My major source of news is, embarrassingly enough, a parody of a political news show: The Colbert Report, starring Stephen Colbert (on Comedy Central). From what I read, it is a growing trend for people my generation (and younger) to get most of their news from political satires, such as The Colbert Report or its parent show, The Daily Show. Stephen Colbert—with an extensive background in improvisational comedy—“plays” a hyper-conservative, right-wing, uber-Republican newscaster. He gives his commentary on politics and society from that perspective. His “character” is admittedly Christian, but you do wonder if there isn’t a little bit of truth is some of his religious beliefs. In real life, Colbert is reportedly a faithful Catholic and even, allegedly, teaches Sunday school. I have to say this for him, the man knows his Bible and Christian doctrine. He is a brilliant man, with razor-sharp wit and incredibly fast-paced come backs--and he rarely laughs at his own overwhelming hilarious jokes. That is how a 30-minute parody centered mostly around Colbert and his thoughts—airing Monday through Thursday--is one of the most popular shows on TV. I try to keep in mind that it’s a comedy show, but Colbert certainly keeps me up to date on current events. Every now and then, he steps over the line and says something that will make me blush, but then again, it’s a cable show that airs at 11:30pm…it’s not Disney. Overall, though, the show makes me think and laugh. My own mother, after being forced to watch countless episodes, will finally admit that Colbert is “so funny”.
All of this introduction is a set-up to talk about the interview section from last night’s show. The show always closes with an interview with some person of relative fame, usually in the political sphere. Last night, the guest was Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a feminist and political writer, daughter of the Somali warlord Hirsi Magan Isse. She is a prominent and controversial author, film maker, former member of Dutch Parliament, atheist, and critic of Islam and Christianity. She has received numerous awards for her human rights work, and in 2005, was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. She is currently a fellow at the think tank American Enterprise Institute (biographical info. taken from Wikipedia). She was interviewed on THE COLBERT REPORT because of her newest book, Infidel, which was published in February 2007.
I want to share part of that interview with you (pardon my rough transcription):
Ayaan: We have been taught in Islam, submission to the will of allah, that’s in the Koran…
Colbert: So the idea of submission bothers you?
Ayaan: The idea of submission bothers me; I don’t want to submit…no.
Colbert: You don’t submit?
Ayaan: No
Coblert: Well, is that why you became an atheist?
Ayaan: Well, in part, yes.
Colbert: Well because submission is also part of the Christian tradition too…our father…our father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, THY Kingdom come, THY will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…it’s not our choice, it’s what God decides. What’s the difference between, in that, between Islam and Christianity? Do you see any difference there?
Ayaan: I see a difference in the response between Muslims and Christians. Many Muslims refuse to question the doctrine itself—the submission within Islam--as opposed to the majority of Christians who’ve been questioning it for ages and who have now developed a Christianity that is defined only as love--love they neighbor--where they have abolished a hell. Whereas, in Islam, most Muslims believe not only in a hereafter but in a hell…you are not allowed to put question marks on what is in the Koran.
Colbert: I don’t know what Christianity you’ve been studying, but uh, hell is still fairly prominent in some of the churches I’ve been to…
(the interview continues, but I will stop there)
Two things jumped out at me from this interview. First, the concept of submission. I think Ayaan summed up the problem with most people...and most Christians. We have a problem with submission. We want to be in control. We want to call the shots. Yet, If Jesus shows us the fullness of what God is like, then his actions in the Garden of Gethsemane tell us that submission is paramount in a relationship with the Father. Jesus asks to be spared the coming suffering, if possible, but ultimately prays: “Not my will, but Thine”. That is what it means to love God and follow Jesus: to be one hundred percent sold out to the will of God…less of me, more of Him. Our basic sin nature tells us we need to be in control in order for life to be meaningful. However, we cannot find true, real, everlasting life until we come to the end of ourselves. That is truth. We can fight it or accept it. There really is no middle ground.
The second thing bothering me about the interview was that Christianity is reduced to nothing more than loving your neighbor. Seriously? Is that how the world summarizes Christianity? The Holy Creator of the world takes on human flesh and walks the dusty corridors of our experience…then He dies a criminal’s death on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins (past, present, future)…that true God of true Gods rises from the deathly tomb, conquering sin, death, despair, evil…not just that, but the Holy Spirit—that same Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead--is given to believers (every believer), to give us power beyond all imagination: to heal disease and brokenness, to release captives from every kind of prison, to bring hope where there is only despair, to forgive and love beyond human limitations, to become the very best versions of who were created to be…to actually be “little Christs” in this world of darkness. It really burns my butter that everything God is and has done for us—and everything we are meant to do and be in response--gets reduced to the “Christians are meant to be nice, loving people” mentality. Jesus did not die to make us NICE!!! He died to make us new, set us free, transform the world, bring a whole new revolutionary Kingdom to pass, right here and right now.
