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"I was young enough, I still believed in war." - Bright Eyes
Sometime around the age of 13 a war is waged on each individual's fantasies. Slowly, an insurgency of reality decimates youthful idealism and replaces it with "maturity, practicality, pragmatism." There is no middle ground to be found between cubicles and capes. Children pretend to fly and adults sit in front of computers all day long. Peter Pans and Peter Petrellis are wide eyed fools of fictional existences. It is impractical to die for someone else, screaming out their name in love.
The desire for heroism is inherently human because we are created in the image of Jesus Christ, who angrily disrupted the temple courts, stood toe to toe with Roman Guards and embarrassed religious elitists. But for us, hours upon hours are spent over cups of coffee between young people and "mentors" counseling about cautious dating, moral living, and practical planning of future ventures...which is dull.
The average person has no idea what it means to run into a burning building and pull out a body. The average child goes to a school or church that entertains them into not growing up into "liars", the average high schooler goes to a youth group that aims to charm them towards attending church when they are adults, and the average adult is offered free coffee to pacify them into listening about "clean and proper" lifestyles through fun stories.
Every person young and old, in the deepest caverns of their heart, wants to have the opportunity to run into a building and pull out a living breathing body, but no one is drawing that out of each other. If only American Christians could realize the opportunity to run into burning buildings is at every corner and we can pull out living breathing souls.
Heroes can exist, but we hardly dream to heroic proportions. Sure we give a dollar to a homeless guy, or join a committee at church. Could we start revolutionizing what it means to be an American Christian by angrily disrupting the people turning churches into market places, stand toe to toe with those who oppress the poorest of the poor, and embarrass religious elitists? Do it, be a hero this week and email us back.
Its time that saving a soul isn't associated as a momentary conversion through convincing philosophy, it is breathing life into a soul that is slipping into apathy, its time some of the wise people start challenging the religious elitists, and its time people start combating church materialism.
4 comments:
i see a lot to these issues. i do think that there are problems in our churches that are not being addressed but i do not think that Jesus' actions in the temple is what needs to happen. he gives us clear directions on how to correct our church and that begins with finding the culprits and talking one on one. then we go with someone and if that doesn't work we go in front of the whole church. so then comes the question what if the church itself is off base. i pray that it isn't. furthermore, the church is all of us that believe in Jesus so i don't really see that. the most important thing that i would say to this site is that there needs to be a clear how we can fix it. i don't think we should point out problems if we aren't willing to help fix them. for instance, the guy outside the burning building telling you the building is on fire is scarcely valueable when compared to the firefighter who comes to put the fire out. so if we have problems lets start throwing water on them not getting madder and madder about all of it.
love,
short shorts
response from the editor:
I really like what you had to say. First, I think its an editorial accountability needed on the site. Second, I hope and I think it is time to turn towards inspiring action, rather than simple criticism. I hope the past two weeks have established a little ground work of some ideas inspiring the site, but it would remain a tiny, insignificant conversation if all that ever happened was writing. Thanks for your comments. In the future, I'd love people to leave their names and where they are from. Lastly, thanks for the "love" at the end. One of the most important things when dealing with humanity invading the church with dysfunction is recognizing that a house divided on itself WILL fall and while you challenged ideas here, you did it in love. Thanks.
Austin Pfeiffer
Jesus has destroyed our lives in the best way. He has broken us down to our cores so that he can remake us, remold us. His story demands our attention, our whole lives. The Holy Spirit is alive here and welcomes us to live dangerously here in this dull environment, as you wrote. Keep on living for him- and daring yourself to abandon your comforts for him. This country is the most dangerous place in the world... materialism and expectations can kill our souls... you know this all too well.
Blessings to you.
In response to "short shorts," I believe that the man who is shouting "the building is on fire!" is better than the man who ignores it. Also, I know who Austin is and I know that he is not just a man with a mouth, but with passion to act. Trust that this website is not about verbal exchange but about communication between potential and real heroes.
Love,
Chris Adams from Winston-Salem, NC
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