Friday, March 9, 2012

Why Isn't the Gospel More Offensive?

Boy I've stepped into it lately.

At least twice I've waded into Facebook battles over the current contraception argument.

If you've missed it, in January Kathleen Sebelius, President Obama's Secretary of Health and Human Services, announced a government enforced mandate that would require all employers, including religious institutions to provide free birth control to its employees.  Predictably, the Catholic Church (and others) protested, arguing that it would force them to violate Church teaching.  Three weeks later the Administration changed its mandate to require insurance companies to cover these costs, in their view thus insulating religious institutions from being put into such positions.  When this change failed to satisfy the Church and Conservatives, the Administration deftly made the argument into pro vs anti-women rather than religious freedom vs entitlement.

And immediately the pill hit the fan.

Whatever your view on this, the question from my title remains.  Why isn't the gospel offensive enough to generate such controversy?  Why does the idea of who pays for birth control more controversial than ideas such as heaven and hell, sin and forgiveness, and religious exclusivity and tolerance?

Can it be that Christians have done such a poor job of getting the message out there that the world no longer pays attention?  Can it be that we've been so bad at explaining the truth that the world no longer believes truth exists?

I don't know the answer.  I just know that I get no arguments when I post about Jesus (even from my non-Christian friends) but I see battles reminiscent of Gettysburg when I question the facts of the birth control battle.

I'd be happy to hear any thoughts that anyone has.

8 comments:

  1. Perhaps we have watered down or changed the gospel to much. If I were to post something about how everybody is a horrible, wretched, disgusting person and deserves to burn in hell for all of eternity, that would get some attention. In general, people seem to want to make the gospel less controversial and more appealing, so they focus on the happier side of things, and ignore the part of the gospel that deals with our sinful nature, and the wrath of God.

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  2. Good point. We have gone overboard in thinking that we need to be "nice" to be heard. The problem then is that people can't really listen if we say nothing worth listening to.

    Why don't you follow the blog?

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  3. True. I suppose it's also possible that the audience we're speaking to simply doesn't care about what we have to say anymore, not matter how we present it. It could be a number of things, I certainly don't know, but it is certainly something worth contemplating.

    I would love to follow the blog, but I don't know how :P Technology and I don't get along very well.

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  4. I've been wondering this point myself for a few years now, Matt, and written about it at least once or twice. I think the whole "Jesus Loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life" typical preaching has replaced a solid understanding of the Gospel with one that makes Jesus into your personal trainer and God your Wish Fulfillment Coach.... thereby making Heaven into one long party which centers upon "ME", instead of the celebration and glorification of God.

    I think I'm gonna have to make that last sentence into one of my status updates soon...or work it into one of my own blogs. I outdid myself there.

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  5. Rachel (and others),, there are two options to follow onn the right side of this page. You can get the blog updates by eail, or you can join the site and get a notification when a new blog post is available.

    I try to post something every Friday.

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  6. Matt, I knew I had done one particular post on the negativity of the Christian message... took a bit to find it but here's the link.

    http://juliemillerfan.xanga.com/736909811/ours-is-not-a-happy-tune---what-christianity-says-to-non-christians/

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  7. Julie ;)

    Good points, and I agree, but we cannot forget that the gospel is indeed good news! Perhaps if the message was changed to "God Loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life....if you repent from your sins and give your life to Him."

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    1. As Always, Matt, you have a great way of making me smile. Loved the addendum.... I'll have to consider posting on that one.

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