Subverting The Empire: Dangerous Criticism.

Dangerous Criticism

What we have here is a faith that has become so embedded with our Western culture that we can no longer distinguish in our churches and among the Christians the differences between what is faithful and what is cultural. Policies on war, the way we treat those at the margins, our spending habits, our debt, our parenting . . . we have cowered down to our host empire. Adopted it’s practices. Believed it’s values.

To the extent that it makes more sense to have a 5 million dollar building campaign for 1 day a week than to use 5 million dollars for the community.

To the extent that it makes more sense to spend billions and billions of dollars on the reactive method of war rather than the preemptive method of fighting poverty that leads to war.

To the extent that it makes more sense to have the safety of empty guest rooms in our house with empty beds, pantries full of food, and dry showers than to welcome those “without” into our homes with open arms.

To the extent that it makes more sense to spend money on sexy computers, $100 meals, over-priced clothes, and luxury cars instead of the widows, immigrants, and single-mothers that live within a 5 mile radius of our comfortable home.

To the extent that it makes more sense to tolerate credit card debt, jealous spouses, and poor parenting in Christian marriages that it does to fight for equal rights for others.

To the extent that it makes more sense to fight with tears in our eyes for the words of Moses and his 10 Commandments to be put on courtroom walls than it does for the words of Jesus in the Beatitudes to be lived in our lives.

Michael Frost in his book Exiles uses the phrase “Dangerous Criticism” to describe the role of the community of God. I think that is such a fitting term. Because in all honest, the prophet is dangreous for just about everybody.

1) They are a danger to the church. The church all too quickly forms a hard heart, a blind eye, and a deaf ear. The prophet reminds them of things that are uncomfortable. Dangerous things. Things that remind them of how far removed they have become from those in need, those at the margins. The prophet is a thorn in the side of the religious leaders. Irritating them. Reminding them of the gap between where they are and where they need to be. They are a dangerous threat.

2) They are a danger to the empire. The empire in it’s pursuit of power and conquest, political and economical gain, all too quickly get caught up in a frenzy of their own greed. The prophet Isaiah declares, “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.” (Isaiah 10:1-2) But the empire is not impressed with the wild, eccentric alternative living that those in the margins practice. Paul and Peter and the early martyrs undermined the values of Rome in such a way that it costs them their lives. They were a dangerous threat.*

* Sadly the Empire merely laughs at Christians today. There is nothing subversive about our lifestyle. We are one and the same with them. We make claims about Jesus only to contradict them with sex-scandals, money hungry televangelists, and boring, judgemental, apathetic churches. Sadly, more “non-Christians” lead the way in activism, protest, alternative lifestyles that undermine, and hopeful reconstructions. They are on the front-lines of fighting war, poverty, and ecological disaster while the church sits on the sidelines.

3) They are a danger to themselves. With radical beliefs that actually cost them something, weird sayings that are hard to grasp, and with counter-cultural actions that seem out of place in their society . . . prophets walk a dangerous line. If you criticize the wrong people you might lose something of value. Your safety. Your security. Your life. They are a dangerous threat.

The thing about both the Empire and the Church is that the quicker they can get rid of the prophet, the easier their lives will be.

So the prophet gets dismissed. What they are doing is irrational. It’s weird. It doesn’t make sense. No one else is doing it. It’s not practical. It’s not thinking about the long-term. It’s not safe. It’s odd. It’s polarizing. It’s lonely.

And that’s all true.

So they get dismissed. If we can minimize someone or ignore them or pass them off as too radical, then we can stay safe in our own comfort.

“The crazy thing about it is that, we’ve some how surrounded ourselves with people who are perfectly content with our excuses. We don’t have people around us we will call us out, challenge us, and rebuke us for such pitiful attempts at justification.” – Ariah Fine

The role of the prophet is to subvert. Subvert meaning to undermine the false values that we operate out of. To agitate things. To stir the pot. To make overly-extreme statements at times that are needed to shake us out of our slumber. To remind us of where we’ve been and where we need to go. Their role is to fashion and construct a community that lives in stark contrast to those around them.

We will do this with our words. We will do this with our wallet. We will do this with our prayers. We will do this with our voting. We will do this with our protest. We will do this with our applause. We will do this with our actions.

We are a dangerous lot. It’s time to recover that.

Non-violent subversive action.