In a recent post concerning Erwin McManus and his “cult community” know as Mosaic, Ken Silva actually refers to himself as the high and holy God. In classic Silva style, his post is littered with insults and name-calling, including a reference to getting sick after writing down the very name of McManus, Bell and Warren. I didn’t realize that the super power of the emergent black magic was that strong, but hey, we’ll go with it for now.

Aside from the normal horrible logic behind the arguments made in the article, there was one section that caught and held my full attention:

As a quick aside; there are those who feel by constantly using those descriptors (gleaned from McManus himself) e.g. “cultural architect” that I am mocking him. We must be very careful here so please read my keyboard: Yes, yes, absolutely I am mocking him. As it is written:

The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools He holds up to shame. (Proverbs 3:33-35)

Notice that Ken uses first person “yes, yes, absolutely I am mocking him” in his blog (he doesn’t leave any room for doubt). He then references the Proverb above to justify his mocking, saying that the Lord is the one who mocks the proud. Logic would naturally follow that Ken is considering himself “the Lord” in this passage, as he uses that as his reason to make fun of those with different views than his. He doesn’t say “because the Lord can, I can.” No, he actually references himself as the Lord who mocks the proud. Ironically, he also calls himself the Lord who gives grace to the humble. That characteristic doesn’t seem to fit him as well. Oh well, I guess we shouldn’t question the character of reverend high and holy lord Silva.

Issue: Rob Bell’s new book, entitled ‘Sex God’

Slice/CRN’s take: They hadn’t even read it yet, and they were willing to trash it for its topic (after all, Christians shouldn’t talk about sex, let alone engage in it, right?), and to tackle Bell for an incredibly brief ‘tour’ where he signed the book and did a Q&A session (For the Univrsity of Kentucky stop on Feb 15, flights from MI to KY were cancelled, and Bell decided to make the 10-hour drive.), which prompted the ever-hysterical Ken Silva to compare Bell to Marilyn Manson.

My take: The book has been out more than 3 weeks now, though, and there’s been nary a peep at CRN, so I figured I’d get out in front of them on this one…  As for the criticism of the ‘tour’ – to a handful of colleges within driving distance of Grand Rapids on a Thursday night, and one mid-week flight to the west coast – I thought it was very laid-back, and small for a book promotion (which a number of publishers require, anymore).  Maybe when we see Johnnie Mac go on the road with his current/next smear-fest, he will be compared to Mr. Manson (though, somehow, I doubt it)…

I published my review of the book last night here, with a few excerpts here:

This book is an exploration of a number of issues which we may initially see as mostly dealing with sex or the relationships between the sexes.  However, Bell delves into each topic to show that each issue of sexuality (’this‘) is really more about an issue of spirituality (’that‘), which he does in a highly-engaging, but yet tasteful manner. 

Chapter One, “God Wears Lipstick” is still available online in PDF format, for those interested.  It deals with humans being made in the image of God, and the ways that we treat other image-bearers (’this‘) through objectification or abuse, and how this reflects upon our view of their Creator (’that‘).  The chapter title comes from an anecdote from the liberation of Bergen-Belsen in 1945 which hauntingly demonstrates both sides of the coin of treating the creation in a manner that respects (or disrespects) the Creator.

Chapter Five, “She Ran Into the Girls’ Bathroom” is a beautiful lesson on God’s love for us and the choice we have to accept or reject that love (and is, thus, the chapter most likely to be criticized and reviled by hyper-Calvinists of the blogosphere).  Bell starts with a story of a girl he asked to dance with him at a Junior High dance (with the result given away in the chapter title), and the nature of the power to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ – but how it takes even more nerve/power to become vulnerable to give someone else that decision.  He also tells a very haunting story of a friend who left his wife and the cry of a broken-hearted lover.  In this chapter, Bell gives one of the bext expositions on the Song of Songs I’ve ever read.

This is a great book, and will be required reading for each of my kids before they get married (and my girls before they date)…

Issue: Music as a neutral element that can be used for worship

Slice/CRN take: Dwayna, from “Music is not Amoral”

Consider these points from Dan Lucarini, former Contemporary Christian Worship leader:

“…I do not trust the argument that all music is or can be good, because of the biblical record. The first musical reference in the entire Bible is not in Psalms or Chronicles, as many believe. It is not in the stories of David or the song of Moses. The first mention of music is found very early in Genesis 4:21, where we are introduced to Jubal, the father of all musicians: ‘He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute.’ Our modern band and orchestra instruments can probably be traced to the handiwork of Jubal and his descendants.Furthermore, the first musician named in the Bible was a direct descendant of Cain, whom God had judged so severely, because he used his own personal [p]references in worship! Ponder that for a moment.

God told Cain that his personal style of worship was unacceptable, because it violated the specific rules given by God. Cain was infuriated with this rejection and extremely jealous that God accepted  his brother, Abel’s, worship. Cain murdered Abel and was banished from the presence of the Lord and His family.Cain’s descendants continued to disobey God. They were so wicked that when they intermarried with the line of Seth, God decided to destroy them with the Flood. This was the heritage and environment of Jubal…I also recommend a diligent study of 1 Chronicles 15 and 16 where David organized the musical structure of temple worship. This will help us to understand how a fallible man can become acceptable to  God as a music minister before Him, trusted to choose the music and the instruments wisely.”

[Why I Left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement, Lucarini, pp. 93, 133; Evangelical Press] [emphasis hers]

My Take:

I suppose you can twist scripture to say a whole lot of things, but this not only takes the cake, but it then tries to eat it, too…  This is another attack on the Third Commandment, trying to make our preferences into “God’s preferences”.

So, let’s see:

1. Jubal is the first musician in the Bible, who was the ‘father of all those who play the harp and flute’.
2. Jubal was decended from Cain, who was rejected by God for “using his own personal [p]references in worship”. [This is certainly a huge stretch in Biblical interpretation, far beyond Rick Warren's stretches in interpretation in the Purpose Driven Life that his detractors gnash about ad naseum.  The remainder of the exposition of Genesis 4 is also a bit of a stretch in interpretation, but hey, Dwayna and Lucarini are on their side, so they can be given a pass...]
3. “Our modern band and orchestra instruments can probably be traced to the handiwork of Jubal and his decendents.”  [I was kind of thinking that Jubal and his decendents were either a) wiped out in the flood; b) ancestors of Noah; c) ancestors of Noah's wife or his son's wives.  Since we don't have Jubal's geneology to know if all of us or a third of us or none of us are related to him, I will have to assume this is a lame attempt at unsupported hyperbole toward whatever instruments/music Dwayna/Lucarini don't like...]
4. David is then used as the example for how to choose music and instruments.  [Wasn't David's key instrument the harp (1 Sam 16:18)?  Isn't one of his Psalms (#5) written for flute accompanyment?  Didn't he know that *shudder* Jubal was the 'father of all those who play the harp and flute'?  What was he thinking?!?!?]

I think Dwayna and Dan just need a good therapist, and need to leave the church alone until they grow up a bit and realize that just because something isn’t their preference doesn’t make it displeasing to God.

God is the creator of everything, including music, and as such, it can – and should – be used to worship Him, in any musical style that is acceptable to the church community worshipping Him.  Even if it includes harps, flutes, drums, guitars or an organ…