It is almost unbearable. In any major city — and even some small towns — you will inevitably encounter someone on a street corner pitching their version of Christianity. It’s manipulative. It’s angry. And it plays to our fears. It seems that the louder they are, the scarier their version of Christianity is. The loudest have megaphones and great, big signs with scary (even hateful) messages on them. Does it seem to you that Christianity is a religion based on fear?
We tell our children over and over to be nice to the other children on the playground. We teach them not to hurt others. We teach them to express their frustration in constructive ways, but never to take it out on another in anger. And the stakes are high, right? If they don’t follow these teachings, they might become the bully. Why do we hold our children to a higher standard than God?
Change is a part of our DNA. Our bodies’ cells recreate themselves over and over again throughout our life. Trees have a cycle of life where they experience change that sustains them. Change is good. It is an expression of growth and sustenance.
When we were kids, we were told that prayer is just simply talking to God. Many were taught to talk to God like they were talking to a friend. And of course, this isn’t all bad. But this understanding has harmed prayer practices and kept people from accessing meaningful connection with themselves and with others.
This week, Fox aired a live performance of RENT, Jonathan Larson’s timeless rock musical. In its own time, RENT opened the hearts and minds of theater goers to issues of LGBTQ discrimination, community, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and so much more. It was a brilliant music score that still captivates musicians today. There are so many reasons to appreciate RENT and the creativity, truth-telling, and challenging lessons it has for us all.