The Disconnect Created by Fashion Jewelry

From Java, a beaded wood cross necklace from Gifts With A Cause.

You’ve seen it, I’m sure.

The tabloid by the checkout lands an interview with a well-known porn star and her picture is on the cover, wearing a cross.

“Wait, what?” you ask out loud, causing the shopper ahead and the cashier to look at you strangely.

Whether it’s an actor known for his very dark, very Godless roles or a marcher being interviewed at the Gay Pride parade, the cross around the neck almost always surprises any person of faith. It certainly raises a number of possibilities.

• The contrast is intended to shock.
• The person doesn’t really know or understand the significance of the cross.
• They believe that they are a Christian.
• The cross-wearing somehow cancels out the wrong in that person’s life.
• They take a different, pre-Christian meaning to the symbol.
• It represents what they’d never admit verbally; that God has blessed their life with good things.
• They are somehow appealing to a religious demographic, hoping that in spite of what they’re saying or doing, those people will like them.
• The cross was a gift from someone, and by wearing it once in awhile they can say…that they’re wearing it.

Are there other reasons I’m missing?

The point is that there is a disconnect between the symbol and the person’s reputation or lifestyle or even activity at the moment the photo is taken or the video is recorded.

It’s a symbol that should be dear to the devout believer; the sincere Christ-follower. And so some get incensed that it’s being misused or misapplied or even mocked.

When I see these pictures on an online news feed, or in a magazine at the grocery store, I try to find the redemption in the moment, and I gotta admit, I’m not seeing it…

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Tangentially: For those in the know, what do think of the trend in the last few years of wearing sideways crosses on necklaces and bracelets?

 

 

Wednesday Link List

Some weeks the link list is more a collection of bizarre news stories and other weeks it’s more a collection of solid items promoting deeper Christian thought and growth. This week is one of the latter; more than dozen excellent pieces which all could have landed here as their own blog post and discussion. Get a coffee and come back to the computer for a longer stay.

• Because the wearing of crosses isn’t a requirement of the Christian faith, the European Court of Human Rights will be asked to rule that no Christian has a religious right to do so. It’s that position versus two British women who want to argue for the right in a case with wide ranging consequences.
• Not related, but this week I happened on a January blog post by John Voelz explaining why his church forgoes having a cross in exchange for a variety of other Christian symbols.
• Ed Young cites Willie George Ministries’ article 18 Lessons in 20 Years. A must read for pastors, executive pastors and church board members.
• Relevant Magazine reports that the sexual revolution is hitting singles in the church just as hard as those outside the faith circle. Whatever happened to True Love Waits?
• Also at Relevant, Jim Henderson shares an excerpt from his new book, Resignation of Eve: What if Adam’s Rib Is No Longer Willing to be the Church’s Backbone? The chapter asserts that women are the church’s most wasted resource.
• Michael Lawrence revisits the issue of “belonging before believing” that is popular today in many faith communities. He says the concept is just creating confusion on both sides of the equation.
• How well do you know that person who sat next to you last Sunday? Russell D. Moore says that “imposters love the church.” This begs the question, “But why, when there is so much opportunity for debauchery out there in the world around us, do such people choose the church?” Sample answer: “..I think it’s because deception can look a lot like discipleship…”  Take some time working through this one.
• At Church Central Leadership Community, Mitch Todd challenges the whole notion of creating comfortable environments for those who attend. He suggests that it simply isn’t working, and you would do better to hold your next worship service in a sewer. Well, he almost says that.
• A well known sect that began alongside the Jesus Movement of the ’70s is slowly moving from a cultic to more orthodox profile. Canadian cult-watcher James Beverley reports on the Children of God.
• In a major in-depth piece, CNN’s Belief Blog reports on the Mormon crackdown on proxy baptisms, the practice wherein a young person is baptized in place of a deceased person. Certainly, they want to stop the attention currently being drawn to this peculiar rite in the wake of media reports of proxy immersions on behalf of confirmed Jews.
  
• Cate MacDonald writes at World Magazine that Bear Grylls and Justin Bieber both say they are Christians but don’t go to church: “The contemporary aversion to church membership is a common response to secular criticisms, but these high-profile Christians might be doing more harm than good. …America’s youth need examples of people who live vibrant Christian lives in the public eye, and encourage them to do the same.”
  
