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| Grab yer breastplate and sword friend; we're going to battle!!! |
Human beings love to major in the minors and Christians are no different. In fact, there are several small molehills that have been transformed into a religious mountains with well-meaning, fundamentalist Christians standing atop them, yelling through megaphones, "We shall persevere no matter the cost!"
Don't take this the wrong way; I love being a Christian but I also know the difference between conviction and condemnation. I want it known that I applaud people who stick to their convictions. I myself am convicted on several issues many people would write off as being silly. However, those are
my convictions. The danger is when our personal convictions drift over into condemnation (legalism).
For example, my husband and I feel convicted to live a debt free lifestyle. That's our personal choice and we have a right to it. However, if we began to feel that
everybody needed to do things exactly our way and, if they don't, they are simply falling short on some sort of "holiness" scale, that would be condemnation; something I don't think we have the right to do.
Below is a list of the nine silliest battles many of us Christians have decided to take our last stand on. My goal is not to poke anyone in the eye but to give us all a good chuckle as we spend a moment laughing at ourselves and how ridiculously minor some of our majors are.
1.
Tattoos
Battle Cry: Tattoos are a way to dishonor God with your body!
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| In the U.S. today, 1 in 3 adults under the age of 30 has a tattoo. |
Let's put aside the fact it's fast become a cultural norm (because we all know that just because something is popular doesn't mean it's right). There are several anti-tattooists who point to a scripture out of the Old Testament, a part of the Mosaic Law, which forbid the Israelites to be inked. However, this same passage includes a plethora of laws and decrees I don't see fundamentalist Christians practicing. For example, the order that an Israelite cannot wear clothing of differing material. Now, if you are going to condemn tattoos on the basis of this Scripture, you also need to condemn anyone who mixes their polyester with their cotton. You don't see this movement in the church because it's inconvenient to be so strict with your clothing; it's super convenient to not get a tattoo.
Why did God forbid His chosen people to be tattooed during the pre-Jesus/grace era? Well, for starters, at that time and place in history the pagans tattooed their bodies as part of their worship of false gods. Tattooing meant something totally different than it does today. Back then, people could immediately associate it with idol worship. Nowadays however, when you're at the playground with your kids and see another mom with a butterfly inked onto her ankle, it's highly unlikely she branded herself in worship of Baal.
But what about our bodies being temples, as the New Testament clearly states? Well, our bodies are temples but I fail to see how tattoos dishonor them. It really comes down to differing views on what's beautiful and what's not. If you don't think something is beautiful, don't wear it but you can't expect another's ideas of beauty to completely adhere to yours.
Finally, I feel that it's important to remember 1 Samuel 16:7, "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.
The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'"
Whether or not you feel convicted about tattoos and if you should have one is between you and God. But when you see others with them, remember they only go skin deep; what matters is beneath the surface.
2.
Halloween
Battle Cry: Celebrating Halloween is worshipping the devil!
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| Obviously a den of demons dripping with heathen rituals! |
As a child, my sister and I were fairly close in age so our Halloween costumes were often themed together, the
piece de resistance being the year we went as Mary and Laura Ingalls. Then one October 31, at church, we heard the other children babbling and chatting about what costumes they were planning on wearing for trick or treating that night. We were confused; we didn't even know it was Halloween (we were still fairly young at this point) and found it odd that our parents hadn't even prepped. However, undeterred, we began to excitedly plan our costumes, thinking what we had in the house to wear. As the day wore on our puzzlement AND excitement grew; it was Halloween after all!
Finally, late in the day, our dad sat us down and told us Mom and he had decided Halloween was an evil holiday and we wouldn't be celebrating, explaining it was a way to worship Satan. We argued but he went on to say that because the origins of the holiday were in reverence of death and some people still viewed it that way, we, as good Christians, would never, ever trick or treat again.
Now, I love both my parents very much. They were not being malicious; at the time they truly thought they were doing the righteous thing but, still, our Halloween ban always felt odd.
