Stupid Questions (A Word on Politics)

But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

–-Titus 3:9

There it is: Biblical proof that there are stupid questions, rather there are foolish questions. However, the word foolish in the original Greek is μωρός(mōros), meaning “moron”. It stems from the Greek word μυστήριον(mystērion), meaning “To shut the mouth”. In other words, the word “foolish” essentially means, “That’s stupid. Shut up.”. I apologize, obviously that’s a very harsh, but Biblically, there is such a thing as a stupid question. What is a stupid question? Well, to me, a stupid question is one that you already know the answer to. If someone asked me if I had my keys, or if I had a Sharpie, those would be stupid questions. 

For the past three years I haven’t gone a day without a Sharpie on my person, and since I got my bus key at 16, I haven’t been without it. Those are stupid questions to me because those who ask already know the answers, thus the question serves no purpose. However, that isn’t the kind of foolish questions that Paul is talking about here. A stupid question to Paul is not only one that someone already knows the answer to, but it’s one that is intentionally asked to waste the time of both parties involved.

Here is some verse context to get you into the mode of what Paul is trying to say.

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
—Titus 3:8

Paul asks Titus, who is in Crete, to affirm constantly to the Church that they would be careful to maintain good works. In other words, Paul wants the Church at Crete to show evidence of Christ in them. The point of this verse is the last statement: “These things are good and profitable unto men.”

Then in verse nine, he is warning of distractions that would pull us away from that commission to do good works. Things like foolish questions: questions whose answers would not benefit anyone, whose asking serves only to waste the time of anyone involved, and whose purpose is to gender strife and contention. The other major thing he warns against is striving about the law: for they are unprofitable and vain.

Striving a about the law in Bible times is the equivalent of political talk today. Talk that pollutes social media with negative opinions, slams, and promotions for candidates. Talk that ensnares brothers and sisters in hostile or meaningless arguments about laws, candidates, or the moral status of our country. All of this is vain and unprofitable to any end. Sure, I’ll agree that conversing is the easiest means of solving issues between people, but the majority of these comments and conversations are not personal and serve only to gender strife and contention amongst a large group of social addicts.

My advice, if you have something specific and personal to say about what someone else believes or is intending to do with their vote, take it up with that person in a private conversation. Facebook, and Twitter, and other such large-scale social media sites are not for the purpose of starting arguments and pointless strivings about the law which serve only to waste the time of everyone involved. Much of the conversation will not change anyone’s opinion or conviction, and will certainly not help the cause of any particular candidate.

These kinds of things: stupid questions, political talk, they are unprofitable and unbiblical. They are distractions from our calling and are hurting our Christian witness. What do you think that the secular world thinks when they see Christians openly squabbling about politics on social sites? What are we doing but trying to get a rise out of someone and stir up some controversy somewhere?

I don’t believe it’s wrong to support your candidate–that does not include slamming others to promote your own–, but, if your going to flirt with politics, may it be only as far as concerns your personal convictions about candidates. Carnal opinion and fleshly desires to tear down, backstab, and create strife among the brethren should be shunned. We need to focus on our calling in Christ, doing good works for His kingdom sake and showing His love by our love for each other.

So, there is such thing as a stupid question, and personal politics are unprofitable to the kingdom. Strengthen your witness and your spiritual walk, avoid both of these things and devote your time to Christ rather than the world.

As always, thanks for reading.

–the anonymous novelist

Artificial and Impersonal

The facade of Christianity is killing the witness of Christian people today.

An exterior saturation of Christianity acts like a mask and a wall, preventing anyone from getting through our religion and into our lives. We need to stop being so Christian that we are no longer humans but concepts and beliefs. It’s ridiculous, the pollution of scripture that is clogging the pipeline to our real selves. People can’t get to the real you past your faith.

Let me back up 101 steps and give you a 101 of what it all means. 

1. God gives every Christian an identity in Christ.
2. The world needs to get to know you for who you are before they trust what you say.
3. No matter what it’s clogged with, a clogged drain will stop up a clean pipe.

We’ll start with #1: 

Your Purpose

People, especially younger kids and teens, have difficulty establishing their identity. They don’t know who they are. It is vital to a good witness, to know exactly who you are in Christ. If you don’t know who you are, how will anyone else? We are to shine the light of Christ to a dark world, but we don’t need to blind them.

That brings me to #2 on the list: 

Your Presentation

When you first get to know a person, they tell you a little bit about themselves to acclimate you to their life and history. With Christians, and especially on social media, there is such a flippant overuse of scripture and inspirational quotes, and theologies, and doctrines that it’s disgusting. So many different versions of the Bible it’s disorienting, so many theological stumbling blocks it’s discouraging.

We’re packaging Christianity in Christian paper. The box screams of its contents. Everyone knows what we have in the package, making it no longer a surprise and therefore less intruiging, less compelling, and less special. On the other hand, we are wrapping ourselves in Christian paper. If someone simply wanted to get to know you, they couldn’t without wadding through scripture and bungles of your beliefs.

