The baddest book
May 12, 2006
Christians and churches all over the country are making a terrible noise about a certain book and a movie by the same name. Because why? Because it misrepresents Christian history, that’s why, and we gotta do something about it! We gotta defend God’s honor!
Since when does the sovereign God need help in defending himself? I say that if you think it’s a bad book, don’t read it. Surely you can find a good book to read.
But what about all those people who may read it and believe it? To this I say that our responsibility as Christians is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, to raise up Jesus and let the power of the gospel transform minds and hearts. Why should we dignify a bad book by defending ourselves against it? Someone once said that the best defense is a good offense, which suggests that our response to bad books should be to herald the Truth of God in a way that makes it is clear what is true and what is not.
For example, our baddest book might suggest something off the wall, like that Jesus was involved in a sexual affair. We are tempted to react in righteous indignation, saying, “Did not!” (which always elicits a righteous “Did too”).
“So what are we to do about this baddest book and movie that will be read and seen by millons? What if people belief that stuff?” you say. Good question and one that somehow brought to mind a book gathering dust in my library. It’s Heralds of God by James S. Stewart, a book that was written for preachers, not the likes of me. I read it many years ago when my preacher wasn’t watching, and it taught me a lot about the tension between world and gospel.
Why not just call it a bad book and then direct our sermons and conversations to holding up the real Jesus for all to see? Preacher or not, we can all be “heralds of God.”
Dave, not very worried about just another bad book.
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Well said, Dad. Paster Bakker did make a good comment after the DaVinci Code film Sunday that it’s the impressionable teens that might be misled by the book/movie and might need some guidance. So maybe if there’s a defense to be wage against the non-facts in the book, it could be best addressed to the kids. But then, WHEN do kids ever listen to their parents sage advice? Ha ha.
Now, don’t try to disillusion this parent/grandparent/great-grandparent! I wonder if some kids will read it because we are making such a fuss about it?