Biblical Christianity: Mixed messages?

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Mixed messages?

Seen on my lunchtime walk yesterday (click to enlarge):

26 comments:

Pierre Saikaley said...: I see the incongruency-at least on the surface.

But is your home protected by Jesus? Do you have any Harry Potter in your home?

I have Twilight and New Moon, mainly (because my wife likes it, I don't). We don't let our daughter of 5y.o. watch it. I'd prefer my wife NOT be into it, but being a WOMAN-you know...

Anyway, I'd like to think Jesus is protecting our home.

Am I being incongruent???; October 25, 2011 at 6:43:00 AM CDT
DJP said...: LOL, touché, Frenchnameguy.

I'd say in my defense that we won't be putting up zombies, ghosts and Martin Luther on our lawn this week. Nor at Christmas will we be putting up a Nativity, Santa, and Harry Potter.; October 25, 2011 at 6:45:00 AM CDT
Scott Shaffer said...: I wasn't even thinking about the Halloween creatures until I read the first comment. What caught my eye? The ADT sign! Just in case Jesus has to take a break from protecting the house I guess.; October 25, 2011 at 7:14:00 AM CDT
Doug Hibbard said...: I'm with Scott---I saw the contrast between "Protected by ADT" and "Protected by Jesus."

Which one is needing back up?; October 25, 2011 at 7:38:00 AM CDT
Robert said...: I see what you're getting at, but something else came to mind as well...

So what then do we say if our house burns down or if war comes to our houses and ravages them? I can not help but to think of Habakkuk and what he was facing and his response once the fear of Yahweh held him. I'm not worried about God protecting our house as much as protecting His people. If He decides to take my house in an effort to mature me spiritually, so be it. I'm not wishing for that, but I also recognize that my security lies not with the things of this world.

That said, Jesus protects His own in light of our sinfulness and worldliness - although He works through sanctification to free us from that, too. And we should help to guide our weaker brothers to recognize some things it would be wise to avoid.; October 25, 2011 at 7:41:00 AM CDT
Doug Hibbard said...: Of course, then there's the whole question of whether or not posting a flimsy sign about something that should be obvious through lifestyle, speech, habit, and year-round decor is a whole 'nother matter.

And the word-verification is "detrib." I know pre-trib, mid-trib, and post-trib---but "detrib"? Or is that from Jamaican theology? "De trib is coming, better watch out at de skies?"; October 25, 2011 at 7:41:00 AM CDT
DJP said...: Wow. My readers are much deeper than I am.

Which is... cool!; October 25, 2011 at 7:56:00 AM CDT
JackW said...: My thought was that a mixed message was better then no message.

I guess I fail the "being deeper through finding all the negative" in others test.

Which is ... cool!

... until I hit the publish button that is.; October 25, 2011 at 8:25:00 AM CDT
DJP said...: Hater.; October 25, 2011 at 8:28:00 AM CDT
Merrilee Stevenson said...: Ooooh. That IS very scary.; October 25, 2011 at 8:52:00 AM CDT
DJP said...: My Dear Wife just supplied the most delightful comment imaginable:

All the scary stuff is on the outside.

Therefore:

Jesus is doing a good job of protecting!; October 25, 2011 at 9:55:00 AM CDT
Herding Grasshoppers said...: It's the double incongruity of ADT vs. Jesus and Halloween vs. Jesus.

Make that triple incongruity - the first creepy skeleton has a cutesy street sign that says, "Witch Way... to die" and a rainbow on his head, and the other skeleton appears to have a large pink bow (butterfly? bunny ears?) on his shoulder.

But look behind him - the skeleton in the rear is dressed as... an angel.

Huh?

I guess I'm easily confused.; October 25, 2011 at 10:00:00 AM CDT
Rachael Starke said...: I thought it was some kind of missional/contextualization effort. Sprinkle all the Halloweeny stuff around to get your interest and then ......TaDaa - Jesus!

Then I reread Julie's observations. If that "Witch way to die..." sign really is some kind of hokey line borrowed from a Chic tract,

then this really is some kind of evanjellyfishy attempt at Halloween evangelism. And that may be the scariest picture I'll see all day today. Sheesh.; October 25, 2011 at 10:53:00 AM CDT
JackW said...: The sign is tilting though, so maybe ...; October 25, 2011 at 11:41:00 AM CDT
Herding Grasshoppers said...: *sigh* I have a friend (left AG church to join Contemporvant mega-church) whose front porch probably looks very like this.

I don't imagine these people are consciously trying to tie the Halloween decorations in with their 'house protected by Jesus'/evangelization attempt - if we can call it that.

I think they're probably utterly unaware of the irony of proclaiming to be Christian and then sprinkling witches and skeleton angels (?) around the porch. I mean, it's all cute and fun, right?; October 25, 2011 at 12:06:00 PM CDT
David Beirne said...: I don't have a sign. Is my house protected by Jesus>?; October 25, 2011 at 12:45:00 PM CDT
rwt said...: Sir Robert Anderson wrote a book called The Buddha of Christendom in which he addresses this very concept. Jesus to many people is just a Christian Buddha. The book was published in 1899, so this problem has been around for a while.; October 25, 2011 at 1:01:00 PM CDT
Paula Bolyard said...: First, I'm wondering if they called the cops on you when you parked on their front walk for a photo shoot.

Second, we have neighbors with a similar set of signs. The wife is currently on a crusade to start a neighborhood watch to ward off some sketchy Kirby vacuum salesmen who have been making the rounds. She's been circulating scary-looking letters to all the neighbors.

Really, just get your concealed carry and be done with it, right? That would be more helpful than a sign, which is likely strategically placed to induce guilt to ward off would-be perpetrators anyway.; October 25, 2011 at 1:28:00 PM CDT
Daniel said...: Any idea what "ΙΧΘΥE" means? Perhaps ADT is their Σωτήρ.; October 25, 2011 at 1:33:00 PM CDT
zostay said...: This reminds me of something a high school friend of mine posted to Facebook earlier this week:

Which yard sign is more effective?; October 25, 2011 at 2:34:00 PM CDT
Kirby said...: @zostay,
Not to completely divert the meta, but I'm going with the sign on the right.

@herding G's
You must have a magnifying glass for all that detail.

If I had Emer*gent friends we would have a dialogue amongst ourselves and come to the conclusion that someone who lives in a house that nice has already sold out to the Devil, Wall Street, and Joel Osteen. Jesus would not be mentioned. ;); October 25, 2011 at 3:10:00 PM CDT
Herding Grasshoppers said...: @zostay - HA HA HA!

I've always been partial to this one.

Julie; October 25, 2011 at 4:27:00 PM CDT
Pierre Saikaley said...: Didn't even catch the juxtaposition of the signs. I was just getting in my first comment quickly before work.

Kudos to the smarter folks in the room. (which is pretty much all you lovely people).

God can appoint means to protect us. Put your trust in God not men. But use his means.; October 25, 2011 at 6:24:00 PM CDT
Sir Brass said...: Dan, not even Martin Luther: Zombie Hunter?

At least say the amusing, twisted thought has at least crossed your mind once or twice as being kinda funny :P; October 26, 2011 at 12:17:00 AM CDT
Wendy said...: Leaving Halloween alone...I think the sign would have done better saying, "If ADT fails, vengeance is the Lords."; October 26, 2011 at 9:38:00 PM CDT
Sir Brass said...: Personally I'd have put up something like, "This home is protected by God's means of Smith & Wesson."

If I put up a sign at all. :-P; October 27, 2011 at 12:38:00 PM CDT