Needless to say, as a parent, I celebrate Halloween with gusto; I just don't feel convicted about the holiday. I don't see how the Kingdom of Heaven is being hurt by my children putting on costumes (who doesn't love dress up?) and going out into our community while people we should know (our neighbors) give them candy. I don't see how the Kingdom of Heaven is being helped by us hiding in our basement with the lights off upstairs, patting ourselves on the back because we're doing the "righteous" thing while the naive heathens run rampant around the neighborhood.
Are there some people who celebrate Halloween as a way to worship death and the devil? Yes. On the same hand, are there people who celebrate Christmas for different reasons than I do? Yes. Are there people who use the Christmas holiday season as a chance to party and get wasted? Yes. Just because they choose to behave this way doesn't mean I don't celebrate Christmas as the day of Jesus' birth, regardless what others are doing. The same goes for Halloween. I don't worship Satan on Halloween; I participate in a fun, community-oriented custom that has been part of our culture for decades.
And, truthfully, I can't picture my Jesus hiding in His dark house with the porch light off on Halloween. I like to think He'd be handing out candy and greeting neighbors, perhaps taking an opportunity to form new relationships.
You see, for the majority of the year, my neighbors ignore me and keep to themselves. Halloween is the one time they come to my door with smiles and friendliness. Am I going to miss this unique moment? Absolutely not!
3.
Piercings
Battle Cry: Piercing is another form of body mutilation!
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| Nose and lip! Tsk tsk tsk... |
I've heard a lot of ridiculous claims about piercings; for example, a girl can have two ear piercings but any more than that is wrong. What?! Who makes these rules? As with tattoos, this is a personal preference, not a Scriptural issue.
How about this one -- "If people see a boy with pierced ears they'll think he's gay." Um, just wow.
Or -- "Piercings are a way to attract boys; if parents let their young daughters pierce their ears they are sending the wrong message and setting them up for promiscuity."
Now, if you as a parent don't want to pierce till a certain age, that's called parenting and it's your right and your preference. Other people may, can, and will do it differently. But to pass judgment and assume someone is a lost soul because they have a ring in their nose is silly. Stop it. Beauty is always, always in the eye of the beholder.
(On a side note, I pierced my girls' ears at four months. Scandalous, I know.)
4.
Alcohol
Battle Cry: Alcohol is evil! DO NOT drink... ever!
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| "He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate -- bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart." Psalm 104:14-15 |
I know strong Christians who abstain from alcohol consumption. I respect their devotion to what they feel convicted about.
I also know strong Christians who have enough booze in their house to cater a rock star's New Year's Eve party. They don't feel convicted in this area.
You see, alcohol is not an issue where we should mark a line in the sand and declare the holy stand on one side and the drinkers on the other. It's interesting to me that this is such a battle ground for many Christians considering our God, Jesus, chose to turn water into wine as His first miracle. And no, it was not because there wasn't anything else sanitary to drink. He was God; He could have just purified the water or created grape juice if that was the case. He made wine because He was at a wedding and everyone was celebrating. And, perhaps, He made wine to make a statement. Of course He knew alcohol would be controversial among fundamentalist Christians years down the road but He chose to have His endorsement on the side of wine recorded for all history.
Yes, He clearly spoke against drunkenness but that is not the issue we are discussing. This is not my encouragement of alcoholism or other behavior which could master us. Can alcohol be abused? Yes it can. If you have a tendency to let liquor control you, don't drink.
I find it interesting though that many things God gave us to enjoy can be abused and warped if not handled with prudence or maturity. Alcohol is no different so let's not make it into something it's not.
5.
Dancing
Battle Cry: Dancing is immoral and lewd!
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| What is your arm doing around her waist!? In public no less! Let me get out my morality whistle! |
We've quoted Scripture, now time to quote Shrek Forever After (yes, as all moms and dads know, spouting childrens' movie lines is just part of the parenting gig). In this deep theological film, a character named Donkey enthusiastically states, "When somebody tooties the flutie, I got to shake the booty." Amen, Donkey, amen.
