Pewboy’s perpetually glad countenance, characterized by a wide and happy smile, had given way to a more somber and pensive visage. With brow furrowed and chin resting on clasped hands he gave the appearance of a chess player methodically searching the board before him — minus the board. In this agitated state his constant friend, Altarego, discovers him. As usual, the two have a lively conversation.
Altarego: I don’t know when I last saw you so thoughtful, my friend. May I interrupt your musings to ask why you are looking so troubled?
Pewboy: Hello, “A.” I’ve been afraid you would find me. [Here the briefest smile bolted across his lips to indicate that his words were without malice.]
Jim White
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A: Well, thank you, friend. Your words of welcome have truly warmed my heart. Have I caused such past offense that my presence creates in you such dread?
P: You know it hasn’t. It’s just that anytime you show up I know I shall be led into the agony of serious thought. And, frankly, I prefer the untroubling opinions of traditional conventional wisdom.
A: Correct me if I am wrong, but from your appearance I would say cogitation arrived before I did. But again I must ask what has you in such a state of agitation?
P: Well, basically it is this. As you know, I grew up being taught that the Pope was right up there with the Antichrist and that the poor Catholics were duped into believing in all sorts of strange doctrines like praying to Mary and the plastic saints riding on their dashboards. My Baptist pastor pointed out that Catholics did all kinds of crazy things like eating fish on Fridays and going to confession and wearing ashes on their foreheads on a day they called Ash Wednesday. Then there was Lent and the things they decided to go without. Not only that, Catholics danced.
A: You are doing well, my child, to get this out. How long has it been since your last confession?
P: Huh?
A: Never mind. Why the sudden concern with Catholicism? Are you thinking of converting?
P: No, of course not. But it started, I guess, when that guy in the Kennedy clan, Sargent Shriver, died. I went online and listened to the things people said about him. Every person who spoke said of him that his faith in God was what motivated him. They said he loved God, was devoted to God and served God. He worshipped God faithfully and his belief in Jesus Christ caused him to act on those beliefs.
A: And this created a problem for you?
P: No. Well, yes, in a way, because here was a man who believed strongly and whose life was consistent with his faith. As I listened to the things said about him, I found myself worshipping the Lord! I wasn’t prepared for that. My prejudice was that Catholics only went through the motions of religion and were hung up on rituals and forms.
A: I commend you. You have already identified it as a prejudice! You have been thinking.
P: [Continuing to verbalize his thoughts without acknowledging Altarego’s remark] And then, I heard about this couple, Scott and Jean Adam, who were killed by the Somali pirates. I don’t know a lot about them, but they were Catholics sailing around the world handing out Bibles they bought from the American Bible Society.
A: I can see you have not only been thinking; you have been researching!
P: Yes, I have. Here is what one newspaper said: “Scott and Jean made plans for far-flung kingdom impact. Supported by their local Catholic parish and numerous partners, they prayed for where God and a steady breeze would send them as they set sail to share the hope of God’s Word.” Except for the Catholic part, you would think they were talking about Virginia Baptists!
A: I thought they were connected with Hollywood somehow.
P: She was a dentist before she retired, and he worked in TV. He was involved in shows like “The Dukes of Hazard,” and “Love Boat.” But he also had worked on a Ph.D. at Fuller Seminary and preached in churches when he got the chance. That’s what I’m saying. Catholics aren’t acting the way I thought they should.
A: What else is going on inside that expanding brain of yours?
P: Well, to be honest, there are things in Catholicism I’ll never be able to accept because they are too strongly at odds with my core principles — like the infallibility of the pope and praying to Mary or the saints. But I’ve come to think that maybe we Baptists could learn something from them. While we condemn them for going through the motions, at least they are going through the motions! We talk about confession, but since it is purely an individual act, sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t.
A: And Lent? What about that?
P: I used to think they were talking about lint. I joked about having a suit I gave up for lint — that’s how bad I was. But, tell me, is it a bad thing to have a special focus on sacrifice during the weeks leading up to Good Friday and the Resurrection?
A: Pewboy, I’m proud of you. You have been able to process your prejudices by thinking through them and evaluating them. And, you have demonstrated genuine humility in acknowledging that others in the Christian faith community have practices you may benefit from. Now, are you ready to take that a step further? What other prejudices are you holding that require the same sort of processing and evaluation?
P: I knew you were going to say that! I don’t know that I have prejudices against any others, but I can tell you that some others even in the Baptist family ought to examine their prejudices against me. Those arrogant, pharisaical, condescending, exclusivistic hypocrites ought to recognize that I am deeply committed, highly principled, eagerly evangelistic, socially missional and non-judgmental.
A: [Shaking his head sadly] You forgot nauseatingly humble. Is it too late to qualify my pride?