Pastime Paradise

This last Sunday our church was honored by hosting missionaries from Nepal. During the question and answer portion we had during Sunday School hour a question was asked, "How do Christians in Nepal view us [American Christians] here." I found the missionary's response interesting. He mentioned that the Christians over there wonder why they (believers in Nepal) are such a minority but are able to make much such social change, but why we in the U.S. aren't doing the same. It is some of their views that Christians here are "asleep." This was met with some of my church members nodding it agreement. It seemed to resonate with people in the room and possibly their ideas of "the good ole' days" or America is "going to hell in a hand basket." I was very much inclined to jump in the conversation but that would be out of place. See here I go. I believe what the missionary had to say was true and somewhat false at the same time. On the one hand, I believe as a church we are asleep in sense. I feel that we let consumerism, a lack of world wide consciousness, attention to the poor, and playing political favorites hurt the church. On the other hand, I believe why it look like America has "lost it's way" because of it's history. In areas like Nepal we are able to see a snapshot of what the early church looked liked. When the missionary described new Christians being harassed by the government and local rebels, this what James's church might have looked like. An oppressive government, issues of economic class in the church, and a force of rebels killing political leaders to gain some control. Here in America I feel that we are experiencing what Europe has experienced. In the name of God, Europeans have enslaved the African, committed near genocide to the Native American, occupied the Mexican, and discriminated against the Asian. With such a downward momentum it is no wonder we have had such a backlash in American culture. Out of the 50 's and 60's we saw a woman's movement, Peace Movement, Chicano movement, Native American movement, Black movement, Gay movement, and several others groups who had felt oppressed. If we analyze these movements further they cannot be mentioned though without mentioning religious or Christian people being involved. People like Martin Luther King Jr. and groups like the Presbyterian Church. Although this is the case it seems that people distrust Christianity because of past atrocities. Now, it is easy to point out that people who, in the name of God, committed horrible acts did not have God's interests in mind. Many might say they were clouded my thoughts of nationalism, religious exploitation, and greed. On the one had I believe that people of faith have always been there be bothered by the events at hand. At the same time, I am sure that there were believers who were misguided and because of the time period, gave into popular ideas. Today I believe that there are benefits we reap because of what Christians have done in this country but, good news doesn't always make the news. I believe that the same Christians who did not trust Constantine, were troubled in their soul with Child labor, Slavery, and the mistreatment of women are still here. We just seem to be drowned out sometimes by nostalgia.