#2 "You Shall Not Make For Yourself An Idol"

Thirty years ago, literally speaking, this commandment would have been regarded as almost nonsensical. Our modernist ideological construct would not have permitted most of us to believe that people would actually create or purchase an actual "idol' with which to worship. That was something that primitive, animistic and uncivilized people did - who lived in far-off and mysterious lands. Now those people are here... and they are no longer "primitive and uncivilized." They are well educated. They are family doctors, corporate business people, civil and chemical engineers and they have penetrated the very heartland of our country.

I recall a number of years ago, as a Youth Minister, having an activity at one of the homes of an Indian family. One of our Youth Interns, while walking about the house, noticed an interesting statuette (a animal figure I believe) on a shelf; and she picked it up and began to show it to a number of our students who had gathered in the room before we started our activity. One of the parents happened to walk in to the room and asked her to please put it back, because as she said in broken English: "they are of our god's that we worship." This Indian woman's husband was a doctor in our small town, midwestern community.

It seems to me that at issue here are a number of important points to consider (I think): 1. Our culture is truly more "poly-thiestic" and "pluralistic" than ever before in our history - again largely because of the kind of immigration encouraged by things like the educational system, and even more so the globalistic economy. 2. The increasing presence and saturation of "foreign gods," and the emphasis and insistence of our cultures new and prevailing virtue called "tolerance," has often encouraged a kind of "syncretism." The playing field for all religious meta narratives has been unceremoniously leveled. Generally, they placed with equal weight, within the market place of ideas, and offered as an ideological buffet. The cultural mindset is that people are free to take or leave whatever doesn't really suit them personally and privately.


Implications for those of us who are Christian are enormous for the following reasons: 1. We have to overcome mis-perceptions of what "Christianity" really is - even, and particularly among those of us who are indigenous to this culture. 2. We can no longer assume Biblical knowledge and a respect for it. 3. Instead of the gospel being the transference of knowledge about who and what Jesus was, it must now, more than ever be the genuine "incarnational presence of Christ" among them - through us... 4. We gotta let go the "proof text" approach. 5. A new commitment to intellectual honesty. 5. The Churches historic missional connection with "westernization" permitted us initially to ride the coattails that came along with "progress," science and technology and the credibility that came along with them. Today, the West and historic westernization is under attack and because of Church's association with it... so is the Church. 6. More unity and collaboration among various denominations (still developing these latter thoughts...)