“Christian” Ideas that Aren’t (5)
1. “I’m more of a New Testament Christian.” 2. “The Old Testament is legalistic and about law; the New Testament is about love and grace. 3. “God helps those who help themselves.” 4. “Those who do not work should not eat.” 5. “Minds are like umbrellas. They work best when open.” Though not Christian in origin, this slogan is found an numerous church signs and is a “foundational truth” in most mainline and even in many evangelical churches. I call this the “Dead Poets Society Syndrome” (or is that sin-drome). I refer to the Robin Williams’ 1989 hit movie in which Williams stars as a English professor at a prestigious but stuffy and tradition-bound boys school. He tries to open their minds, makes a cardinal virtue out of carpe diem (“seize the day”), discounts traditions of literary criticism and interpretation and makes free, autonomous self-expression the core of the...