And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. —Hebrews 10: 24-25

I once heard that after a dog has puppies it will sometimes eat one or two of them. I know, gross, huh? I guess it's because there are too many puppies and not enough milk or because it was a runt anyways and wasn't going to make it? Not sure... but it makes me think of Christians. We often like to devour our own.

I don't know why it is, but it seems like many Christians don't have a problem openly bashing other segments of the Church. The documentary, Rebellion of Thought by Kent and Brad Williamson (aka The Brothers Williamson), is no different. And it's just as disgusting as a dog eating her puppies.

Were there some good points in this documentary? Sure; here are 3:

1. Having all those scholars try to explain Post-Modernism to a lunkhead like me. Honestly, I still don't get it, but it was a nice effort.
2. The brothers made a great point about American churchgoers having way too much input and not enough output. In other words, after all the Bible Studies, Sunday school classes, retreats, and conferences, shouldn't we be going out and serving, too? Great point.
3. They also made a great point about the fact that Christianity must be passed on relationally through authentic living. Very few non-Christians in this day and age are going to step foot in Church so we must bring the Gospel to them in our common everyday encounters with authenticity and vulnerability.

All of those were great points, and I especially tracked with the authenticity and vulnerability point. Other than that, these guys lost me... yes, it didn't MoveMe, or at least not in the good sense of the term. I get very concerned when an individual or organization:

1. Discusses topics or issues only with themselves or the very few who already agree with them.
2. Leans toward over-generalizations and even hyper-exaggerations.
3. Finally, comes to fallible or suspect conclusions.

There are whole "ministries," Bible Colleges, and Seminaries that practice this kind of thinking. The brothers that made this documentary borrowed a page from their book, which is ironic since they are attacking those institutions.

Let's start with their discussion. It's never good to have a monologue, nobody to really bounce your ideas off of or have a real good balanced discussion. Now I know that in this documentary, the brothers technically dialogue; there are two of them, but there are no other opinions... they already are of the same opinion. There's really no research, they don't talk to anyone, from what I can tell but each other, to come to their conclusions. They already have an opinion and each of them is helping to validate it.

Which brings me to their generalizations. Dispersed within the meaty definitions of Post-Modernism by the scholars are these brothers, who all of sudden take a jump that the Church; yes, even Christendom as a whole is, in their words, "blind and don't even know it." Huh? Where did that come from? And it builds from there to where they just say all churches are broken, blind, and irrelevant in the Post-Modern culture. Is it true just because these guys say it, while cool music and a cool sunset are in the background?

Finally, we come to their conclusion. If the Church as a whole is broken, blind, and irrelevant, then we must all leave the Church. Wow! What? In fact, towards the end of the film these brothers end up equating today's Church with the Church during the Nazi era. Again, wow! Really? They talk about the Church like it's a train headed towards a head-on collision with another train. It's useless to try to get the train to stop or go another direction, you have to jump off the train. How did they come to this conclusion? None of the experts or the people on the street they are interviewing ever say this.

I'm pretty simple minded... it's why I don't really get what Post-Modernism is. When professors start speaking, my eyes glaze over to tell you the truth. But even a simple mind like mine can't make the connections this documentary makes. Namely: Post-Modernism (whatever it is) is here, the Church doesn't get it or the raw people they interviewed: that makes them Nazis, so let's all jump ship and be lone ranger Christians because that's what Jesus told us to do. I think you have be have a Church-bashing agenda to get there.

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