I mean, of course, other peoples’ troubles. I know this is deadly serious for the victims, and I don’t want to diminish that in the least. At the same time, I have to admit that it is impossible to read this “paragraph” (the document is written in direct-mail script) without giggling.

Marked by their use of alcohol, their commitment to theological ambiguity and their embrace of religious rituals steeped in eastern mysticism, this movement has made its greatest inroads in the area of “church planting.” And we are now beginning to see the evidence of what’s to come.

Truly deep comedy provided for free. See Joe Thorn for more. Hat tip to Steve McKoy.

Ah, but recently (like yesterday) it dawned on me that this isn’t even a particularly “religious” phenomenon, at least not if religion is defined in theological terms…

(Before I say anything else about this post, I must not forget to recommend some great Mencken quotes found in the comments. Like prize fighters shaking hands indeed!)

I used to think the will to judge was particularly Christian behavior–something specific to church life. But now I realize that is because church is my major social environment and has been for years. So it was in the context of church that I would learn about a pregnant friend secretly ordering a book on “bottle-feeding without guilt” and hiding the fact from her sisters in Christ so they wouldn’t exercise their ministry of discernment in regard to her. Or, for that matter, it was the context of when I learned of a secret underground who didn’t want to attend the Sunday School that would make them feel guilty for breastfeeding whenever the baby cried.

Does anyone think that I couldn’t write another ten thousand words describing all the issues of private behavior in which one could be and has been judged as deficient in the name of Christ?

But I realize now that I was too harsh in my judgments. The problem is not that the church can be and often is especially diabolic; the problem is merely that the church is worldly. We’re just imitating the culture. Here is the video; see for yourself.

One other comment: I have kids right now going through D.A.R.E. and I have to agree with Dr. Helen about its idiotic effects. Calvin came home one day begging to call Garrett to admonish him to give up cigars (scroll down sidebar). I’m considering maybe I should start chain smoking Marlboros for a few days just to drive the demons out of him.