Copycat Christianity

More wisdom from Os Guiness in The Gravedigger File. These words are not coming from Os himself, but from a character known as the Deputy Director. They are being written to a field agent with the intent of teaching him how to undermine through church via modernization.

Somehow privatization seems to bring out the best in copycat Christianity. Originally it was the words of pop songs that were mimicked. Then the copying craze spread to advertising jingles ("Jesus is the real thing" brought to you by association with Coca Cola). Now the instant imitation is the predictable response to every fad. When dieting became fashionable, for example, Propaganda and Disinformation were ready with a line of counterfeit slogans. But they were redundant even before they were released. The Christian ones were far more fatuous. Dieting Christian-style became "Trim for Him." Then with the stress shifting to fitness there came Aerobic Praise, Devotion in Motion, Praise-R-Cise, and the most astounding so far: the album Firm Believer, and the slimming slogan "He must increase but I must decrease." Even P and D were taken aback at first. These slogans were nearly blasphemous by traditional standards. Some other dirty tricksters must be at work. But the slogans proved authentic. Normally, canny copywriters use puns ("Datsun Saves") to give their products a leg up, caring little for the original meanings. Incredible as it may seem, Christians do the reverse. They use double meanings to not only sell their product and not only devalue the original meanings but demean themselves in the process.

I wonder two things about this. First of all, how many of these fads have I followed. Secondly, does anyone really find this problematic. Awhile back, Joe at Evangelical Outpost did a post called "Jesus Ain't My Homeboy" in response to the new fad of t-shirts that is going around. And I did my own little thing here as a takeoff on his post. For me, it seems obvious that this "copycat Christianity" is a bad thing, although, as I say that I have to now go back and think of how many t-shirts I have bought in the past that fit this pattern. I have never come to the place where I would call these things blasphemous, as Os does here. I do think they cheapen the faith and trivialize it though. I wonder if anyone else would find this "copycat Christianity" blasphemous?