Little children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21
Is it time to think about New Year’s resolutions? As we contemplate how best to follow Jesus into a new year, it’s worth considering what might be holding us back. I offer the following nominations for the greatest idols for American Christians.
9.) Technology—As distraction, entertainment, status symbol, or professional tool—once we lay our hands on the latest, flashiest piece of technology, it’s a safe bet that it commands a larger portion of our time and energy than conversation with our family or our God.
8.) Football—Among the countless forms of entertainment, diversion and sport, the cult of American football stands alone as the indispensible sacrament of cultural religion. Congregations in cities with NFL or Division I college teams schedule confirmation retreats and Christmas pageants around games. Deeply faithful church members will unapologetically miss worship if it conflicts with kickoff. Fandom is offered as a valid excuse for excesses of all kinds.
7.) Non-commitment—In the name of preserving personal flexibility, many of us studiously avoid making commitments more than 48 hours in advance. More than 50% of “RSVPs” to Facebook invitations are “maybes.” People are slow to sign up for committees or classes where attendance is expected. You never know when something better might come along. Disciples are nurtured by practicing the faith in regular, disciplined ways. Refusing to commit to these shared disciplines in the name of flexibility inhibits spiritual growth.
6.) Beauty—Ensuring that women feel ashamed and inadequate about their bodies while marketing products to “fix” them is a multi-billion dollar industry. Men desiring, and women pursuing, imaginary standards of beauty creates an all-consuming and destructive cycle that is guaranteed to fail. Physical beauty affects virtually all of our interactions and relationships. Men and women both interact differently with women whom we view as attractive, and a huge percentage of our largest churches are pastored by tall, good-looking, white men.
5.) The “American Way”—In the history of our great nation there is much to celebrate. Saluting the flag, honoring our veterans and commemorating landmark events are all worthy endeavors. But when we confuse the American virtues of rugged individualism and boundless economic opportunity with Jesus’ exhortations to justice, generosity and humility we dishonor the one we follow. When we conflate the cross and the flag—we worship a truly “American” idol.
4.) Attention—In the realm of social media, attention is currency. Some among us (like blogging pastor-types, for instance) spend more time counting likes, comments, views and retweets than we do in silent, meditative prayer. In a world where feelings of inadequacy and isolation are rampant, chasing the seductive elixir of instant affirmation is a powerful temptation.
3.) Safety—Locked doors, warm beds, and savings accounts are wonderful things. People who have health insurance and working streetlights (understandably) hesitate to risk those things. But stability is the enemy of risk-taking mission, and the call of the gospel is to make disciples of all nations. That call persists even when it means quitting lucrative jobs, traveling to developing countries, and engaging struggling neighborhoods. Across the centuries, very few Christians whose examples we revere lived lives of safety and security.
2.) Sex—Our favorite thing to argue about in the church is also our second-greatest idol. If we’re not arguing about it then we are reading about, dreaming about, gossiping about, or wondering about it. Who is doing it with whom? When it is right and wrong? How is it used as a weapon by men? As a tool by women? As a source of economic advantage by the oppressive? As a source of lurid entertainment by all? Contemplating sex more than we contemplate God is a temptation to which few are immune.
1.) Money—On the scale of things that American Christians love more than God, nothing comes close to money. Nothing. Greed is far and away our greatest and most insidious sin. Americans worship money as a proxy for happiness, as a lever for influence, as a crutch for security, and as a scorecard for status. We worry about our own money and we envy other people’s. Money drives the politics of taxation, healthcare, poverty, war and religion. If the greatest barrier between you and God isn’t your relationship with money—you are a rare Christian indeed and you have the vital and unenviable task of helping the rest of us love money less and love God more.
Yes, I know . . . that’s only nine. Help me out here. What idol fills out the list? What do we (and our sisters and brothers) love more than God?
Scott Hauser is pastor and head of staff at First Presbyterian Church in Clarion, Pennsylvania.
