Jesus Junk

Jesus is being marketed as never before. Misogynist rap artists whose every other word is profane dangle from their necks huge, gold and diamond-studded crosses. Kim Kardashian regularly goes nude in photo shoots yet claims to be a Christian while her husband, Kanye West, has been holding weekly “church” concerts featuring gospel choirs. Cool, young mega pastors sport full-sleeve tattoos and barely a discernible square inch of flesh left untouched by ink. A group of so-called pastors recently publicized a gathering to bless an abortion clinic by singing, “Hallelujah, bless this room.” Many born-again pastors have become cavalier about Christians drinking alcohol. I personally heard a leading evangelical pastor (you’d likely know his name) brag to his congregation on Sunday morning about overcoming his tee-totaling hang-ups about booze. He joked about his drinking to a millennial audience which included many impressionable children. Can the Jesus junk all around us get any worse? Apparently so.

A new web site now markets “walk on water Jesus Shoes.” These blasphemous shoes were offered online and sold out in minutes at a price of $3,000 each. That price is now up to $4,000! The shoes are all-white Nike Air Max 97s. The shoes were purchased at retail price and after-market, privately re-designed. Part of the sole (or should that be “soul”) has been filled with “holy” water mixed with blue dye. The liquid is injected into the Nike brand’s Air-Style, air bubble. No word yet on how many people have nearly drowned while attempting to stroll across their favorite lake wearing Jesus Shoes.

With all the craziness of Jesus junk, maybe the idea of demonic possession isn’t so far out after all? Instead of attacking deliverance and exorcism as unnecessary, evangelical churches might better spend time cleansing the cultural temple of Christianity from all the Jesus Junk. Compared to Jesus Shoes, exorcism isn’t eccentric. It’s biblical, historical, practical, and effective at relieving spiritual torment. The craziness of contemporary, American Christianity probably won’t get better anytime soon. Why? The gutless timidity of Christian leaders to threaten their financial welfare by bucking what’s popular. As a child I remember hearing the old gospel song, “Take the whole world, just give me Jesus.” That’s what I want. Just Jesus. Jesus healing this sick. Jesus casting out demons. Jesus walking on water. Let’s get rid of the all the Jesus junk and show the world the power of Christ over the devil by casting out demons in His name. In the words of the apostle Paul 1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”