The Good Kind of Fear
“Christian Boo Sale”
That’s what the sign said. It was outside one of those warehouse places that specializes in coffee table books. I guess the “K” had fallen off or blown away.
Or maybe not.
Mega churches have become major commercial ventures and many sects of Christianity use fear to spread their message. Maybe there really was a “boo sale” going on.
“Buy one hell fire at full price, get a brimstone for free!”
I’ve always been fascinated by how powerful a tool fear can be. (Look at the current White House.) It’s even more fascinating that it works on so many people.
For me, if something is scary, I am more likely to stay away from it, rather than, say…worship it. (Again, look at the current White House.)
I always thought of God as someone to look to for guidance, not orders. (”God is my GPS”). But, maybe guidance is more Jesus’ role. Maybe Jesus and God have worked out a sort of good cop/ bad cop thing. Like Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay on Law and Order SVU. (No doubt many have gazed upon Meloni and seen Heaven.)
After all, the song goes “what a friend we have in Jesus…”
Jesus is the one you don’t want to disappoint. God is the one you don’t want to piss off. Because if you do, he’ll be opening up a Sam’s Club-sized can of Boo.
“Forty-eight ounce cans of Boo: three for $11.99 on aisle seven.”
People will pay $8 to be frightened at the movies. They pay at least four times as much to be scared on a roller coaster. So, would it really be a surprise to see folks forking over a some serious dough for some good old-fashioned God-fearing?
“Price check on pillars of salt.”
April 30th, 2008 at 10:40 am
As always Tony, you write a blog entry that starts my day off right!
Jim
April 30th, 2008 at 11:21 am
As a Roman Catholic, I’d make the distinction that the Church seems to be all about fear since it’s a pretty good motivator. Seems to be the standard MO. God, on the other hand (at least my God) is all about love. Funny how the Church often has very little to do with God. This was a great post, Tony! Very insightful.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Heathen. Blasphemer. Lightning is going to strike you right between your bunnies. I’d say more… but I’m afraid to.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Chris Meloni is probably one of God’s lovelier creations, that’s for sure!
April 30th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
I thought this post was going to be about Christian Bale =P
thought it was a play on words at first..hehe
April 30th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Reading this blog entry made me think of the Kid Rock’s new song. In one verse he mentions how he is scared to send his children to church because of wolves in sheep clothing pastors. I think that the pastor’s are the one’s to blame for creating fear. Anything, especially the Bible, can be taken out of context to get others to see your point. I’ve heard several sermon’s preached on one verse of one chapter of one book of the Bible. They don’t site other verses to from other chapters or books to back up the verse they are preaching on. Often times the very next verse will further explain the verse they have chosen, but the preacher feels that it will take away from the gravity of the sermon he is trying to preach.
I realize that this post was done with humor and I got it, but I wanted to add my two cents (for whatever it is worth).
April 30th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
right on the mark
April 30th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Oh you know I was going to chime in here!
I understand why you would think about the scare factor concerning God. I mean people in Christian churches have done more than there fair share of fear-mongering to the point that not many understand the love of God who is one and the same with Jesus.
I’m not disagreeing or saying that I don’t get the humor of the post (I do), but there’s more love there than a scare tactic to get you into Heaven. After all, Jesus came for the hearts of people. He spoke out against religious actions a lot. If the heart changes, then everything else will do. What makes a person “unclean” isn’t what goes into his mouth, but what comes out of it (which indicates what is within). Okay, enough of my sermon.
May 1st, 2008 at 5:35 am
The reason people go to these mega-churches is that they’re sheeple.
And have you ever noticed that the “God” of the Old Testament was vengeful, misogynist, jealous prick?
May 1st, 2008 at 9:07 am
GOD —
please save me from your followers!
May 1st, 2008 at 9:35 am
Mmmm - Chris Meloni… tell me more!