• Henry M. Imler hauls out a 2007 study on how heading off to college affects a student’s faith. If you’ve got kids heading off this fall — or there already — this is a must read.
  
• Rev. Bob Larson, where have you been? Well, he turns up on Anderson Cooper last week with three teenage girls in tow, who have been trained by Larson to perform exorcisms by the thousands. But Cooper thinks their answers are far too rehearsed, and it’s hard not to agree with him.
  
• Two vastly different links from author Karen Spears Zacharias. The first, rather mundane, finds her and husband Tim cleaning up after Wal-Mart…
  
• …The second one — a book excerpt — is much more sobering. Karen visits a family where a young single mother, now wheelchair-bound, returns to her son and parents after eight months of therapy following being struck by train. Her father sees it all as an answer to prayer. You’ll need to read this twice, and with a box of tissue. You’ll also think of someone to forward this to, I’m sure.
  
• Can you stand one more article about ABC-TV’s GCB? This one is worth checking. Are we upset about what the show says about us, or upset about what it says about God? Pastor Jeff has met all kinds of Christians, but says the people in the show are strangers to him.
• Finally, on the lighter side, Tim Stafford has decided, in the interest of balance I’m sure, to list ten reasons why men should not be ordained. Yes, it says men.

A younger Robert H. Schuller preaches on the roof of the snack bar of the drive-in theater on the site that years later would house the Crystal Cathedral. This Orange County Register photo appeared marking the announcement last week of Schuller's resignation from ministry. Click the image to read the whole story at OC Register.

The Top 100 Issues That Divide Us

When the blogger at Free In Christ started his blog in July of 2008, he noted his indebtedness to a book by Cecil Hook also called Free in Christ.   Not being a regular follower of that blog, and so not having read everything in between then and now, it does appear that 21 months later, he hasn’t stopped blogging his admiration for the book.

Recently, he cited Cecil Hook’s list of 100 things people disagree on in the churches of Christ.    Rather than simply link to it — many of you never click anyway, and even fewer leave comments — I wanted to have this list recorded here.    I’m not sure about the order in which these are listed, but here it is:

1. taking of oaths

2. serving in the military

3. inflicting capital punishment

4. using force to defend oneself or others

5. voting for political candidates

6. serving as a government official

7. engaging in political activism

8. Christmas or Easter programs

9. letting a non-member lead prayer

10. lifting hands while singing

11. joining a ministerial alliance

12. indwelling of the Holy Spirit

13. work of the Holy Spirit

14. baptism of the Holy Spirit

15. prayer for healing

16. the Trinity

17. special providence

18. how God answers prayer

19. fasting

20. translations of the Bible

21. use of Thee and Thou in prayer

22. authority of elders

23. who selects and appoints elders

24. qualifications of elders

25. tenure of elders

26. elders presiding at the Lord’s Table

27. qualifications of deacons

28. deaconesses

29. enrolling widows

30. addressing disciples as Major or Doctor

31. long hair on men

32. midweek contributions

33. dimming the lights during prayer

34. singing as the emblems are passed

35. use of church buildings for secular activities

36. use of pictures of Jesus

37. use of symbols such as the cross

38. use of steeples and stained glass windows

39. use of the term Sunday School

40. passing of the collection baskets

41. eating in the church building

42. grounds for disfellowshipping

43. support of colleges from the church treasury

44. divorce for any cause

45. remarriage of a divorced person

46. preacher officiating at a wedding of a divorced person

47. disciples marrying non-members

48. preacher officiating for a mixed marriage

49. use of an instrument in “church” weddings

50. method and type of inspiration of the Bible

51. re-baptism of Baptists and Christian Church members

52. the “five items of worship”

53. use of choirs, choruses, quartets, solos, etc.

54. serving the Lord’s Supper on Sunday evening

55. serving the Lord’s Supper other than in assemblies

56. integration of races

57. smoking

58. total abstinence from alcoholic beverages

59. membership in fraternal orders

60. contributing to public charities

61. use of Bible class literature

62. youth directors, youth rallies, youth camps

63. the six days of creation being literal days

64. the extent of evolution

65. the operation of Christian hospitals

66. awards and prizes for church activities

67. debating religious issues

68. ministers of education, ministers of music, etc.

