Craving Consistency

I'm working my way through God is Not One by Stephen Prothero. As an agnostic religion professor, he insists that not only are religions different, but it is essential to the understanding of one another to fastidiously avoid the popular notion that "all roads lead to God". He summarizes each of what he sees as the leading religions of the world, including Christianity. Partly because of his background in a Christian church, he often compares other religions with Christianity. Some of what he says makes me squirm. I could become upset, simply put down the book and walk away. I'm choosing instead to stare his accusations in the face. I find that some of them are painfully accurate.

Stephen writes, "There is a persistent, unexplored bias in the study of religion toward the extraordinary and away from the ordinary. In the United States this bias manafests in a strong attraction (even among scholars who are atheists) toward hardcore religious practitioners -- people who are slain in the Spirit and speak in tongues -- for whom religion arrives as rupture rather than continuity." Let me reiterate that last phrase "...religion arrives as rupture rather than continuity."

I do need to clarify; in no way do I want to get into brother bashing. I am not taking up arms with my devoted family members who speak in tongues and have more exuberant forms of worship. I'm simply welcoming the mirror that the author has put in front of us and recognize that we can hunt down the "experience" at the expense of consistency in our walk with God. Is he accurate?

His statement reminded me of a worship service that I recently attended. The lights, the video production, the "show" all contributed to that worship "experience". I have no question regarding the worship leaders' love and devotion to Christ. I spoke with one of the gals later in the evening and her heart went way beyond the production. I have to admit, though, that I stood there realizing that I have personally jumped from one experience to the next looking the feelings rather than the Lord. I'm craving consistency; and I think the Lord is longing for that in my life as well.