I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “Satire is a great way to reveal truth.” An article appeared in The Onion with this title:
“God Weirded Out By Christian Who Loves Him After Only Month In Church”
I’ve linked to the article because grown-ups should be allowed to decide for themselves what they read. But the article isn’t necessary. The headline is the whole joke.
First, you must understand The Onion is satire. The entire website is a hoax. It is fake news that differs from CNN in that The Onion admits it’s a joke. But here’s the irony, The Onion’s fake headline reveals something true.
Second, I wrote a book. In that book is a detailed explanation about how comedy works. At the center of all comedy is truth. The bigger the truth, the better the comedy. The Onion revealed a gigantic truth about how church people represent God.
In modern church culture, Christianity is represented by the noisiest people, not the wisest. Sound theology does not attract a massive following. It is wildly popular to explain Christianity as a “relationship with God.” We think a relationship with God is like a relationship with another human being. That’s why The Onion headline is excellent comedy.
God is a person but He is not a human. You DO NOT choose to be “in a relationship” with God like you choose dating or marriage. God sustains your existence. I’ll elaborate on that point but you need to think of yourself as a fish.
As a fish, your life depends on water. You don’t “choose” to live under water. The sea existed before you were hatched and is necessary for your survival each second of every day. Now, imagine going to church (fish have schools, so why not church…?) and hearing a sermon about “starting a relationship with the Sea.”
Pretty dumb, right?
That dumb idea is proclaimed in churches all across America. Christians plaster it on social media. It is the central theme of many modern worship songs. It has sold millions of books. It has millions of views on YouTube. That dumb idea is very, very, very, popular.
It’s so popular, The Onion wrote satire about it. That tells me the dumb idea has notoriety. It isn’t just a heresy on a white board in an obscure church basement. The dumb idea is famous! In fact, that dumb idea has become “Gospel” in super-hip mega-churches.
God doesn’t need a relationship with you. He already has one and it doesn’t require your permission or approval. If you’re trying to decide whether or not a relationship with God is right for you then there’s a hilarious article in The Onion you need to read.
Then you need to pray. Ask God to help you discern satire from doctrine. Mixing those things up is dangerous.
From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
Acts 17:26
2 Responses
I laugh and wince at the idea of the loud emotional people leading the church. It’s unfortunate that it’s somewhat true, maybe not for me but for the church at large. The Onion’s article is a great look at how many people’s perception of God can be twisted by their own personification.
I do however have a comment on how to define God’s relationship with us and how we enter into it. While I do agree that God has a basic relationship with us in that He sustains us impersonally and the world around us without us choosing to enter it, I believe that we can choose to enter a personal relationship with Him. Now does it look like the overly affectionate example portrayed in the article? I think not. But it does involve interaction on His side through the Word and revelation, and our side through prayer and worship.
If that was your intention behind the point of the article JB (and I’m sure it was) you can discount this post as the ramblings of a guy who thinks too much!! If you (or anyone else) have a counterpoint or other opinions you have about my post, please share them.
I think I see what your saying. I think that God already has a personal relationship with us, but it is broken (like a relationship with an unfaithful spouse). God doesn’t want a just a personal relationship with you; he has all he needs in himself and already personally sustains you. What he wants is a healthier relationship, where we are faithful to him alone, loving only him and continually seeking his glory. In this kind of relationship, we no longer bite the hand of our master, but we fully enjoy him and the life he gives us.