I wasn’t going to address her comments about Hell, other than to say I believe in an actual Hell. As far as who ends up there, that’s not my call and I stopped trying to guess a long time ago. The Bible tells us to “preach Christ and Him crucified”…so I am sticking with what I know--and what I know is that Jesus Christ is freaking amazing and I want the whole world to know Him. I want this Ayaan woman to know Him too. Let’s pray for her, that she might come to know the life-saving, soul-changing love of God that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All of this introduction is a set-up to talk about the interview section from last night’s show. The show always closes with an interview with some person of relative fame, usually in the political sphere. Last night, the guest was Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a feminist and political writer, daughter of the Somali warlord Hirsi Magan Isse. She is a prominent and controversial author, film maker, former member of Dutch Parliament, atheist, and critic of Islam and Christianity. She has received numerous awards for her human rights work, and in 2005, was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. She is currently a fellow at the think tank American Enterprise Institute (biographical info. taken from Wikipedia). She was interviewed on THE COLBERT REPORT because of her newest book, Infidel, which was published in February 2007.
I want to share part of that interview with you (pardon my rough transcription):
Ayaan: We have been taught in Islam, submission to the will of allah, that’s in the Koran…
Colbert: So the idea of submission bothers you?
Ayaan: The idea of submission bothers me; I don’t want to submit…no.
Colbert: You don’t submit?
Ayaan: No
Coblert: Well, is that why you became an atheist?
Ayaan: Well, in part, yes.
Colbert: Well because submission is also part of the Christian tradition too…our father…our father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, THY Kingdom come, THY will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…it’s not our choice, it’s what God decides. What’s the difference between, in that, between Islam and Christianity? Do you see any difference there?
Ayaan: I see a difference in the response between Muslims and Christians. Many Muslims refuse to question the doctrine itself—the submission within Islam--as opposed to the majority of Christians who’ve been questioning it for ages and who have now developed a Christianity that is defined only as love--love they neighbor--where they have abolished a hell. Whereas, in Islam, most Muslims believe not only in a hereafter but in a hell…you are not allowed to put question marks on what is in the Koran.
Colbert: I don’t know what Christianity you’ve been studying, but uh, hell is still fairly prominent in some of the churches I’ve been to…
(the interview continues, but I will stop there)
Two things jumped out at me from this interview. First, the concept of submission. I think Ayaan summed up the problem with most people...and most Christians. We have a problem with submission. We want to be in control. We want to call the shots. Yet, If Jesus shows us the fullness of what God is like, then his actions in the Garden of Gethsemane tell us that submission is paramount in a relationship with the Father. Jesus asks to be spared the coming suffering, if possible, but ultimately prays: “Not my will, but Thine”. That is what it means to love God and follow Jesus: to be one hundred percent sold out to the will of God…less of me, more of Him. Our basic sin nature tells us we need to be in control in order for life to be meaningful. However, we cannot find true, real, everlasting life until we come to the end of ourselves. That is truth. We can fight it or accept it. There really is no middle ground.
The second thing bothering me about the interview was that Christianity is reduced to nothing more than loving your neighbor. Seriously? Is that how the world summarizes Christianity? The Holy Creator of the world takes on human flesh and walks the dusty corridors of our experience…then He dies a criminal’s death on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins (past, present, future)…that true God of true Gods rises from the deathly tomb, conquering sin, death, despair, evil…not just that, but the Holy Spirit—that same Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead--is given to believers (every believer), to give us power beyond all imagination: to heal disease and brokenness, to release captives from every kind of prison, to bring hope where there is only despair, to forgive and love beyond human limitations, to become the very best versions of who were created to be…to actually be “little Christs” in this world of darkness. It really burns my butter that everything God is and has done for us—and everything we are meant to do and be in response--gets reduced to the “Christians are meant to be nice, loving people” mentality. Jesus did not die to make us NICE!!! He died to make us new, set us free, transform the world, bring a whole new revolutionary Kingdom to pass, right here and right now.
I wasn’t going to address her comments about Hell, other than to say I believe in an actual Hell. As far as who ends up there, that’s not my call and I stopped trying to guess a long time ago. The Bible tells us to “preach Christ and Him crucified”…so I am sticking with what I know--and what I know is that Jesus Christ is freaking amazing and I want the whole world to know Him. I want this Ayaan woman to know Him too. Let’s pray for her, that she might come to know the life-saving, soul-changing love of God that is found in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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