I wish I had some deep, religious reasons why I'm a huge proponent of dance. I don't; I just simply love to do it.
Some might argue that holding another man's wife while you cha-cha is grossly immoral. But, if believing that same logic, shouldn't a man never be allowed to hug or have any contact with any woman other than his wife? This would mean contact with the opposite sex in and of itself is immoral.
I would argue that a boy who has been taught to dance with women knows how to hold them with confidence and respect; not pawing at them awkwardly and eagerly. He has been taught how to lead them gently and subtly, something you would think the Christian culture would commend. I would appreciate it if my daughter's future husband will have learned these lessons long before becoming her significant other.
Personally, I find dance absolutely beautiful; it's a universal form of human expression, transcending all language barriers. We all (can) dance.
6.
Christmas
Battle Cry: Keep Christ in Christmas!
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| Look; a cattle dog made it to Jesus' birth. Neat-o. |
I see the bumper stickers everywhere -- "Keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas." And I most certainly
do keep Christ in Christmas. I love the holiday and I set it apart as a special time to worship and thank my Savior for what He has done for the world.
However, the "Keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas" movement has turned into a battle cry and, over time, has started to promote a mentality among believers of "them vs. us". The whole point in Christians celebrating Christmas is to remember Jesus and His love for the world. Love should be the whole focus of our holiday but we've become distracted by details.
Let me ask you something; when you legally go toe to toe with an atheist or atheist group to battle for a nativity display on the front steps of the local courthouse, are you showing the love of Christ to them, the unreached? Since we know that the Spirit of God doesn't indwell inside the wooden statue of the baby Jesus, have you, in fact, turned the nativity scene into idols, placing their importance over showing the love of God? Have we become so concerned about defending our constitutional religious rights that we forget to honor our Biblical calling?
I'm certainly not saying we should be ashamed or hide why we celebrate. I'll scream it from the rooftops, "Hallelujah, the Messiah is born!" But if the cashier at Target wishes me a Happy Holiday or a Blessed Hanukkah, I'll take her words as they are meant and not feel huffy that someone is attacking
MY HOLIDAY. And maybe that's the problem; it's not
our holiday, it's
God's holiday. Christmas should be about showing His love through our actions to others with great humility, patience, and understanding.
Truthfully, I'm unafraid of how much Christianity in Christmas is removed from the government or our culture. God's bigger than all of those who oppose Him and I know He will never be removed from my heart. I'll celebrate God in Christmas and I don't need the public school to sing religious Christmas songs or the TV to still say "Merry Christmas" in order for me to do it.
So calm down brothers and sisters. You can celebrate Christmas without needing everyone else to agree with you. You can celebrate Christmas even if you hear people loudly disagreeing with you. Just please know it's vitally important you don't let noise steal the holiday joy from your heart.
7.
Unconventional Hair
Battle Cry: Good Christian boys and girls have the decency to style their hair in a polite, conservative fashion!
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| Dude, I LOVED you in Final Fantasy XXXIV! |
Every other silly battle on my list does not compare with this one. Honestly, I don't know what to say except that if you're taking direct issue with another person's hair then you might want to reevaluate how much time you have on your hands.
My viewpoint? Hair is fun. You can dye it, style it, and cut it however you want and it grows back, giving you limitless possibilities on what you can do. It's one of the safest ways to be unconventional.
So no, I don't lay awake at night wondering if my girls will wear purple dreads someday and date guys with a Mohawks.
Moving on...
8.
Fantasy/Science Fiction
Battle Cry: Fantasy books, artwork, movies, etc., are of the devil and gateways to the dark side!
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| Advert your eyes children before Disney poisons your soul! |
I grew up reading The Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings. There probably isn't a single Disney movie I haven't seen. My hardcover copies of the Harry Potter series are some of the most beloved editions on my bookcase. I cannot get enough of Sci-fi or Fantasy television. Do I summon spirits and join occult clubs because of it? No. My life has only benefited from the creativity inspired by these adventurous stories of lands unfamiliar.
