Insulting Jesus in the New Economy
Saturday, June 25, 2011 at 8:03AM | by Otter I don't do much on Facebook. I think it's a strange use of time, at least for an adult with things to do and get done.
But I'm not at all immune to some of the lures there. Quite the reverse.
Until last night I was "Friends" (what a strange misuse of a word) with a very important musician, a guy who had been big in the Jesus Music movement and before that in western country rock music. When I was growing up, I'd learned to play guitar in part by imitating his acoustic guitar stylings.
Yesterday afternoon I saw a strange status update from him. It said that Jesus had brought him too far as a musician for him to continue in the local music scene in his adopted home town, that he had played gigs for $1500 (plus expenses) back in the 1970's. It wasn't clear who stiffed him, but it was pretty plain that he wasn't being treated as he thought he deserved (and it's a good bet he wasn't).
He ended up saying that Jesus was "insulted" by this treatment of himself.
That strikes me as a little strange. In this economy, maybe Jesus is insulted by the fact that the overwhelming majority of us are not paid as our talents deserve. But there's something depressingly self-centered about a theology that says Jesus is insulted on our behalf because we're not scoring a $1500 a night gig. And then too it's worth noting that in the richest nation on earth, such an attitude resembles Roman indolence as much as Christian willingness to suffer and serve.
I said so, suggesting he "leave Jesus out of it."
He told me indulgently in his comments that I needed to "have the mind of Christ," that he could not "leave Jesus out of it." He asked me how old I am.
At this point I was thoroughly depressed by the whole exchange and said, "Old enough to know a self-serving theology when I see one."
Within thirty seconds I had been "unfriended."
Yeah, it happens. The longer I keep an eye on my old spiritual heros, the more often this kind of thing happens. Richard Bach had it right when he said that in some very important senses you need to be your own messiah. There's only so much of this disillusionment you can take, this sold-out-for-a-Jesus-that-never-was. I've known Christians to use Jesus to justify everything from concealed handguns in church to a million dollar memorial fountain. Jesus is the new black: he goes with everything.
It's not that I'm a lot better than this guy or dozens of others whose re-drawing of Jesus to suit themselves offends me: but at least I'm not going to sit around congratulating myself on having "the mind of Christ" when I've just put Jesus in the blender with my desires. That crazy dude was hard to follow in the First Century. Too hard for me in the Twenty First.
Evidently he's lightened up a bit and gotten to be a kick-ass booking agent, wounded and indignant on behalf of his clients.
I'm sure a musician on Facebook has all sorts of critics hanging around pretending to be friends and develops a summary-execution policy. I guess I don't grudge him that part of the exchange: he has his own worries without being told by a stranger to rethink God from the ground up.
But I'm not sorry I did it.
How odd that you should think that, among all the people who are scraping just to get the money they need to pay the bills, your history with Jesus merits a payday.
I've seen this guy's show, and he's a true professional, a really great performer and a very good songwriter. He deserves big stages, but not because he's come this far with Jesus. My understanding is that buys you a cross on which to die, not a stage on which to play.
Jesus insulted?
The one who had no place to lay his head?
Maybe Jesus is insulted, but I'm not sure it's because of the stingy club-owners of Fresno.
Reader Comments (7)
Wow. "Jesus is the new black...." I have always loved the way you can spin words.
Do you think Jesus would go to my next union negotiations? I'm pretty sure he's insulted at my wages too.
Chloe
You can try, Chloe. Get a t-shirt that says, "My Jesus Hates Your Contract."
lol. I'd think I'd be closer to the truth of it than your musician guy. Jesus actually did say something about caring for the sick (as opposed to playing a guitar, which Jesus said nothing about whatsoever), so I'm betting he has his finger on the pulse of nursing today. I'm just sure Jesus is deeply insulted over my wages and would like to see me paid better. I'm pretty sure he's also up-in-arms over my vacation package and pretty darn incensed over my insurance plan.
Thanks for the negotiating tip. Now with Jesus on my side, I'm sure to have an edge.
"Jesus is the new Black..." Beautiful. You are a wordsmith extraordinaire. I'll be thinking about that phrase all day.
Why oh why do people think that they can take the Son of God and turn Him into a magic genie -- a vending machine for their desires? Really? What hubris.
Thank you for your kind comments, Julia.
I'm just afraid that this guy is more the rule than the exception when it comes to Jesus.
In the hunt for a Jesus you can really live with, one that won't get you killed or leave you hungry or your children defenseless in a hostile world, you get a Jesus of your own making.
It's a long way from Roman occupied Palestine...
Sigh...
There's a Major Issue lots of "Christians" have that affects them in rather ugly ways: they are completely blind to all blessings that are not monetary in nature.
It's disgusting, because it's a self-inflicted blindness, so please, do not observe too closely. It's the same handicap that caused the whole Prosperity Gospel Movement (gag), motivates Faith Promise Giving to Missions, and prompts preachers and evangelists to say vile things like "You can't out-give God".
It makes people ignore the real blessings like healthy children, the ability to have children at all, friendship, peaceful sleep, strength that comes right on time, gaining joy from singing a song, and (a big one) giving joy from sharing a song.
I (personally) think this comes from the awful terminology we Christians throw around like sand in a sandbox ("Ooh, this is super fun! Oh, damn, I had no idea that would sting you and irritate everyone like it does."): being used by God, and having a servant's heart. I don't think Christ is looking for field hands. I seem to recall Him wanting friends instead, and badly enough that He laid down His life.
Brilliant point, Daisy.
Gilding the daisy, here: God didn't invent money. We did that so we could measure the bounty of the universe and either make it more equitable or claim more of it for ourselves.
"Property is nine-tenths of the law," is the law-school mantra, as fresh young souls get the life squeezed out of them so they regard ownership and equity through distorted lenses. It's also the case that it's 9-10ths of religion, which also seeks to apportion the world for better and worse.