Kids Games and Mind Games

When I was a child I was taught that I should not bring toys and games to church. Toys are distracting not only to the user but to those surround them. My parents taught me that and my primary teachers did the same. Now that I am older I’m ready for someone to teach adults to leave certain things home as well. Listening to a recent devotional I was intrigued with the idea of the gospel as a sanctuary. Going to church can help us find peace in an angry world but only if we all work to make church a peaceful place. Therefore I suggest that adults leave their personal political theories at home on Sunday. Please don’t bring your mind games to church.

What do I mean by mind games? Well, there are people who spend a lot of time reading the works of authors with their own moral and political ideas. There are a lot of people who spend their time listening to kooky radio personalities and eccentric cable TV hosts. If that is what entertains you that is your business but it is not the gospel. It is not the words of our savior and it is not the teaching of his prophets. Look, I don’t bring my hobbies to church and I’m not interested in your political/economic/moral hobbies when I am at church. I have no interest in listening to people’s rationalizations as to why something that sounds to me like hate or greed is somehow really part of the gospel. I’m pretty sure it’s not. There isn’t a web site or a cable program I can use to defend my opinion but I’ll trust my heart on this one. More often than not these people point to one or two isolated scripturse to justify the divine connection of their idea. Those justifications ring hollow when a deeper reading of the scriptures in undertaken.

Here is a quick list of popular personalities that are not people I wish to follow at church:

Cleon Skousen: Not a church leader, not a scholar, not how I want to spend my time.
Ayn Rand: Not my ideal of a Christian voice. Would you like your RM son to date her?
Rush Limbaugh: Does not make me think of charitable acts. Is he a role model for our children?
Sean Hannity: Arguing can be fun, but it is not productive. If you are concerned about the world then learn about the world.
Glen Beck: Sooner or later I think this train will wreak. I don’t plan on being on board.

If your thinking is based on these people’s ideas then I’ll invite you to keep that to yourself at church. We can all do our part to make church a sanctuary if we leave our games at home.