Now it comes to part #3. This section will quantify why the first two sections are damaging your witness and effectiveness.

Your Pollution

The pollution of the gospel is killing our witness. Have you ever heard the saying, “too much of a good thing”? It’s true. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Silk is nice to see and touch, but enough of it smashed into a sink drain will block the flow of water through the pipes and pollute the sink as soap and dirt get pooled in it. 

Even too much of a really good thing can become a bad thing. On social media and–tag teaming yesterday’s post a little– even in the way we act around other people, we’re plastic and fake, even creepy. When every single post on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts is scripture, about God or theology, or something spiritual, we push people away.

I know several people who I love dearly in real life, (you may know these kinds of people as well), but I don’t follow them on social media because their accounts contain nothing about them. It’s counterproductive, as odd as it may seem, to be constant promoting your, “witness”, and never sharing about yourself.

The easiest way in today’s culture to preach the gospel to someone is in sincerity and without fancy words or elegant speech: just be you. 

Like anything in life, you won’t accept something, or commit to something offered to you someone you don’t know. Let people know you. Stop hiding behind your religion, that’s not its purpose. Our faith in Christ will flow out of us in everything we do, but if that part of you is all anyone ever sees, they’ll never really know you and trust what you say.

Last thing: God doesn’t need a social media account. You aren’t His personal PR to the social network; stop trying to be. If all you ever post is religious and inspirational, you are hurting your witness and making yourself plastic and untouchable to the lost and searching. People want a friend. Let people know you, then, as a friend, tell them of God’s love. Let them into your life, don’t hide behind your faith, let it flow through you as the Spirit leads, but don’t just put it up as a wall to keep people out.

As always, thanks for reading, and just be real.

—the anonymous novelist

Star(bucks) Wars!

I think this is hilarious, and following up on my post about Starbucks and the Red Cup Controversy, allow me to present the Star(bucks) Wars! 

Alright, so Starbucks seems to quite innocently introduce a simplistic, two-toned cup design for their annual holiday Red Cup. Looks like this:

 
An Evangelist on social gives Christianity a black eye and takes this lack of design or pattern personally. You see, Starbucks has in the past included snowflakes, trees, or ornament patterns on the Red Cup and anything less than that is, to this man Anti-Christmas. Gasp! Oh, no, say it isn’t so! A new-age, anti-Christian coffee shop is taking patterns off of their cups! No!!!

So, this guy blows up social media with a feiry: “Starbucks is the Antchrist!”, or something similar; completely ignoring the fact that red is a Christmas color more than trees and snowflakes are Christmas patterns. There would be no Christmas without the blood of Christ. That and red and green don’t go together atbany other time of the year, so why bother even making it a red cup if you’re going to go all Anti-Christmas on us?

Just a few days ago, in an attempt to become the holiday friendly company coming off the heels of a Christmas confetti explosion called the “Red Cup Controversy”, Dunkin Donuts has introduced their JOY cup.

 
That’s about as Christmasy as you can get. Social media has again   responded, this time, hailing Dunkin Donuts as the “Savior of Christmas”, or some mumbo-jumbo like that. Not that it’s wrong of Dunkin Donuts to promote joy this Christmas, but the timing seems awfully convenient don’t you think?

Well, that alone is a story, but it’s not the end of this story. In retaliation to Dunkin Donuts “Joy” cup, Starbucks has returned with their own marketing ploy, consequently it is also named the “Joy Cup”.

 
The only thing about this cup, well, there are a lot of things wrong about this cup, but one big thing is that Starbucks seems to be the center of the red and green themed Christmas joy. Again though, it’s 50% marketing and 50% trying to recover from the Red Cup explosion. 

In the midst of the Star(bucks) Wars we see the commercialism of Christmas, but also the reason behind it. Every business want to make Christmas about you, while in reality making it about them. To convince you to buy from them, they appeal to your Christmas spirit by being as festive as they can; but it’s not because they like Christmas, it’s because they like the money Christmas brings. Christmas isn’t about you, it’s not about Christ, it’s about the lost. 

Wow! Pause right there for a moment. What? Did I really just say that God’s holiday isn’t about His Son? Did I really just say that you are not the reason He came and therefore the reason for the season?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God came for the lost, if you’re a Christian, you’re not the lost, you are the saved. For Christians, Christmas is a time of rejoicing. But, Christ came to save, if we are saved, Christmas is no longer about us: it’s about them. And the lost in the world are not just the poor and destitute, but also the rich and famous. Hell is no respecter of persons, it accepts the rich and poor alike.

Christ came, but the reason He came is the reason for this season. With all the different people and businesses vying for your money and your attention, focus on the real reason for the season.

As always, thanks for reading.

—the anonymous novelist