In my new position
as a public school employee, I was required a week or so ago to accompany 300+
sixth graders to an assembly program that had been approved by our
predominantly Christian administration. Before I continue, I need to say the
following: I highly respect our administrators and appreciate their strong
Christian stance and presence in our school system. I understand what they are
hoping to do, and I honor that commitment, especially since it is somewhat of a
risk.
As we entered the
auditorium, team members from the organization presenting the assembly were
lined up on the way to the door, wearing matching t-shirts and big smiles, and
giving high fives to each and every child. Although I didn't recognize all of
them, I did notice that several local churches were represented in the line-up
of team members. Before we even reached the doors, the pounding popular music
could be heard. Excitement built. The students were definitely being
stimulated. Metabolisms were racing.
Inside, the bass was
so intense that my internal organs were vibrating to the beat. Some students
were chosen to dance at the front of the auditorium, further inciting the other
students to participate.
It didn't take me
too long to figure out what was about to happen. I had heard about these types
of assemblies, but as a long term home schooling mom, I had never actually
encountered one. These assemblies are designed to inspire students to better
behavior, and as a bonus they get an invitation to an event in the evening that
supposedly presents the gospel clearly--which is not allowed during the actual
assembly during school hours on school property. ( Because we have freedom from
religion in this country, dontcha know...but that's a post for another time.)
As I recall,
candy-coated with lots of loud popular music and games and silliness, there was
a segment on how important it is to listen to the right voices in your life.
This was, perhaps, the most truthful and helpful part of the entire
assembly--it was also the shortest.
There was a segment
on hate speech and bullying. Central to this segment was a video in which
mouths of numerous people were seen and heard speaking denigrating words. A
dynamic and engaging fellow in his early thirties (but dressed like and acting
like he was in his late teens) gave a sermonette on how he used to be annoying
and hateful, but now he sees how bad that was and he isn't that way any more because he learned that being nice is better. A
young woman who was born with severe deformities and handicaps was paraded out
and talked about how bad it felt to be treated hatefully because she was
different, and how every one should be nice to people like her.
Then there was a
segment on saying no to drugs and alcohol. The young man bounced out into the
audience again to tell how he once decided to go to a party where there would
be drugs and alcohol, and how he was strong enough to resist and demand to be
taken home instead of staying and participating.
Lastly, there was a
moment when a few students were called down front and given certificates saying
"we believe in you" as an encouragement to the students to
"dream big dreams".
The frustrating
thing about the entire experience of attending the assembly was seeing so much
effort, so many good intentions, so much money, planning and hope invested in a
totally useless, yea, even harmful message being perpetrated on students. All I
could think of during the entire presentation was the fact that here was one of
the worst examples of oppressive legalism I had ever witnessed. And it was
perpetrated by Christians...not really surprising, since Christians have been
the perpetrators of legalism for centuries. But in this case, each of the
Christians involved would be horrified and offended if they were confronted
with their crime.
Perhaps you may be
wondering what in the world I'm talking about. After all, students need to
behave, need to act lovingly, need to avoid drugs and alcohol, need to have
dreams and need someone to believe they can accomplish their dreams, right? And
candy-coating that message with a lot of fun and games might motivate them
more, right?
While this is all
true, the fact that it was legalism is also true. Legalism and a hefty dose of
moralism.
The message of the
entire program was this: BE NICE. Just BE NICE. Quit being MEAN. Don't do this.
Don't do that. Using these words, doing these actions is shameful. SHAME ON
YOU. BE NICE. Here are the rules about what is NICE. Rule, rule, rule, rule. Don't
taste, don't handle, don't touch…
Sound familiar?
20 If with Christ you died to the elemental
spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you
submit to regulations— 21 “Do not
handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22
(referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to
human precepts and teachings? 23
These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made
religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in
stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
The Holy Bible:
English Standard Version. 2001 (Col 2:20–23). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
This event was
spawned, orchestrated, and carried out because of a faulty understanding of the
gospel.
Allow me to remind
you that my understanding of the gospel is based in a Reformed perspective of
the bible, the gospel, and the doctrines of grace. In particular as related to
this post, I firmly believe that God saved me before time began. I did nothing
to deserve it. I did nothing to achieve it. I can do nothing to lose it. Before
God resurrected my spirit, it was as dead as a cemetery full of dead bodies. I
couldn't do anything right, I didn't have any idea that there was anything
wrong with me, and even if I had, I would have been as helpless to do anything
about it as my husband was the day we held his funeral. I can tell you that the
experience of bending over him in his coffin to place a kiss on his forehead
convinced me how final death is: it didn't even feel like the same forehead--it
was hard, cold, and unresponsive. He could not choose anything.
My inclination to
anything good was just that dead the day before God resurrected my spirit.
That's how we all
are. That's how a large majority of those 300+ sixth graders were the day of
that assembly.
Allow me also to
remind you of one of Jesus' main themes during his life on earth. He HATED
legalism. He HATED those who perpetrated
legalism on others. Here are some scriptures highlighting this theme in
scripture:
2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on
Moses’ seat, 3 so do and observe
whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not
practice. 4 They tie up heavy
burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves
are not willing to move them with their finger.
The Holy Bible:
English Standard Version. 2001 (Mt 23:2–4). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Why am I saying that
this program is equal to the legalism and heavy burdens of the Pharisees?
Because just like the Pharisees, this program presented all the rules--rules
upon rules upon rules about how to JUST BE NICE PEOPLE--without presenting the
heart of the gospel. The students were given no reference point. How are they
to JUST BE NICE when they are spiritually dead? Why should they be nice? Isn't
just being a kid being nice? How are they to care about being nice people when
their current nature is in enslaved rebellion toward the only One Who can give
them the power to be nice?
BE NICE BECAUSE I
SAID SO doesn't cut it. BE NICE BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE A BETTER WORLD is
ineffective because every student believes that getting what they want makes a
better world. BE NICE BECAUSE IT'S NOT NICE TO BE MEAN makes no impression,
because being mean is all they know.
I fear that there's
an idea out there that if Christians can get people to act right, then it won't
be so hard to convince them to become Christians.
I fear that
Christians have an idea that if they just get everybody to behave better,
they'll like it so much they will stop resisting salvation.
At the very least, I
fear that there is an idea among Christians that if people will just stop
acting sinfully, the world will be such a much nicer place and that everyone
will see that acting nice is a good idea.
I fear that the
organization that presented the assembly as well as the administration of our
school system are all infected with the ideas I fear listed above.
This was a sad day,
in my opinion, for those students who were subjected to that presentation.
Although they didn't realize it, and although they had fun, they failed to hear
the real answer to the problems. They were simply told to grab themselves by the
bootstraps, pull themselves up, and make themselves into nice people because
nice people are nice.
(Oh, but you'll say,
don't forget that the organization presented the gospel at the evening event.
That makes everything ok. But it doesn't. It doesn't make it ok because 99% of
the students will not show up for the evening event. It doesn't make it ok, because
if your idea of the gospel is that you pray a prayer and then you follow a
bunch of rules to make God happy because He died for you, that's not the saving
gospel. It doesn't make it ok because drawing students in with a bunch of
worldly music and fun is the wrong perspective to put on the gospel. It doesn't
make it ok for a dozen other reasons.)
Rank, hopeless
legalism.
I left the assembly
aching. My ears ached. My liver ached. And my heart ached for all those
students upon whom had been placed an even heavier burden.
