. I know a Princeton seminarian, for example, who entered seminary a christian and left an atheist. An extreme example, I hope.
But kitschy stores are such an easy target. And yet, so small time, wouldn’t you agree? Hardly a worthy target of a serious theologian. To be fair to Adam, he isn’t over the top in his sneering. He’s low key about it, probably because he’s a pretty decent guy at heart. I just don’t think it flatters him to laugh at easy targets.
Evan - I was following you until the Apple Comment. Truth is, Microsoft is the Anti-Christ, But Apple is good! Apple look good. Apple bring knowledge of good and evil. Apple taste good. Apple make you like God. If ONLY I had $2000 to buy the latest Apple computer…
my grandma got me the john/diana hagee book, “what every man/woman wants” for christmas. painful.
While I cringe at much of the content in Christian bookstores they do have some useful stuff and serve a purpose. If they aren’t progressive enough, then where are the progressive Christian bookstores? They are few and far between and just sell a different type of kitsch. I’m thinking of the Episcopal Cathedral bookstore in Seattle. Episcocat calendars? Kitsch. But it has an audience.
Compare that with hipster-cool-kitsch stores like the Apple empire… (frequently referred to as Mecca by the true disciples) and who’s got the biggest most expensive idol now?
so, i kind of feel funny asking this when it is so far from what everyone else is commenting about, but… Adam, i would love to know what you did find to get for Sarah!
Lauren - I can’t tell you now - but I’m sure we’ll post both what I got her, and what she got me. She is SO happy with what she found at a Cokesbury in Atlanta, so…I’m sure it will be blog-worthy.
Adam, i’d like to hear what it is like for you to write a post like this and then remember back (i remember *smile*) when you were the one wearing three WWJD bracelets… Is it weird to remember your mindset and/or what motivated you then to wear such things? I wore them too, and I think they are obnoxious now. But could you comment on that? For me, it was a genuine expression of my admittedly naive faith… but personally, i see that as part of my faith journey. A valid part. A part that I had to go through to be where i am now. I have different ways of expressing and showing my faith now. Maybe in ten years i’ll look back at how silly these present expressions are… who knows.
Adam, part of me hopes she’s bought you a “R U (red) E?” bumper sticker. Either that or, “Real Men Love Jesus.” I’d love to see one of those on your subaru.
nice, safe, easy and consumable. (From Bec, above)
What’s so nice, safe, easy, and consumable about a book entitled Hell? Yes.?
Nuance helps our arguments….
And Adam, we’ve yet to hear your response to the RNDaniel-Myles question above.
Why the implicit disdain for authentic expressions of faith?
“Adam, part of me hopes she’s bought you a “R U (red) E?” bumper sticker. Either that or, “Real Men Love Jesus.” I’d love to see one of those on your subaru.”
I’d like to see one of those on a bright red T-Shirt! oops, i guess only some bumper sticker theology is okay.
What do you say Adam? What is your stance on Bumper Sticker Theology?
ahhh memories of spaceballs - “merchandising, merchandising!” - “spaceballs the FLAMEthrower!”
this is certainly a conversation worthy of theological perspective. i think a good point is brought up here, asking where does Christianity cross the line into merchandising(for the sake of merchandising), and thus lose it’s authenticity and validity? and i don’t think we can decide whether the manufacturer of (for example) “Testamints” had ‘money’ or ‘Christ’ in mind in his/her production of the item. while the product may or may not make us cringe. i think it is worth the caution - to be considering what is of the world or simply just in the world - but not worth throwing the proverbial “baby out with the bathwater.”
The modern mainline churches don’t even believe in evangelizing/proselytizing, so I don’t see what leg you’re standing on when you look down your noses at kitsch and bumperstickers. Are folks worse off with kitsch than with nothing at all? I highly doubt it. Glass houses.
david -
that’s a pretty bad, uninformed generalization about modern mainline churches. there are a lot of mainlines doing great, innovative evangelism. i think there is a transition happening at present between the “old” version of evangelism and the “new” or relational idea of evangelism, and a lot of mainline churhces are having difficulty with that. i’ll be the first one to say that a lot of mainline churches aren’t doing so hot, but let’s at least give them a chance by not gross-generalizing.
