The Big Picture Podcast 33: Christian Utopia?

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This week’s podcast is part two of a mini-series we’re doing on the problem of ‘Utopianism’, and if you tuned in last week, you heard our friend the Late ‘Boomer’s take on his generation’s misguided utopian crusade known as The Great Society.

Well, one person tuning in was his friend and alter-ego, the Backrow Baptist. He’s the guy in the back of the Church who’s always tempted to throw a few extra dollars in the offering plate so he won’t feel convicted for leaving early. But that never works for him, so once again he’s staying to the end.

And he’s back on the Big Picture to chime in on a few utopian trends he’s seen recently in the Christian community.

Christians aren’t immune to the trap of thinking we can make a paradise here on Earth. We can see this mostly in the social justice movement that’s so popular with Christians today.

As I said, it’s easy for us to fall into this trap, and I think the best example of this happened not too long ago with so many Christians getting caught up in the Invisible Children’s KONY 2012 film and campaign to publicize and eventually capture war lord Joseph Kony in Uganda.

So many Christians I know were caught up in KONY that when I first became aware of the film and it’s purpose, I assumed that Invisible Children was a missions agency and that the whole effort was Christian.

But as far as I can tell, it’s completely secular.

As commendable as their goal was, the film was very utopian in nature, with slogans like “Nothing is more powerful than an idea” (well, actually, God is), or “The better world we want is coming – waiting for us to stop at nothing.” (well, it’s actually waiting for Jesus) and “This is what the world should be like.” (but, of course, it never will be).

I think it’s crucial for Christians to avoid this kind of thinking, which is really more like emoting.

The Bible, and Jesus, make it crystal clear that in this world there will always be trouble, there will always be the poor and there will always be injustice.

The mistake social justice Christians tend to make is that they believe they can change that reality, that they can somehow eliminate the external conditions that they believe cause poverty and injustice.

And in many cases they can affect them, for a time at least.

But the causes of poverty and injustice aren’t all external. They’re internal as well. They’re the result of human brokenness. That’s why merely changing circumstances with well intentioned assistance won’t get it done.

But just like secular utopians, Christian utopians have a hard time facing that reality.

I think that’s why so many relief agencies fall into questionable funding and administration practices. After raising all that money, you can’t really tell your donors it’s not working, so you fudge a little. Then a lot.

Eventually the choices come down to letting the crusade and the enthusiasm die (as in KONY), forcing temporary fixes through political means (as many of the left-leaning of social justice leaders advocate), or realizing that the top priority is the Gospel, the Good News that saves people’s souls for eternity, not their circumstances here on Earth.

But we don’t really like to face that, because temporary fixes are often easier and sometimes even more satisfying.

We get more donations, and we get better feedback – smiles, hugs and good publicity that we feel will earn us ‘the right to be heard’.

But really, Jesus already gave us that right.

Actually He gave us a responsibility, and we have no right to keep the Good News under wraps until someone’s circumstances improve.

The social justice movement isn’t anything new. Christians have been doing what we today call ‘social justice’ for centuries.

Missionaries have always gone out into every corner of the world building hospitals, schools and churches, healing the sick and feeding the hungry when no one else would even consider helping others.

But those good works weren’t ends in themselves. They were subject to the Gospel, which was priority number one.

Today’s social justice philosophy too easily flips that priority.

This world is not our home, and we’re not here to build or re-build a dream world, or a utopia. When we lose sight of that, the Gospel is minimized and eventually, it’s lost.

In closing, it’s time for the Great Cloud Of Witnesses, the segment of our podcast where we meet and hear the stories of those who have given, and some who are still giving, their lives by faith in the promises of God, and of whom the world was and is not worthy (if you don’t know that reference, please check out Hebrews chapter 11-12 in your Bible). And today’s witness, like so many others we tell you about, is un-named. He’s from Iran, and this is his story;

“We are the clay, He is the Potter”. In a dangerous time in a dangerous land, authorities would imprison and beat Christians without any regard for human decency or restraint. Regardless, our hero continued to praise God and proclaim His Good News whenever he was free.

“How could you keep such a spirit of hope and cheerfulness in the midst of these troubles?”, he was once asked.

His stunning reply was, “These trials are just tools in God’s hands. Who am I to criticize the tools that God uses to make me more holy?”

This unknown Iranian believer, I think, shows that what the world needs most is the Gospel, which is the most powerful tool to affect the circumstances of this world, even in the most unjust places, like Iran. And for his great faith and willingness to be used by God, he is hereby nominated to The Great Cloud Of Witnesses, of whom the world is not worthy.

If you enjoyed this week’s edition, you can go to my web site for more at gobigpicture.net and I’d really encourage you to also check out other great podcasts and points of view on the E-Squared Media Network at e2medianetwork.com. When you listen, we’d love a few comments and for you to spread the word to family and friends, your church and even you pastor. See you next time on the Big Picture podcast.

Be blessed!