though it could be anything really). So there’s a little bit of tribal magic, shamanism (witch doctor), ancestor, spirit type worship, blended in with a profound ignorance of what the Bible MEANS, not just what it says. The result is a tribal “Christianity” that looks very little like the Biblical version. Don’t get me wrong; This is NOT about culture. What Christianity looks like culturally differs from Seattle to Wellford to Pac Rim Island Tribes. I’m talking about the essence of what they believe. The point of this post is not so much Island tribes, but syncretism that takes place in the middle of the Bible Belt in the southern USA. I met and counseled a man who was heavily involved in witch craft, Satanism (theistic Satanism as opposed to naturalistic – meaning he believed there was a real person called Satan), and the occult in general. He has since left those practices but is regularly haunted by the images from his past. And rather than a true understanding of repentance and forgiveness in Jesus Christ which washes all of those sins clean, he essentially practiced “magic Christianity.” You know the kind where crosses are hung all around the house to keep the demons away, holy water is sprinkled everywhere, and rituals that are supposed to be Christian to purge the home from the demonic influence. This is the stuff of movies. It’s the stuff you see in other places. It’s not the stuff of Bible Belt South Carolina, right? I believe you’d be surprised. I never met an occultist, or former occultist before this year, and within the past 11 months I’ve met two. What happens to them when they get out of that lifestyle depends greatly on the understanding about Biblical Christianity from those who teach them. If they are not rightly taught then many times what emerges is a syncretistic, superstitious, black cats and ladders, salt over the shoulder, crosses on the walls and holy water on the furniture type “magic Christianity.” You’d be very surprised how prevalent this is. Yet another reason the church is called to make disciples of Jesus and not converts to a new religion.
5 Comments
February 1, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Thank you for defining syncretism so well. I keep running across this idea and have been amazed at the lack of biblical Christianity. Isn’t this the notion Paul wrote about, “being carried away by every wind of doctrine?”
The more I’m on the net the more I’m feeling we have reached the age of the “great falling away.”
February 1, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Thanks so much for the comment Michelle. I’m certain that it is exactly “being carried about” by false doctrine. That comes in the context of being equipped for the work of the ministry (essentially I believe disciple making), so we might be perfect and complete before God (though not actually perfect quite yet), and mature in our faith. SO THAT we’re not carried about by false doctrine.
I’m not sure if by the “great falling away” you mean in an “end times” sort of way. I do not think we are altogether more “away” than 2,000 years ago. There are simply many more people, many more ways to talk and touch people, and therefore the possibility of more falling away. Read about early Christianity and you’ll find lots of strange teachings popping up, being shot back down, and some little holdout clinging to the false teaching.
I do believe real discipleship is certainly in a state of disarray in Westernized Christianity even though we’re seeing a renewed and proper refocus on it. It’s always tempting to say we’re far worse off now than anytime in history. It sure looks that way from our vantage point. Whether we truly are or not only God knows although it’s always fun to discuss it.
SO, thanks again for the comment and stop by the blog anytime.
February 1, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I worked part time in a Christian Book Store. Good Christian realtors would come in and want a statue of some saint to burry in a yard so the house would sell quickly. Can’t remember which saint it was?????
February 2, 2008 at 1:23 am
My personal favorites are Saint trading cards. Do they make a Beckett Magazine for those?
February 6, 2008 at 8:23 pm
I agree that it’s been this bad for a long, long time.
With all of the information available today we’re just made more aware of it.
If todays media was available throughout our history I wonder just how many legends would fall. A little off topic, but it made me think of this.