Jesus and Fred Rogers
I’m still reading Kristen Du Mez’s Jesus and John Wayne.
For those who aren’t aware of it, it is primarily a history of Evangelicalism’s love affair with power in the United States. Spoiler: It doesn’t go well (and is seemingly getting worse).
It’s a great book so far. If you are curious about all the crosses & worship songs at the Jan. 6 insurrection and continued Evangelical support for Trump, look no further. This is the book for you.
I only have one issue with it, I’m already angry and disappointed by Christianity in America. The fact that “CRT” is seen as a bigger threat than people actively planned a coup against the US Government will boggle my mind for eternity.
However, I’m trying to move on to the “Now what?” phase. I’ve done my deconstructing. All the way back toRome and Christianity’s early flirtations with power (I’m looking at you Constantine). My question is: Is there anything left worth saving?
I “Tweeted” at the author, Kristin Kobes Du Mez (Do May) and suggested she follow up this book with another book called “Jesus and Fred Rogers” (That’s Mr. Rogers to my generation.).
Far and away my most popular Tweet on a platform I have 10s of followers on.
When people look for a modern day Jesus, Fred Rogers is a name that often comes up. He was the anti-John Wayne. No guns, no violence, no sexism, no racism. Just loving the children and showing them a different way. He even said, “I’m no John Wayne.”
To be quite honest, I didn’t really care for him as a kid. I preferred violence. I love G.I. Joe and Transformers. Guns were fun. Playing make believe without guns? What’s the point? I still like guns, but they mean something else to me now that I have kids in school. Lockdowns and school shootings are now just considered part of living in a “free” country.
Anyway, I’ve been thinking about trying to “focus on the light”. To show, perhaps to myself, that there are followers of Christ out there quietly serving their communities and changing the world for the better.
Kristin didn’t take up my offer of co-authoring with her. But I’m going to at least commit to writing about those individuals and stories that give me hope. Those who wash the feet of strangers rather than scream about their immorality. Less orthodoxy, and more orthopraxy.
She also followed me so I can chat with her privately about it, which is nice. So, onward towards the light.