>”that’s a pretty bad, uninformed generalization about modern mainline churches.”
Petras,
if I’m wrong, I’d love to hear in what way (specifically). But I don’t buy the part that I’m “uninformed.” I’m very much informed considering I grew up a missionary kid in the PCUSA, have known the PCUSA all my life, and was director for several years in a PCUSA non-profit org and have worked with both lay boards and with clergy. I know the thinking. I’ve had a front-row seat. I daresay I’m probably more steeped in Presbyterian culture than most Princeton seminarians are, actually. Not tooting my own horn, but I just don’t like being dismissed as “uninformed.”
There’s a reason why church membership is stagnant and shrinking. When the message that Jesus is only “one of many ways to God,” no surprise that proselytizing would take a backseat to social justice.
And as a caveat, making a generalization is an implicit admission that there are exceptions.
fair enough on the uninformed part. but seriously, not “believing” in evangelism?
are you saying that mainline protestants claim jesus to be only one of many ways to God? not seeing where that’s coming from.
and would you say that social justice is not a form of evangelism?
>”and would you say that social justice is not a form of evangelism?”
Petras,
I would say it’s a safe form of evangelism, but not an effective one. It’s safe because it avoids any risk of being accused of “intolerance” and “exclusivism”. To the intellectuals, that’s worse than being accused of heresy.
But what’s the message of social justice evangelism? That Presbies are good people and care? That’s not the Good News. Not surprisingly, in all my years working for a Presby non-profit in hispanic East Austin, not one single person joined the local Presbyterian church with which our organization was affiliated. They loved us and thought we were swell people, but the material help they received did not change their lives. I’ll admit, it jaded me.
To the extent my generalization isnt’ true, there has been a backlash from the pews and from lay leaders against this growing universalism within the PCUSA. But this much needed backlash is being resisted by the intellectuals within the seminaries as well as the church bureaucracies in Louisville, who label these lay leaders as conservative “radicals”. Very sad.
Don’t let institutional pride blind you to what is killing this church. It’s dying right before your eyes. You can’t see it?
please believe me when i say that i have no institutional pride. anyone who knows me can attest to this. the question is what do we do about it? (rather than generalizing about it) i believe that social justice, when coupled with a relational proclamation of WHY we are doing such, is a highly effective form of evangelism. i would even go so far as to say it is something we should strive for because it contains much of our call as Christians: proclamation of the Word, our call to love and serve others, our participation in the body of Christ, etc.
the church needs help i agree. who will step up?
Adam, thanks for the answer… i guess you just insured that i’ll keep on reading your blog… at least until the anniversary post :)
>”the question is what do we do about it?”
The first step to recovery is recognizing you have a problem. Then you can do something about it. If social justice is all you have to offer, then what makes you any different from any other secular (or government) institution providing material assistance? Not much. You aren’t offering anything folks can’t find anywhere else out there in the world. People are looking for something different. So offer them something different! Unfortunately, the more mainline (i.e., Liberal) the church is, the less willing you are to boldy proclaim Jesus Christ as the answer–not as one among many, but as THE Saviour! Do that, and now you’ve got people’s attention. They are obviously hungry for it. They want a touch of magic, not Liberal politics from the pulpit (I still remember one Presby pastor I’m still personally fond of shouting “tax the rich, tax the rich!” during one of his sermons. LOL!).
Hey Adam-
I was hoping you would have a chance to answer the question I posed in the comments to this post, which Myles followed up. I know you said in our AIM conversation last week that you’re busy, which I appreciate. However, I also see this as an important part of the “conversation” you want to foster on this blog, so an answer would be appreciated.
Not exactly a yes or no question, though, is it, RND?
You might have to wait a while for the essay.
Of course it’s not a “yes” or “no” question. However, when I spoke to Adam via AIM last week, he mentioned that he was going to answer either that day or the next. It’s been a week, and I’m following up. Not looking for an essay, either.
