“One danger… that I’m fairly sure [the apostles] did not face was the pressure to be “nice.” What do I mean? In our time, we have lived through the expansion of the market, the explosion of media influence, and what Philip Rieff of Chicago University calls “the triumph of the therapeutic.” We are immersed in values and visions of the good life, which we inculcate with almost every breath that we breathe. It is a cultural moment where looking good and feeling good are paramount, and anything that threatens, disturbs, or challenges the cultural value-setters is ruled out of court.”
Stuart McAllister
;)
We Sing Hymns and Hers (for Balance)
Are you living out “The Nice Life”?
Have you polished your appeal?
If your answer’s “No, not really.”
Have we got a special deal!
“Happy” is our main objective,
Popularity’s our aim.
Our Religion’s Free ‘n’ Easy
Thus avoiding guilt and shame.
We have re-imagined “holy”
And we’ve sugar-coated “grace”
We sing hymns and hers (for balance)
To please everybody’s taste.
Yes, we’re here to stroke your Ego.
We moved past “Commands” and “Laws”.
We think maybe god’s a Process
With no bottom lines to draw.
We do doctrine open-minded,
And we don’t do Creeds at all.
We’re quite Proud of all our Progress,
And we look down on “The Fall”.
We’re the Church of Most Attractive…
Compromise is what we do.
It’s not difficult at all, sir,
Once you’ve deconstructed “true”.
Now that truth’s been proven errant…
Frankly, sir, we think it’s best…
We’ve been told by Higher Critics
We should give true truth a rest.
We’ve got big smiles on our bumpers.
“Just be nice!” is what we preach.
Fancy fables on our tables…
Happy days within our reach!
;)
" For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”- 2Timothy 4:3-4