Transitory Psychosis

As you know, two days ago (March 9) President Barak Obama fulfilled a campaign promise by signing an executive order authorizing the use of tax-dollars for embryo-destructive research on embryonic stem cells. This order effectively lifted restrictions on the use of federal funds for this research.

The President hailed the order as “an important step in advancing the cause of science in America.” He described it as being “about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion and listening to what they tell us, even when it’s inconvenient–especially when it’s inconvenient.”
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“I believe whatever you believe is true to you and it really shouldn’t matter what other people think.” Those were the words of Traci, a 14-year-old girl who was raised in a home where Judaism was not just talked about, but was practiced. Her grandparents are Holocaust survivors and her family keeps kosher and displays a mezuzah (a little box holding verses from the Torah) at the door of their Las Vegas home.

Traci has obviously imbibed the increasingly popular doctrine of relative truth. As the U.S. becomes more pluralistic, intellectually lazy Americans grow fonder of the idea that “whatever you believe is true to you” and less inclined to determine truth from falsehood, especially where religion is concerned.
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A friend of mine is facing a frightening circumstance–waiting on test results regarding a potentially serious health issue. Scary. I’ve been there a time or two and it’s not a fun place to be. However, I’ve shared with my friend something I have learned (albeit imperfectly) and I want to share it with you too.

In times like these, Christians most naturally turn to the Bible for encouraging faithbuilding words. That’s a good practice. However, we usually look to passages like Psalm 23 or other such comforting sections of Scripture. Nothing wrong with that, of course.
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In a recent report from the Barna Group, I read this sentence: “Seven out of ten adults claim to have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is important to them.” (Find the entire report, “American Individualism Shines Through in People’s Self-Image,” at: www.barna.org). That statistic stunned me. How could 70% of Americans have made a personal commitment to Christ and the United States still be in such sad moral and spiritual condition?

I’m convinced the answer is found at the discount stores. We all know that if one company creates a good and popular product someone else will imitate it–often at a lower price. In many cases, the imitation tastes, works, or wears just as well as the original.

Unfortunately, we have also applied the same sort of logic to spiritual matters. The problem is that there is no such thing as generic Christianity. The cheaper substitute simply ceases to be the real thing.

For the next few days, I want to focus on that issue in my blog. I hope you’ll stay with me.

Tomorrow’s topic: Counterfeit Conversion

To many of us Sinead O’Connor is a name of the past. Don’t remember her? She was the Irish girl with a buzz cut. You may remember her popular song and video, “Nothing Compares to You.” Still doesn’t ring a bell? She’s the one who tore up and picture of the pope on Saturday Night Live.

O’Connor is 40 now, and she is promoting “Theology,” her new CD which she says was inspired by the Old Testament prophets. Last night I read Andree Farias’ interview of O’Connor for Christianity Today. You can check it out here.

In an inteview arranged by publicists who are attempting to interest the Christian market in O’Connor’s new disc, Farias asked the singer all sorts of questions about her religious heritage (Catholic), church attendance (not regularly, “I believe you can find God all over the place”), and whether she is a Christian (“Yeah, by birth and by culture”).

Honestly, I have no interest in O’Connor’s music, it is her theology that intrigues me–particularly the rationale for her beliefs. Let me give you a few excerpts. (The italics are mine.)
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