The thing about living in the information age is that I get to watch Christian leaders flame-out in real time. The instant one of my mega-celebrity-Christian-leader-types renounces the faith, I know about it. In the dark ages (aka: the 1980’s) I had to wait for CCM Magazine to tell me which people were worthy of my praise. Now, I know who the apostates are at the same time as God.
Apparently, a member of Hillsong (a super-popular-super-spiritual-band) is no longer confident that Christianity is worth singing about.
” I’m genuinely losing my faith … and it doesn’t bother me… like, what bothers me now is nothing… I am so happy now, so at peace with the world… It’s crazy. “
Losing his faith yet at peace with the world. Obviously, he’s smoking crack. A crisis of faith doesn’t lead to peace unless there’s a substance being abused somewhere. Christianity totally transforms a person. The “old is made new” is generally how the orthodoxy is expressed. Apostasy is literally the opposite. It’s “the new going back to the old”. This fella is happily returning to the old self, old ways, old beliefs; you know, all that stuff that leads to death. And it doesn’t bother him.
“This is a soapbox moment so here I go… how many preachers fall? Many. No one talks about it. How many miracles happen. Not many. No one talks about it. Why is the Bible full of contradictions? No one talks about it. How can God be love yet send four billion people to a place, all coz they don’t believe? No one talks about it.”
He’s right about this except for the part about “no one talking about it”. We talk about this stuff all the time. Perhaps if the band turned the amplifiers down a bit they could hear the conversation.
Forgive me, but I’m troubled by when a mega-celebrity-Christian-leader-type from a super-popular-super-spiritual-band doesn’t seem to have even contemplated the theology of sin and hell. I mean, we’re singing this guy’s songs in church, for crying out loud! Doesn’t that make you a teensy-bit nervous? Jesus’ death on the cross to save mankind from hell is pretty much the cornerstone of Christianity, right? Am I off base here? (No. I’m not.) Yet we have a paragon of Christian virtue befuddled by a concept that should have been what lead him to Christ in the first place. What did he think he was singing about during those countless worship services?
This is what happens when we elevate babies into positions of leadership. We started handing the microphone to people who are talented rather than wise. We’ve chosen singers over sages as our spiritual mentors. They put on a great show! Flashing lights, thumping drums, and hands raised toward Heaven give us goosebumps every Sunday morning. Then we’re shocked when the lasers, fog, and guitar don’t transform people’s lives.
The cynical, scoffing world watches. They revel in the confirmation of Christian hypocrisy. “It’s just about money and fame,” they sneer. And they’re exactly right. When the roar of the crowd doesn’t flip your switch anymore, chuck the faith and move on. We’re not going anywhere. We’ll be right here, waiting for the next Christian idol to take your place. We’ll raise our hands, lift our eyes, and repeat whatever chorus they project onto the big screen.
Meh. So what? Let’s sing the chorus of “Oceans” one more time and see if we feel at peace with the world.
16 Responses
I don’t agree with this guy when he said that miracles don’t happen often. Every time a baby is born, or a tree grows is another miracle
Bravo, John!
I miss the good old hymns and magnificent concertos composed by the greats. I was dying and heard the celestial choir (makes me sob, uncounted voices singing to God – so beautiful)
I turn off “Christian” radio when the bands start thumping, and the lyrics repeat mindlessly and “forever”.
Thank you for saying something, in your unique and delightful way.
JB is upset that someone has disagreed with him and now has to accuse him falsely of abusing drugs and calling him a “baby”. How typical. Personal attacks and ignoring his points. It seems that Christians often do get terrified when someone deconverts since that shows anyone can and no magic protects those that are sure that they are the chosen ones.
Your analysis is as accurate as usual.
I’m writing from a position of fear. Terrified by the realization that no magic protects those that are sure they are the chosen ones.
Thanks for commenting. I always appreciate your wisdom.
Thank you for admitting that, JB. Your truthfulness is always admirable, right? As you have said, you don’t believe in God or Jesus and are only playing Christians.
I don’t believe in God or Jesus as described by atheists. Atheism isn’t something that anybody actually believes.
Ah, JB, another Christian that has to play pretend that no one disagrees with him. I guess that need for external validation is as strong as ever. As for describing God or Jesus, I use the bible. What do you use, JB? Unfortunately for you, plenty of Christians agree that there are indeed atheists. Are they wrong and only you right?
No. I’m never right.
I’m only wrong. Everything I say is a lie.
True, your just a disgusting Christian.
Just one more reason I will continue to prefer hymns from the 16th – 18th centuries, accompanied by a pipe organ.
From the title of the post I was afraid that Queen was no longer a Christian band. Thankfully, it was just Hillsong.
Hilarious!
I mean, I didn’t want to lose my worshipful attitude in listening to Save Me.
Also, I’m pretty sure (Find Me) Somebody to Love is a song about evangelism from God’s perspective.
Ugh! This is why I tell people never to get their theology from Christian music. So much of it’s powerless and superficial. Reading his explanation leaves me wondering if he ever had an actual relationship with Jesus. Because, if he did, he would never say such inane and irrelevant things like the following:
“Science keeps piercing the truth of every religion.”
What??? Science does not even address the question of God!
I guess if an argument got to you into whatever you’re calling “Christianity,” one can get you out. Nothing new there.
John Cooper of the band Skillet has excellent response to these kind of things. It’s been on facebook the last couple of days. I am not going to leave a link and tell you to do your own research that would be very pagan of me. Must be a John thing.
Jeff, I was just going to ask John if he had seen John Cooper’s response to this. It is so much truth.