Everybody Limbo! Saddleback Style.
Well, we're really starting to settle into our new digs, now. My wife and I have created a little home here in Pasadena. It's amazing how quickly you can unpack and set up your stuff when you're motivated. The primary motivation is setting up a home that feels relaxed, comfortable. A launching-pad, as I see it. It's empowering to have somewhere you can crash and then launch out from there and work, study, play, learn, etc.
So far, we are loving this part of southern California. We travelled to distant lands today, to pay our homage at the Mecca of the megachurch movement: Saddleback Church. Unfortunately, Rick Warren (the Mohammed of this new movement) was still on sabbatical. We will return soon to hear the man in person. The whole environment was decidedlly sterile. The entire property was more like a mall. It felt in no way like a church, and I'm sure that's part of the plan. Who wants to feel like you're going to church, after all? Yet, something even more disturbing keeps us from being at all enthusiastic about a second visit...
I had read on Saddleback Church's website (link below) that "Pastor Rick" is famous for preaching in a Hawaiian print shirt, slacks, shoes, and no socks. Why this particular uniform? I'm sure I don't know, but I suppose he decided it would be disarming to see a pastor in such an outfit. That's all well and good. I have no qualms with a man wearing whatever makes him feel comfortable (and well-liked at the same time) while standing before a crowd. However, when I entered the restroom, came around the corner of a row of urinals, and saw no less than eight men, standing at the urinals, all wearing Hawaiian shirts, I was a bit concerned. At that point, I didn't know Rick Warren was out for the day. Maybe it was his birthday and as a joke everyone was wearing his "uniform." My concern was escalated somewhat (but still no more than a "Yellow" alert) when my wife and I entered the worship center and saw what looked to be about 40 - 50% of the men wearing the "uniform." Okay, what's going on here? It felt a little cult-ish, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. I'm skeptical, but fair. Besides, certainly Warren himself had nothing to do with this mimicry.
After the service, we decided to visit the resource tent to find out what propaganda was being marketed from this influential little corner of evangelicalism. Of course, I wasn't surprised by the glut of items from America's latest Christian fad: 40 Days of Purpose, Purpose Driven Life, Purpose Driven DVDs, Purpose Driven T-shirts, what have you. The books themselves even had a special label embossed on the cover so that the buyer could brag to all of his friends that he had purchased his copy of "PDL" at the home of PDL. None of this surprised me. I'm becoming used to (however no less annoyed by) such Christain flea markets, these money changers right in the courtyard of the temple. What got me, shocked me, was that right there in front of the church, along with your copy of PDL, you to can buy your very own Hawaiian shirt, just like Pastor Rick! Oh, my God! What have we done here?
I was giving Warren the benefit of the doubt. Surely those posers at the urinals were just trying to glam onto the on-stage persona of their hero. The hero himself must be merely an unwitting trend-setter. But no, here they were, for sale in the church plaza. Buy your very own, have Pastor Rick sign it with a Sharpie, be the envy of all your friends.
No further commentary is really necessary here. I'll leave it at that.
So far, we are loving this part of southern California. We travelled to distant lands today, to pay our homage at the Mecca of the megachurch movement: Saddleback Church. Unfortunately, Rick Warren (the Mohammed of this new movement) was still on sabbatical. We will return soon to hear the man in person. The whole environment was decidedlly sterile. The entire property was more like a mall. It felt in no way like a church, and I'm sure that's part of the plan. Who wants to feel like you're going to church, after all? Yet, something even more disturbing keeps us from being at all enthusiastic about a second visit...
I had read on Saddleback Church's website (link below) that "Pastor Rick" is famous for preaching in a Hawaiian print shirt, slacks, shoes, and no socks. Why this particular uniform? I'm sure I don't know, but I suppose he decided it would be disarming to see a pastor in such an outfit. That's all well and good. I have no qualms with a man wearing whatever makes him feel comfortable (and well-liked at the same time) while standing before a crowd. However, when I entered the restroom, came around the corner of a row of urinals, and saw no less than eight men, standing at the urinals, all wearing Hawaiian shirts, I was a bit concerned. At that point, I didn't know Rick Warren was out for the day. Maybe it was his birthday and as a joke everyone was wearing his "uniform." My concern was escalated somewhat (but still no more than a "Yellow" alert) when my wife and I entered the worship center and saw what looked to be about 40 - 50% of the men wearing the "uniform." Okay, what's going on here? It felt a little cult-ish, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. I'm skeptical, but fair. Besides, certainly Warren himself had nothing to do with this mimicry.
After the service, we decided to visit the resource tent to find out what propaganda was being marketed from this influential little corner of evangelicalism. Of course, I wasn't surprised by the glut of items from America's latest Christian fad: 40 Days of Purpose, Purpose Driven Life, Purpose Driven DVDs, Purpose Driven T-shirts, what have you. The books themselves even had a special label embossed on the cover so that the buyer could brag to all of his friends that he had purchased his copy of "PDL" at the home of PDL. None of this surprised me. I'm becoming used to (however no less annoyed by) such Christain flea markets, these money changers right in the courtyard of the temple. What got me, shocked me, was that right there in front of the church, along with your copy of PDL, you to can buy your very own Hawaiian shirt, just like Pastor Rick! Oh, my God! What have we done here?
I was giving Warren the benefit of the doubt. Surely those posers at the urinals were just trying to glam onto the on-stage persona of their hero. The hero himself must be merely an unwitting trend-setter. But no, here they were, for sale in the church plaza. Buy your very own, have Pastor Rick sign it with a Sharpie, be the envy of all your friends.
No further commentary is really necessary here. I'll leave it at that.
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