Dig it

I grew up with a feeling of fear about people because I had been told over and over again, “Don’t make friends with people who aren’t Christians because they’ll pull you away from your faith.” In general, as the church, we seem to grasp the “Don’t be of the world” part pretty well, but the reality is we’ve moved to a place where we’re nowhere even near the world. Instead of carrying God’s grace into our culture, we’ve created our own little subculture. And when the world pokes fun at our subculture, we think it’s persecution. It’s not. Persecution happens when someone’s reacting to the person of Christ. What we see is usually people’s reacting to our little subset of laws and rules and connections and commerce—how we do our stuff. I, personally, feel a need to begin to break free from that in whatever ways I can. I think it’s time to think differently about how we approach our faith in the world. We have to find a way to be human and let our faith express itself in our humanness while we’re involved with other human beings.

- Chris Rice, freelance nice guy, songwriter, and philosopher

I promised I'd gradually pull the curtain back on what I mean when I say I want this site to be (in part) about "exposing the big ubiquitous thing." Consider this the first of many glimpses of the wizard. He's little and, ultimately, powerless, but he puts on a big show as long as he has the curtain for cover.

[NOTE: For those who struggle with metaphor, Chris Rice is not the wizard. The Big Ubiquitous Thing (aka the BUT) is the wizard. Don't worry, we'll keep working on this.]

Comments

[rk]

yes, Lord.

[smanny]

I heard somebody, somewhere say that we've strayed from our marching orders to be "in the world but not of the world", so that now we're "of the world but not in the world". I think that's pretty right on. I don't think that means that unbelievers should've heard of Chris Rice, by the way.

[thad]

Agreed. And I'm pretty sure Chris would agree too, though I'm loathe to speak for him. There's this caveat - it doesn't mean unbelievers should've heard of Chris Rice the musician; it does mean there should be unbelievers who know Chris Rice the guy.

[smanny]

yeah. And they SHOULD enjoy Crisp Rice, the cereal.

[smanny]

I haven't posted on here in a while, and I hate to get off this (good) subject to make an old comment, but do we all agree that Julie Roberts should've gone out and found a different name, even if it's a fake one?

[thad]

No, I adamantly oppose that notion. On this CMT program, they actually showed a meeting of the Mercury-Nashville marketing staff where they discussed the possibility of "renaming" her. Yuck. The bass ackwards world of fame and artificial importance is big enough for a country singer named Julie Roberts and an actress named Julia Roberts. There was room for Sonny Bono and Bono; Cher and Sheriff (the 80's band fronted by Freddi Currci who went on to front the equally obscure 80's band Alias); Rupert Gee and Rupert the Survivor; and, of course, John Lennon and Jack Lemon. There's room for this girl with her given name.

[smanny]

gee. uh, okay.

Well, anyway. What about Crisp Rice? It's part of a complete breakfast.

[dv]

I think her name should be changed to something with a native american ring to it. Sort of like:

One Who Gets Used by Record Execs

or

Tool of Greed

or

Struggling Lamb Caught in Machine of Money

or

Likes to Dance to Sir Mix A Lot

or

oh, the possibilities are endless.

She can sing, but can she survive the wolves?

[J.A.P.]

She may not be able to survive the wolves, can any of us? They’ve become so expert at bleating they’ve even taken everything from the Little Boy who lives in the lane. What makes us think we can escape them? Because we’re not in the limelight? I suppose it depends upon whose limelight you speak.

At some point in time, I must agree with Stands With Fist in Dances With Wolves: we must sacrifice Who We Think We Are. Like her, we see ourselves enduring what we think is life from day to day until all prospect apparently abandons us, leaving us widows and orphans in this world (our mate, let me see…what did you tag him? Oh, yes, “the wizard”—the wizard divorces us, making us worldly widows, and the BUT abandons us in the street, making us orphans). Only when Best To Come rescues us do we have hope that we can become Who I AM from that point on. So, who are we that the wolves wantonly wander ravaging us?

Persecution? My greatest persecution has come from the brotherhood. Lately, I’ve grown accustomed to carrying my own box of rocks for the benefit of those who forgot theirs when they discover the “Straight and Narrow Path” upon which I travel isn’t the same as theirs’.

Which draws us to the point so carpingly stated to my friend (yes, I even have friends!) J.O.S. recently, “You’re so heavenward bound, you’re no earthly good.” This generally surmises your blurb and agrees with you too smammy. But the antithesis of this statement frightens me more: “You’re so earthly bound, you’re no heavenly good.” I’d rather the prior be tagged upon me rather than the later.

In your thirty-something (that was a great show while it lasted!) years upon this earth, what do the words “Come, follow me!” address in the individual? The line in Young Frankenstein “Walk this way” remains an enigma to the world at large, don’t you think? Very few, if any, hunch the back, drag the foot, and WALK THIS WAY.

Chris Rice? Bought a pinch of him today. Down to earth…no, in the earth…rather, in the world and not being a part of it? Best advice yet: “Don’t pay any attention to the man behind the curtain.”

[smanny]

hey, did Michael A ever show up on any of those shows with J.R.? I forgot to watch.

[thad]

Yeah, he was in one scene on the CMT show, then his mug was all over ABC last Tuesday morning. I'd never really pictured his goofy face peering out from behind Diane Sawyer, but there he was. Leno is this Thursday.

[smanny]

I see that People gave JR 3 1/2 stars. Bodes awfully well for her.