Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Complexity part 3: Normal?

Awhile back I was looking through reviews of CCM albums. I came across one where the reviewer criticized a song called Anti-conformity. It seemed rather evident that this person saw holiness and righteousness as normal, and that Christianity is merely a matter of conforming to normal. A rather common, yet completely inaccurate and superficial perception about Christianity. 

Holiness is anything but normal. The word holy literally means "set apart" so obviously true righteousness is more about growing beyond normal, yet, sinful human instincts and tendencies. Even the secular world knows this on some level. Even they are trying to rationalize their sinful behaviors under the term of "normal." But, just because something is "normal" does not make it right or holy by default. So much pain, suffering, and abuse has been brought into the world in the name of "normal." Often "normal" is just an excuse to conform to the masses, indulge the evil in our hearts, be selfish, and treat people as irrelevant. If Christianity was really about normal, we wouldn't need a religion or doctrine centered around it, because everyone would be doing it already, and find it rather easy. Clearly that is not the case.

While words like normal, conformity, and rebellion, may have certain stigmas attached to them. Relying on such broad notions is really over simplifying complex truths. Since even so-called rebellious people seldom rebel in original and isolated ways. They are typically part of a larger movement of people all rebelling in the same way collectively. In other words, conforming to one another in an attempt to create a counter culture where they can find acceptance outside the mainstream. Like most counter-cultures, if they become popular, they will eventually become passé over time. Just as holiness, is a choice to rebel against worldliness and wickedness. So it's not merely a matter of if we are rebelling or conforming or not, since we are all doing both in some fashion. It's a matter of what we are choosing to conform to, and what we choose to rebel against. Weather that is a misguided notion of normal, or striving for better than that.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. -Romans 12:2


a unique person wanting to join the normal bandwagon.
click to enlarge

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