“The responsibility of intellectuals includes also the recognition that we cannot live above or apart from our own time and what it imposes on us…” –Cynthia Ozick
Isn’t that the truth? One of the things that hit me about all the articles we read for class had to do with how newspapers declared themselves experts –you will listen to what we say because we are the authority. The newspapers who aren’t doing this are slowly but surely folding up and being swallowed by the internet and the blogosphere.
This may be a rabbit trail, but I read that sentence above and immediately thought of organized religion. I do NOT mean a belief in God—I am a Christian and have an active relationship with Jesus Christ. I attend Granger Community Church. When I speak of organized religion, I mean traditions, rules, regulations and the guilt that can be hammered onto people who try to find faith and a relationship with God. There are so many churches out there who are stuck in the 1950s, from the building to how the services are run, how you must dress when you attend, and how you behave in church. I think these church groups are living “apart from our own time” and that is why their effectiveness is waning.
The church I attend is often called “cutting edge.” They play loud rock music, people come in with snacks, dressed any way they are comfortable, there is special effect lighting, dramas, videos produced by people at the church. A lot of “old school” churches are very critical of GCC, and shake their heads at the thousands who attend each weekend. They say it doesn’t count as “real” church. They say we aren’t “real Christians.” Yes, we do all this special effect stuff, but we also have a community center downtown that is clean, well stocked with food and volunteers, and comfortable for anyone who wants to come in. We give truckloads of food to homeless shelters and needy families every December. We have church ministries in India that are teaching Indian pastors to be self-sustaining, so they won’t have to be dependent on us forever and can have independence in their churches. Every week our pastors teach about loving God and loving each other, and how to make real friendships–to find hope and forgiveness in this life. These are all things that were taught by Jesus, but we just present them in a “cutting edge” way. Is it no surprise, then, that thousands come to our church?
Many people in organized religion—Christian or otherwise—are so quick to close their doors to anything new and different, that they are closing themselves off to the world—a world they could be a part of and do some good in. Their numbers are dwindling.
This is what is going to happen to the newspapers or any other organization that isn’t willing to jump on the technological bandwagon.
I hope that made sense.
I think that makes sense. Whether you’re a Christian or not, you can’t miss the parallels there. You either adapt, or you face losing your readers/church people. If you want to keep the same style you had in 1950, you will keep the same people who came in 1950, but eventually people who don’t connect with the 50’s will find you outdated, lame and not relevant to the current culture. A LOT of businesses are finding themselves in that place today as the internet changes the world. Older CEOs who don’t realize what’s happening on the internet ignore it at their own peril. Adapting to the culture doesn’t mean changing your message, you’re just changing your delivery.
Comment by Kyle Sagarsee — January 14, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
[...] addressing topics regarding how to be an “Active Citizen.” She has a great post on Organized Religion that you really should check out. She compares churches to the newspaper industry, and discusses [...]
Pingback by ksagarsee » Blog Archive » My wife has a blog — January 14, 2008 @ 4:27 pm
Jeanette, I think your blog entry makes a lot of sense and I understand what you’re saying. I probably would not have made the connection between the predicament of the newspaper industry and organized religion on my own, but after reading your entry I agree with it. In fact, it makes me think that newspapers and churches are only a part of a larger picture. In my blog I wrote about the library and the things they’re doing to stay relevant. I’m guessing there are a lot of other institutions out there going through these same changes. The ones that find a way to appeal to their audience will be around for a while; the ones that don’t will probably shrink and eventually disappear.
Comment by jamezs — January 15, 2008 @ 4:14 am
Jeanette, there’s a verse that always comes into my head when people start talking about Organized Religion, and I’d like to share it with you. James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” I think established church Christians can get too caught up in what is “appropriate” or other trapping. The truth is that God is concerned about two things. Are we, as a church body, keeping ourselves unpolluted by The World (special effects and rock music are not pollution) and are we caring for those in need. Sounds like your church is doing that.
BTW, I come to your blog via your husband’s blog and I got there from #CITRT. Jesus Geeks!
Comment by Scott — March 5, 2008 @ 11:24 pm