As I recall, I did tell you not to hold your breath awaiting a response ;-)
Gee, guess I should have added the smiley.
You guys can come off pretty humorless at times :)
Not to answer the question for Adam, but my take is that a quiet, bemused, even somewhat arrogant tone towards the evango-fundie philosophy and kitsch that pervades these places is greatly preferable to saying that “You’re not really a Christian if you believe X” (where X is any one of a million things deemed fundamental by the fundamentalists), that is the attitude toward “emergent” or “progressive” Christians of many of the primary clientele of those places.
Sorry for the long, convoluted sentence :)
The arrogance/amusement doesn’t make it pretty at times, but which is harder to take:
“I find your obsession with Testamints and their potential capacity for evangelism amusing”
or
“You’re going to hell for lighting candles and praying to Mary”?
Strawperson objections duly noted.
RNDaniel,
I’m glad you are have kept on me to make sure that I address this question. And it is a good question, as Myles and others have pointed out. A question that I’m not sure exactly that I can give you a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. I’m not sure what you mean by “emergent” progressiveness when you talk about a ‘latitudinarian tolerance’ - because many people who are involved with the emerging church discussion would not be down with a total tolerance of all faiths, perspectives and traditions. That may more be the vibe you get here, but again, I don’t speak for all of Emergent.
I think you are right - it is interesting for someone who wants an ‘open and progressive’ to say that one expression of faith is ‘horrible.’ Now, as my friend Steve mentioned above, he and I used to frequent these stories. And he did out me, as I did wear 3-4 WWJD bracelets. And I think that it is part of that experience that I did have as a Christian-bookstore-junkie (oh yah - I had a Family Christian Bookstores punch card that repeatedly gave me discounts as I filled them up), that gives me the ability to look at that phase of my own life and realize that while it may have been a necessary step, I see it now as lacking, and I am able more clearly to see the problems with such a version of Christianity.
Again, like my buddy Steve said, it probably was a valid expression of our faith journeys at the time, as it may be many today. And I can acknowledge that. But it still doesn’t mean that I’m not able to critique it now. I know that it is far off from what I want to be about now, and I want to share different visions other than the cheesy-Christian-kitsch-version with people with whom I would do ministry.
It’s probably not answering your question, but that’s what I got for you now. Is it an authentic expression of faith? Probably. And for theological reasons, there are things about that expression of faith that I have problems with (close-mindedness, eschatology, ideas about relationships and sexuality, Testamints, ‘power-of-positive-thinking-types-of-’Christian’-books, bad-horrible-awful art, etc..)…
Adam, good thoughtful response.
Honestly, I don’t understand the hectoring he’s being subjected to before he can get there, though. No one is entitled even to have their comments posted here, much less to have Adam respond to their comments at their beck and call. Grow up, folks.
Brian-
When the horse is dead, dismount. You’ve recapitulated the same statements made when Adam posted his “commenting policy.”
I asked Adam to respond to a question I posted a couple of weeks ago, only after a private AIM conversation in which he said he was going to try to get to it. I was in no way “hectoring” him into a response. In fact, I think our exchanges have been rather even-handed and I think Adam would say the same. I certainly was becking or calling. Adam had said he would respond (in a private conversation), so I was asking him to make good on that declaration (see my previous comment from yesterday).
There was no need to rush to his defense here, because he wasn’t being attacked.
Correction: I meant “certainly NOT becking or calling”
“I find your obsession with Testamints and their potential capacity for evangelism amusing” or “You’re going to hell for lighting candles and praying to Mary”?
The lighting candles example is bad theology. The Testamints example is arrogance. You decide which is the greater sin.
That would be bad theology AND judgmental AND presumptuous AND arrogant.
So yeah, I think I know which is worse.
Bad theology is judgmental and arrogant?
Not per se, but that example is.
>>>I’m always amused by the assumed religion-spirituality/politics dichotomy
So if the Democrat and Republican party ceized to exist religion/spirituality would dissapear with them? You need to put down the Chomsky.
I’m willing to bet the mints are stronger in scripture than you are
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-Sean
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http://www.SeanDietrich.com
“All my music is free.”