Pewboy, glass of water in hand, sat in his bathrobe before a keyboard staring blankly at the computer screen. A serious case of bed head and puffy, bloodshot eyes revealed the previous night’s sleep had not gone well. Two just plopped Alka Seltzer tablets fizzed away in the water glass.
Altarego: Hey, look at you. (Then, seeing his friend’s face) Whoa, on second thought, don’t! It’s a frightening sight. I take it “sweet dreams” would not describe how you spent the night?
Jim White
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Pewboy: Nothing sweet about it, I can tell you that. Although, my dream was only part of it. I’ve been sitting here for hours trying to make some sense of it.
Altarego: It sounds fascinating. (Pulling a chair close) Care to talk about it?
Pewboy: (Considering the offer) Hmm. Maybe I should.
Altarego: (Motioning for Pewboy to continue) Well?
Pewboy: Well, it was a typical Sunday morning at church. Everything nice and predictable, you know. Nothing happening that was not printed in the bulletin. The people who doze during sermons were already nodding off.
Altarego: Yes, yes. I’ve been to your church. I get the picture.
Pewboy: Then, all of a sudden, right in the middle of the pastor’s sermon somebody yelled, “You lie!”
Altarego: Ah. That seems to have a vaguely familiar ring to it.
Pewboy: That’s right. Like Yogi Berra says, “Déjà vu all over again.” Well, if my dream had ended there it might not have turned into the nightmare on Elm Street. But that was just the beginning.
Altarego: Go on, then.
Pewboy: At first everybody was shocked. They just sat there with their mouths open. The silence was so loud that it woke up the sleepers. But, then, after a little while somebody else shouted, “Did that really happen to you or is it just a preacher story?”
Altarego: At least it caused the service to be a bit more lively!
Pewboy: Did it ever. The pastor tried to go on with the sermon but by this time the congregation was getting into the rhythm of acting out and they started next yelling at the choir. Well, if you know our choir, “passive” is not a word you would use to describe them. They started yelling back at the congregation and expanded their target to include the minister of music. A nerve-shatteringly shrill voice pierced the pandemonium, “You never let me sing a solo!”
Altarego: Sounds like a good decision.
Pewboy: The pastor, having the benefit of a microphone, began to berate some people for sleeping through his messages. “Do you know what it’s like to spend hours carefully preparing a sermon only to have you sleep through it as though you could care less about what I believe God wants me to say to you?” Well, you get the picture. It went on, it seemed like for hours, but that’s the essence of it. What do you think?
Altarego: I think you should avoid pepperoni pizza and political speeches before you go to bed.
Pewboy: You’re not getting off that easy. Tell me.
Altarego: OK. First, tell me why you are trying to figure out what this means instead of dismissing it as a weird dream of no consequence beyond its entertainment value.
Pewboy: I guess it has to do with a creeping incivility in our culture. More and more it seems that we don’t value other people’s feelings. Some people will say anything they want to anyone they please at anytime it suits regardless how hurtful or insensitive or rude it may be. I don’t like that.
Altarego: I understand. Are there other examples or is this all a reaction to Joe Wilson’s thoughtless outburst during President Obama’s speech to Congress?
Pewboy: Well, what about that guy who was on Jay Leno’s first show? You know the rapper who went up on stage after a lady had gotten an award. He jerked away the microphone and said that somebody else should have gotten it. Talk about rude!
Altarego: No doubt about it, but rappers may be in a category by themselves.
Pewboy: But, that’s my point. They aren’t by themselves anymore than Congress is by itself. Bad behavior is broadcast everywhere and it seems to be establishing cultural norms and expectations. My only hope is that church people are different. They won’t let the behavior and attitudes of our culture influence their behavior.
Altarego: Uh,well … I wish I had better news for you, but survey after survey has revealed just the opposite, I’m afraid. George Barna’s research indicates that American Christians mirror the values of their society rather than shape them.
Pewboy: Well, that brings me right back to where I was before you interrupted me — thinking about what this means for the church.
Altarego: Off hand, I’d say it means pastors better brace themselves. If congressmen will shout such a thing at the president during a speech delivered in the hallowed halls of the nation’s capitol, can callous catcalls be far behind in the church?
Pewboy: Care for some Alka Seltzer?
Jim White is editor of the Religious Herald.