Today’s Quote 2/6/07

How is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain.     Homer Simpson

Jesus Wins Another Superbowl!!!

I always get nervous when Christians try to publicly explain worldly success by Jesus being with them. Is this just me?

Dungy saw his Superbowl victory as proof that you don’t have to use profanity or harshnessto motivate your team to a trophy. I am not sure statistics are on his side. No, I am not for profanity and brutality. I like Dungy’s demeanor and style. It’s classy and worthy of emulation. I just feel uneasy when a person uses personal success to prove that their brand of spirituality is superior and the right way. How would we feel if a Mormon coach won the Superbowl and he (she?) used it to prove that Mormonism was the secret to victory? After all, Jesus has lost quite a few Superbowls!!!!

When we try to relate our spirituality to success of any kind I wonder if we have made our relationship with God a commodity. I also wonder if now God becomes a source of guilt rather than freedom for those who hear us – as in, you wouldn’t have such a lousy marriage if you had the kind of relationship with God that I do, or you wouldn’t have such a terrible financial situation if you had the kind of relationship with God that I do. These things are probably true, but I am not sure it’s a healing thing to say. And it comes across as “I am the teacher-you are the student” kind of way. That’s alienating and distancing.

I think Dungy has some things to say about what it means to be a Christ-follower in his part of the world. Sure enough, there will be some DVDs produced that will carry his story. That’s good. But I also think that a public pronouncement that following Jesus gave him a Superbowl victory has a boomerang effect that will have some unintended consequences. Sometimes words get in the way.