Saturday, May 21, 2011

What gets “Left Behind” When the Crazy Christians Go Crazy



Spoiler Alert: Nobody Got Left Behind! May 21 came and went … and we didn’t. To put it more accurately “they” didn’t. It is the morning after the well-publicized predicted Judgment Day and Facebook and Twitter are full of reactions to the Rapture-that-didn’t-happen. On my Top Ten list is my friend Katie who wrote, “I’m still here. Guess I’d better do the laundry.”

Also on the list is this more reflective comment from my friend Joe: “I, for one, am not sorry to rise and find the flawed world still turning this morning; but am grateful to the predictors of The End for inviting us all to look up and around today, with an extra bit of wakeful reverence for just how truly beautiful the imperfect can be.”

I love Joe’s challenge to look beneath the hype for “an extra bit of wakeful reverence” at the beauty and joy of the world we’ve been blessed to savor and to steward. It shouldn’t take some Harold Camping confusing the Bible with a secret code book predicting the end of the world to remind us to “carpe the diem” – but if it has, then there’s something there to rejoice and be glad in … some lemonade from the lemon of this most recent example of Eschaton Abuse. And we need that after the collateral damage done by all this Rapture hype.

When the Crazy Christians take over the airwaves and dominate the popular media with their latest scheme to make Jesus look bad – as they have this week -- what gets left behind is the message of the one who loved us enough to become one of us in order to show us how to love each other. What gets left behind are the core Christian values of love, justice and compassion. And when the dust has settled and the jokes are over, the collateral damage of Judgment Day Gone Bust are all those folks who now have even more evidence to convince them they know enough about being a Christian not to want to be one. And who could blame them?

From the “we’re going to heaven and you’re not” foolishness of Harold Camping to the homophobic hypocrisy of “Family Values” candidates like Newt Gingrich to the “protect marriage” driven actions of the Minnesota legislature once again turning gay and lesbian families into sacrificial lambs on the altar of partisan politics … no wonder Jesus wept. And no wonder so many people looking for spiritual community won't touch Christianity with a barge pole.

The truth is that life is fragile, unpredictable and precious. The truth is none of us “know the hour” and so we are called to live each day as if it could be our last: not in fear of a God of judgment, but in response to the God of love who calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. You don’t love your neighbor by taking away their right to marry the love of their life. You don’t protect marriage by refusing to equally protect same-sex marriages. And you don’t follow the Lord of love by living in the house of fear.

So here's my news flash for the Day After the Rapture That Didn't Happen: We have our work cut out for us – those of us who follow the one who called us to walk in love as He loved us. If Jesus’ message of love, justice and compassion isn’t going to get left behind in the craziness that too often passes for Christianity it’s going to be up to us to make it happen. An inch at a time. A sermon at a time. A phone call, lobby visit, letter to the editor, blog post, tweet or conversation at a time.

And this week – in Washington DC – some of us are going to have a chance to get a head start with HRC’s Clergy Call … as hundreds of clergy from across denominations and faith traditions step up and speak out for Family Values that value ALL families … for a Protect Marriage movement that protects ALL marriages. Let’s commit to use that “extra bit of wakeful reverence for just how truly beautiful the imperfect [world] can be” as we work together to make it more like the perfect world of peace, justice and compassion God would have it be.

9 comments:

JCF said...

My Giants won again, so I'm feeling pretty Rapturous! :-)

Speaking of which: watching the game (on TV) at AT&T Park, saw 6PM happen. At the sold-out stadium, no one (either wearing God's Own Orange&Black OR the heathens wearing A's green&gold) was seen to fly heavenward! [Then again, to be watching a ballgame---AND in Sodom-by-the-Sea!---perhaps would disqualify one from being among The Elect anyway? ;-)]

wdg_pgh said...

Just wondering whether your friend Katie has read Jack Kornfield's After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path.

Jesse said...

"So here's my news flash for the Day After the Rapture That Didn't Happen: We have our work cut out for us – those of us who follow the one who called us to walk in love as He loved us. If Jesus’ message of love, justice and compassion isn’t going to get left behind in the craziness that too often passes for Christianity it’s going to be up to us to make it happen. An inch at a time. A sermon at a time. A phone call, lobby visit, letter to the editor, blog post, tweet or conversation at a time."
Point well made Susan..I accept the challenge and I will post it on my facebook and ask my friends to do do likewise...God bless you always! Jesse

LGMarshall said...

All was not lost...the ill-predicted [rapture] was the #1 most googled topic in history!

We can agree...'in all things, God works for the good of those who love him..'

We pray that those who are in sorrow, or need, or sickness, or confusion, or grief, or sexual immorality, idolatry, or addiction, or selfish ambition will turn now, to the Truth of Jesus Christ. He is patiently waiting, ready to rejoice if even one turns to Him.

People do want to know the Truth, they are concerned about their Eternity, and they do want to know about Jesus Christ, as evidenced by the google search.

We also pray for healing, for all Believers that were decieved, misled, & hurt by the false teachings of Mr. Camping. May those who were effected most, [including Camping] be lovingly accepted back into the Church. May the brethren refrain from harsh judgmentalism, and intolerance. May Camping humble himself before the LORD, and ask forgiveness, for testing the LORD our God.

uffda51 said...

I don’t believe the googling was about searching for Jesus. I think it was similar to drivers slowing to a crawl to look at a freeway accident. These people aren’t suddenly committed to safe driving. They are attracted to a temporary spectacle and can’t look away.

End time “predictions” based on numerology will not attract people to organized religion. Numerology is to science what astrology is to astronomy. Biblical literalists who misuse metaphorical language are also part of the problem rather than the solution.

Camping spent $100,000,000 exploiting fear and elevating his own ego. Are there no poor, homeless, ill, or imprisoned in Oakland to which a Christian church may minister? WWJD with an extra $100,000,000?

MarkBrunson said...

I'm just surprised, and rather relieved, that we haven't heard story after story of poor loons committing suicide with their families, figuring they were left for the unspeakable horrors of those left behind.

LGMarshall said...

uffda51, I beg to differ....some were Googling the Truth in Jesus Christ as they desired greatly to know what in these Last Days ... Judgement Day will bring? They found that..."On That Day when according to my Gospel, God Judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.[Rom 2:16]...And they also found..."The one who rejects Me and does not receive my Words, has a Judge, the WORD, that I have spoken will Judge him on the last day...[JOHN 12:48]...in addition...they found, "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay on the Last Day'..."[ROM12:19]

Just curious, do you believe what God says?

And to Jesse... a 'phone call, a lobby visit, a letter to an editor' promoting Unbiblical Episcopalian missives, is as much use as scattering seed on the path of the scavengers.

uffda51 said...

LG, it appears to be your mission in life to visit this blog and express disapproval. “Unbiblical Episcopalian missives” are just the latest addition to the list, which includes Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, progressives, President Obama, LGBT persons, inter-faith efforts, community organizers, public schools, evolution, and even St. Francis and the blessing of the animals. What you do approve of is Judgment, with a capital “J.”

In one graph you use the words Last Days, Judgment Day, Judge, Judge (again), revenge, wrath, avenge and repay as the benefits of googling Harold Camping. I doubt that flabbergasted numerologists focused on fear and revenge will bring many people to God. In fact this kind of episode makes Christianity appear laughable.

Some people who will bring people to God through their witness and example, and have all spoken at our church this year, include Michael Lapsley, Terrence Roberts and Desmond Tutu. Their collective message, and the message of Jesus, is one of compassion, courage, forgiveness and reconciliation. Try googling them.

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