69. benevolence to fellow-disciples only

70. the baptismal “formula”

71. formal confession before baptism

72. going to law against disciples

73. dedicating babies

74. signing contribution pledge cards

75. children’s homes under eldership or a board

76. dancing

77. women wearing shorts and slacks

78. women wearing slacks to church services

79. girls leading prayer in family devotionals

80. girls leading prayer in youth devotionals

81. clapping hands during singing

82. buying VBS refreshments from the treasury

83. the present day activity of demons

84. applauding in the assembly

85. use of God’s name as a by-word

86. use of euphemisms of God’s name in by-words

87. use of contraceptives

88. abortion

89. adopting out an illegitimate child

90. women working outside the home

91. Children’s Bible Hour

92. busing children to services

93. “What is to be will be.”

94. bodily resurrection

95. if we shall know each other in heaven

96. degrees of reward and punishment

97. whether heaven and hell are literal places

98. dress code for men serving the Lord’s Supper

99. whether Christ came in AD 70

100. a name for the church

The unnamed blogger follows the list with a brief discussion here, but I’m wondering if you think there’s anything there that shouldn’t be or anything that got left out?

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And now, for today’s bonus item:

This is the “disagreement hierarchy.”  Anyone know the origin of this?   Here’s an article (without the chart) which would seem to attribute this to Paul Graham.

Link Time!

Once again, free of charge, here are a few things you might not have known were just a link away…

• Jeff Goins at the blog, Pilgrimage of the Heart, noted that his webzine Wrecked for the Ordinary, showed much interest last week on this topic, “Is The Cross The Wrong Symbol for Christianity?”     Before I even got to the article, I made the following observation at his blog:
  

  I remember years ago hearing people talk about recovering the towel and the basin as the symbol of Christianity; the idea was that the core concept of following Christ is to follow him as he washed his disciples’ feet.

  The discussion was still going on today here.

• Did you hear the story this week about the eight-year old boy sent home from school for drawing a picture of Jesus on the cross?    Asked to draw something that reminded him of Christmas, the boy drew a simple crucifix — pictured at right — with an ‘X’ in place of each eye to show that the person on the cross had died.   The school sent him home citing concerns of violence and ordered a psychiatric evaluation.   You can read the original Taunton Gazette Dec. 14 report here, and the latest update on the story here from Fox News.
• Here’s an internet archives classic:  A much younger looking 22-Words blogger Abraham Piper, pictured alongside his personal testimony — “When I was 19, I decided I’d be honest and stop saying I was a Christian…” — offers advice for the parents of prodigals in this 2007 article at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website.  (22-Words regulars might notice the resemblance between him and his son Orison)
  
• Sadly the Alltop blog aggregator is rapidly losing its usefulness when overtly commercial sites like Best Travel Deals are accepted.  Currently however, if you’ve never checked out the site, you can scan the titles of the last five posts at top blogs in the Christianity, Church and Religion categories.
• A few nights ago I ended up at a YouTube video containing the Casting Crowns song, Prayer for a Friend, when I was suddenly reminded of a CCM classic song by Debby Boone, Can You Reach My Friend? also on YouTube.  While both are homemade vids,  these are both great compositions.  How much time do we spend crying out for friends — both current and long lost — who have not yet crossed the line of faith?
  
• While the Grand Cayman Islands may not be the place to picture Christmas done up with snowmen and sleighs, they really do the lights thing to the max.   Zach and Cory, who attend Thabiti Anyabwile’s church,  post a few pics  at the appropriately named blog, Life in Grand Cayman.  (See sample at the top of this blog post.)
  
• Got more Christian books and Bibles lying around than you know what to do with?   In the United States, check out a program called Bare Your Bookshelf, where you can directly ship up to four pounds of books to someone in need.   In Canada, consider a program that gets large container loads of Christian resources to missionaries overseas at Christian Salvage Mission.    (Read the history and then click on “area coordinators” to find the closest contact to you.)
• Our cartoon today is from Mike Waters at Joyful Toons:

HT – for the Taunton, Mass. student story to Tom Bauerle at WBEN radio in Buffalo, with additional links from David Mercier at the blog Redeem The Time.