We Have an Emergent-See
The people at Pyromaniacs recently published a set of spoof posters titled, Emergent-See Po-Motivational Posters for Emerging Christians: the All-New Motivational Posters for the Emerging Church Conversation Chaos. When I first heard about them I thought, “Oh, these are gonna be good.” So I started reading—I laughed; I chuckled; I became quiet; my heart began sinking; I wept.
While aimed squarely at the emergent church movement, there is really nothing “all-new” about the lies being lampooned here. It has been said that good satire always contains an element of truth, one of which is that the stuff that is satirized in these “motivational” posters is the stuff of ministry—yes, even ministry in the church. I have conversations with the folks in the posters on a regular basis (and you can put my picture in the one above, too). The deceits of the devil are indeed subtle and pervasive—and fatal.
“Deconstruction” and “Tolerance” are my faves…
Those are good ones. I almost used “Deconstruction” in the post.
Before I begin getting really frustrated, I want to try and understand what is going on here. Is this “smug” attempt at satire mocking the emerging church for being “smug” and self righteous? Are you (in your post) saying that the emerging church, as a whole, has fallen to the “deceits of the devil”. Very strong wording. Are we meant to see folks such as Brian McLaren and Rob Bell as “devilish” figures? I do not read your blog regularly enough, so maybe I am missing the point. Please explain–I am curious. It does make me sad for one part of the church to feel the need to mock another part of the church in such a “smug”, seemingly biting way. And yes, I do count the emerging church as part of the “church”-even if I disagree (perhaps) with some of their claims. I actually think I agree with many of their claims and concerns: a critique of modern scientific rationalism that we have deemed “Christian” when it is really post-Kantian; a need for return to narrative and metaphor when attempting to talk about mystery–a return to regarding mystery for that matter. I do, however, have an issue with the trendiness of some of it all, but that is a secondary matter. Okay, I should shut up as I am still not sure that I get the (what I perceive as a cruel, harsh, perhaps uninformed) joke. I have enjoyed your blog when I have read it–I hope to continue this conversation. Thanks!
Wow. I hadn’t seen those before, and it’s saddening to see them now, given how accurately they depict so many so-called ‘Christian’ attitudes in the current age.
As for the “Deconstruction” one, it specifically reminds me of this quote by 19th century philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard:
“The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly… ‘My God,’ you will say, ‘if I do that my whole life will be ruined.’”
Hey, Scott,
Thanks for this post. While I appreciate some of what the Emergent Church is trying to do, these spoofs capture some of the more bizarre attitudes. But you are right, a lot of this nails a broader scope of Evangelicalism than merely the Emerging Church.
But if we can’t laugh at oursleves, we are taking oursleves way too seriously!