Cynicism, the Luxury of the Bored
It happens often. Someone will mention something that a Church, or Pastor, or Author said about something that I disagree with. They are looking to me for a response. They are looking for that response because so many times, that’s exactly what I’ve given them. Some cynical remark about how crazy that Pastor is or how I couldn’t make it 5 minutes in that church. Some condescending joke about how they write or the way they preach or how bright their teeth are or whatever. This is cynicism. And it is nothing more than a luxury of the bored.
Cynicism is the snot nosed off spring of Criticism and Sarcasm. The only thing it has actually done is tear down what others have done. It offers no value, no alternative, no originality. It is weak. It is destructive. It moves nothing forward. And it reveals size of the vision of the one who utters it.
Those of us who have committed ourselves to the Cause of Christ, to the Vision of the Kingdom are battling quite litterally against the forces of Hell itself…and we’d rather make jokes about a churches we’ve never even been to.
We are combating sin and resistance around every corner…and we spend our time and energy judging someone because we disagree with their theology.
We carry the Hope and Love of Jesus into a Hurt and Hopeless World….and we choose to make fun of Mega Churches or Mainline Churches or Our Own Church.
The Capacity and Veracity with which you can tear down one of our own with some cynical remark reveals how small our vision is and ultimately just how bored we really are.
It’s one thing to be Critical. It’s one thing to have Opinions. It’s entirely another to be Cynical and Sarcastic. If we were ever truly aware of the mission God has put us on, the only thing we would be Cynical of would be Cynicism.
I Confess – I’m a quick Cynic. I’m quick to pass judgment through sarcastic comments of people I’ve never met and churches I’ve never set foot in. To all my brothers and sisters I have judged, mocked, and made fun because I assumed I knew better, I am sorry.
Maybe you feel a little confession coming on too. We’d love for you to share it here…or, if it’s easier, you can just be cynical of this post.
No one can use my name to do something good and powerful, and in the next breath cut me down. If he’s not an enemy, he’s an ally. Why, anyone by just giving you a cup of water in my name is on our side.
Mark 9:39-41a
dannyjbixby
I'll confess first (or really, second bc of the original post).
I'm a huge cynic. I have been for a long time. I've come to realize and despise my own cynicism over the past year especially and am constantly struggling with it.
It's hard, and often masks itself as criticism or being opinionated, but quite often it is merely cynicism wrapping itself in the cloak of something less caustic.
I'm trying to move from cynicism to criticism.
This post of yours really cuts me.
Thanks.
Sep 18, 2009 @ 12:40 am
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Sep 18, 2009 @ 11:48 am