I’ve noticed a growing trend that some Christians are adopting a worldly snarkiness and belittling toward other Christians. And it isn’t just the young being rebellious or the old being cantankerous. It’s all across the board. It’s as if some of us are reveling in the idea that we can join with the world in just bashing old school, institutionalized, quirky, far right, far left or not “relevant” Christians. Then, when those who are judged to have the wrong modern approach defend themselves, they are then criticized for being defensive and even more judgmental.
Old ways of imposing judgment based legalism are being supplanted by a new “more relevant” more “inclusive” way of imposing judgment based legalism. Both of which alienate, pigeonhole and promote ones own brand of living out the gospel as the only right way of living out the gospel. Legalism used to be imposed with stern looks, harsh rules and stoic heartlessness. Now it’s being delivered in heartless and flippant humor, personal attacks and shockingly permissive disrespect.
Notice that heartless is the only constant theme I have for the spread of legalism through modern times. I am sure it is a theme of legalism throughout church history.
Internet Monk wrote about humor, over two years ago, and expounds a little on CS Lewis’ descriptions of various forms of humor and joy.
Lewis’s fourth kind of humor is flippancy, which he defines as sheer derision for the sake of mockery, with no actual humor at work. This is the incessant humor of our age that laughs at nothing, laughs at everything, has not a hint of the true intelligence, compassion or truthfulness of good humor, but simply stands over a subject with a leer, insisting on the recognition of its own superiority. Bob’s description of men looking at naked women and laughing seems flippant to me, not funny. The song “I’m Gonna Miss Her” seems like a good humorous shot at the absurdity of our values in America.
Sadly, this kind of scoffing is common among those Christians who incessantly and cruelly deride others with no good will or actual humor, but with the club of their own superiority and the applause of the in-group.
And, I must confess, I am really good at being a Smart-Aleck. So while I am personally feeling the need to be wary of my own propensity toward rude flippancy, it seems this demeaning behavior is only increasing all around us. There are high rewards of attention and celebrity to those (including Christians) who can do flippancy at others expense really well. In fact that is the sole reason why some ministries, projects and quite a few blogs even exist.
I agree with Lewis and Internet Monk, flippancy is based in a judgment of one’s own superiority over the object of ridicule and the development/maintaining of an “in” crowd. Today, this flippancy or being clever and rude seems to be the most common delivery mechanism of seeking to impose a new form of age 0ld legalism.
Here’s to praying for the eventual triumph of Grace.
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I sometimes wonder why Jesus wept blood at his Prayer at Gethsemene. He was praying for his Church, his Bride, and I look at us, today, and we’re at such odds with one another.
I recall a joke, among fellow Christians:
“The Christian Millennium is a thousand years of peace, which will be argued by all Christians for all of time.”
I think this is one of the main reasons other religions do not take Christianity seriously, we’re always infighting all of the time.
Hi Jeremy!
That quote is funny, scary and probably true all at the same time.
So true and not always so subtle. I pray I keep aware of any ‘accuser of the brethren’ type talking – the church needs to encourage the church in these last days.
Not giving voice to the “accuser of the brethren” is an excellent reminder. We need encouragement every day.
OUCH…well, that wasn’t pleasant. Needed and important…but not pleasant.
Faithful are the wounding words of a friend when spoken in truth and with the right spirit…you nailed both!
I stand clearly rebuked and embrace it with sincere repentance.
Thanks,
David Higginbotham
Kansas City
Well, ok. Cool