The most valuable thing about fantasy, science fiction, and fairy tales is they spark and excite the imagination of children. God has given us amazing imaginations and when you watch youngsters play they are often pretending to be a fairytale princess or slaying a dragon or something fantastical and over the top. Does this mean they are dancing with the devil and going to slip into a lifestyle of witchcraft? No. There is nothing wrong with letting your mind embark on amazing adventures where good triumphs over evil and heroes can be anyone.
A well-written story of good vs. evil? Now that sounds like something we all could enjoy.
9.
Proper Church Attire
Battle Cry: It's important to dress nicely when coming to worship the Lord!
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| Darling, your Sunday best should always be the very best. |
Come as you are I say. Does it matter if your pants are frayed? Does it matter if you have shoes? Does it matter if you don't have a dress shirt? Does it matter if you just stumbled in from the street bench where you slept the night before? No; you are welcome in the church of God.
A lot of people like to dress up for church and they look fantastic. I swear I've seen most of their outfits in street shots gracing my Pinterest fashion board. But that's not what church is about and I don't think a dress code is needed to worship our Savior.
I know there are a lot of arguments made for looking presentable to our Savior but
He's looking at my heart;
you're the one looking at my garments. It's not that I'm a grunge hippy; it's just I would rather be approachable than presentable. I would want the man with the grease-stained pants and the five o'clock shadow to not feel unwelcome. I would want the tired single mom who just showed up in a sweatshirt and jeans to not feel under-dressed or embarrassed.
My dream for the church is that it feels like a family to everyone who walks through the door, a place where
showing up for each other is more important than
showing off for each other.
Yes, as country bumpkin as it may seem to some, I wear blue jeans to church. What does everyone else wear to my church on Sunday? Doesn't matter.
~~~
There you have it; my nine all time favorite silly Christian battles. There are many many things we spend way too much time and energy on but sometimes it's healthy and fun to take a step back and laugh at how humans can get so caught up things that just aren't that important.
Yes, I know there are many out there who could pick any one of these nine battles as their life code, beat me into the ground using Scripture, and righteously win the fight every single time. I say a big congratulations to them for being able to out argue me. I also sigh inwardly for their sake because they miss the point entirely.
Indeed, some of these are a BIG deal to many folks but, seriously, is heaven only for the un-pierced, crew-cut man sporting un-inked flesh and who has never uttered "Happy Holidays"? If you are wearing flip flops after having died on a Sunday morning, will you be turned away? What if, on the day you die, Jesus notices you have all the Harry Potter DVDs in mint condition displayed on your shelf and Salsa lessons scheduled for Tuesday on your calendar?
Does it come down to religion or spirituality? Do we have regulations or do we have a relationship? Is it a heart issue or a performance we put on?
Like I said before, being convicted is a good thing but let's not turn our convictions into a form religious hierarchy; a way to divide up people as those who do as we do and are "in" on what God wants and those who just aren't as "Christian" as we believe ourselves to be.
Christians are called to be servants. We don't get to use pedestals.
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Don't let your battles become more important than your relationships;
who can you show the love of Christ or minister to if you've fought everyone away? |
(Warrior)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_brownhorse/1759974757/">the brownhorse</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
(tattoos)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/gato-gato-gato/14105518296/">gato-gato-gato</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
(halloween)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbgrigby/2974146552/">mbgrigby</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
(piercings)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fanz/3780909352/">fanz</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
(alcohol)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/edwinland/127085104/">Edwin Land</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>
(dancing)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/howardignatius/12841252265/">howardignatius</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
(nativity scene)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/6605495835/">Lawrence OP</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
(hair)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/guigui-lille/14381303684/">- Guigui-Lille -</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
(evil queen)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/expressmonorail/2739606466/">Express Monorail</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
(lady in fur coat)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/april-mo/15045847193/">april-mo</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>
(hands)
photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/16210667@N02/8755031604/">CJS*64</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
