Chapel-teria- Kristen

Listening to NPR on my way home from work the other day, I heard a little bit of a feature they were doing on the Religious Right's effect on (and ambitions in) politics.  Talking about James Dobson and his 80-acre "Focus on the Family" Compound...excuse me...Headquarters in Colorado Springs, we got to hear a soundbite of a young woman giving a "tour" of the facilities.  You hear her say, "And this is our Chapel-teria.  It combines the function of both a Cafeteria and a Chapel."  There is a cheery pride in her voice that activates my gag reflex.  There is no trace of irony, no sense of the ridiculous.  There is nothing in her voice to indicate her awareness of the fact that she is just a Focus on the Family Whore.  You can tell her eyes are open all wide and starry and innocent, and that sincerity just drips from her shiny, freshly-glossed lips.  She's never had doubts about the value of combining a place for noisy consumption of poor-quality mass-produced food and a place for quiet, peaceful contemplation.  No, in her mind, a Chapel-teria is innovative and fresh.  I can just see her navy-blue "LuvyaDubya" t-shirt, freshly ironed. She would never watch the movie "Jesus' Son", and she would never cheer when Jack Black says, "I need a quiet chapel about now."

While we're on the subject of cheery young hyper-spiritual ingenues, I would really appreciate it if my foster child's friends at school would SHUT THEIR PIE-HOLES!!!!  They are undoing all our good work with her!  All day long, they're all "gay people are going to burn" and "so are you if you don't get saved" and all "oujia boards will get you possessed by a demon" and...Enough all ready, ladies!  Thanks!  If your goal is to push her even farther away from the loving arms of Jesus, thanks very much, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!  I really struggled with myself the other day. I honestly considered calling one of these girls.  Because I know that she really is worried that my fake child is not going to heaven.  I know she really cares.  But my interactions with family has taught me the valuable lesson that not everyone sees things the way I do- and it's better to keep my pie-hole shut, at least when in the presence of these people.

Last but not least, this morning I sat down and watched The Daily Show with Jim Wallis as guest.  We've had it tivo'd and I just got around to it this morning.  Let me tell you, the tears stood in my eyes during several moments, but when he started talking about Matthew 25, several tears escaped the confines of my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.  To hear someone- finally- say the things that are important...on The Daily Show...by a person who calls himself an Evangelical Christian!  It was too much.  Actually, it was just enough to keep me from renouncing my religion in light of the other things I've been exposed to this week.  Renouncing my religion, but not Jesus.  You know I love you, Jesus, in spite of the horrible way you're represented down here most of the time.

I take that back.  I'm sorry, Jesus, but after hearing that James Dobson has publically renounced Sponge Bob as having a homosexual agenda, I take it back.  I renounce my religion.  I'm sorry, Jesus, I really am.  I'll continue to love you, but I can no longer call myself a Christian.  Wait...Micah is telling me to watch Jim Wallis again...oh, hell, I'll give it a try...

* Our computer is on the blink, so posting may be infrequent.  Big shout-out here to Jennifer, who posted this for me...Big, Big, Big Shout out.  Because she is here, at our house now, with laptop all jerry-rigged up, having gone through hell AND high-water so that I can indulge my little addiction.  What addiction?  I'm not addicted!  I can stop anytime I want to.  I just don't want to.  Oh, blog-world, you are the world I want to live in.  You're free therapy for me.  You have given me not only a voice, but an audience to listen to it. Without you I have been walking around as though my mouth has been duct-taped over, screaming at the top of my voice but no one WOULD REMOVE THE TAPE!!!!  Until Jennifer!!!  Thank you, Educat, thank you!!!!

Comments

[Scott Jones]

One month before moving from Fville I was out at one of the many cool locally-owned coffee shops (no Starbucks anywhere in Fville) for open-mic night (a monthly ritual for me). I was sitting with one of our edgier youth, her boyfriend, and another friend of theirs. We got into a serious religious conversation. And the friend was amazed. All he knew were Christians (and Baptists in particular) that judged him and treated him like he was already burning in hell fire. He couldn't believe that there was a Christian, much less a Baptist minister, saying the things I was saying. In that moment I regretted I was moving; I wanted to chat with that kid further.

[Streak]

Yeah, thank you for this. I felt the same way when Jim Wallis talked about feeding the poor.