Roads, Part 2

I am amazed at people’s willingness to share their opinions on just about anything. One exclusive on 20/20 or the latest one-liners from Glenn Beck and we become experts on any subject. I’ve shared with you before that I don’t get into politics very much at all. As someone who has acdemically studied something in depth, I now feel totally unqualified to have strong opinions about anything (much less politics) without having done the research. I don’t research politics; therefore I don’t have many opinions about it.

One of the most amazing things about people’s willingness to criticize our government is where it happens. To me, the funniest place this occurs in on the interstate. We spend hours driving down government maintained roads while cursing the government for mismanagement of funds, shady business deals, and international insensitivity. While we travel on their roads! It cracks me up. Maybe that’s not very funny to you – I think there’s a lot of irony there. It’s like people who criticized Bush but then made sure they received their child tax credit. Or those who criticized Clinton while taking advantage of the Family Medical Leave Act. There’s something wrong about that. 

Though I may not agree with everything our government does, I’m not about to slander them while taking advantage of their provision for our country. Sure, there’s plenty of mismanagement in government. But I’m not really talking about government here, am I? I’m talking about people. Americans feel they have a right to assert their opinions. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, there is something terribly wrong in turning a blind eye to the fortunate lifestyle we partake of. The ungrateful message between the lines? “I could do better.” At least for me, I’m not so sure I could. Maybe that’s a better topic to think about while driving down the road.

Why Oprah Just Might Be the Antichrist…

For all you wonderful people who think Barack Obama might be the Antichrist…

I taught a small group on end times beliefs about four years ago. During our examination of Revelation, we inevitably stumbled upon the passages believed to describe the Antichrist. Immediately questions arose: who is he? When will he come? Will he start the tribulation? Will Christians be raptured before then? Boy, could I feel a headache coming on! I’ve said in this post how much I hate popular forms of eschatology for this exact reason. So, this time around, I decided to have a little fun:

“Oh, the Antichrist is already here.”

“What!! Who is it?”

“It’s Oprah Winfrey.” 

“WHAT!!”

Then I took them to the only  place in the Bible where the term “antichrist” is mentioned: the epistles of John, specifically 1 John 2:18-19. What I love about these two verses is the fact that John says there were many antichrists who had come – most of them were part of the church at that time before they left it. So, if John is using the term correctly, we must assume that “antichrist” does not mean “Antichrist” in the popular sense of one rival messiah sent to deceive the world. So what does it mean?

Well, “Christ” means “Messiah” – that’s obvious enough. It’s the “anti-” part that we get wrong. We assume that “anti-” means “in opposition to” or “antagonistic” – like anti-abortion. But it doesn’t. In means “in place of,” “instead of,”or “substitutionary.” So, “antichrist” means “in place of Christ.” 1 John 2:22 goes even further by saying that anyone who denies not only the Son, but also the Father, is acting as an antichrist.

So, why Oprah? Well, it actually doesn’t have anything to do with Eckhart Tolle. It has to do with Oprah’s power and cultural influence. Like most media figures, Oprah often establishes her influence outside of Christianity and many people look to her for answers about life’s deeper issues. She’s one of the most popular and well-recognized individuals in our nation and often serves as a cultural substitute where spiritual issues are concerned.

In that sense anything can be antichrist – government officials, sports figures, musicians, teachers, world leaders, philosophers, and even preachers. Any person that others may substitute for Christ is, in some sense, antichrist. That list includes Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. And it could include John McCain just as much as Barack Obama. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are wrong or unworthy of admiration. But I think it’s safe to say that they aren’t God. And to subsitute them for God inapproriate.

In most cases, the problem is not with the “Oprahs” of the world but with those who substitute their wisdom for a deep relationship with God. Notice that John didn’t write to the “antichrists” of his time, but rather to the people who gave them undue authority and influence. And that’s the key. Anyone can warn about the “Antichrist” of the Left Behind Series, but what are we doing about those who give to others the influence that only Christ should have? People succumb to “antichristism” when Jesus is their savior in doctrine but in matters of life, Oprah (or anyone else) is their lord. The only time people look for substitutes is when what they have isn’t satisfying their deeper needs. Don’t blame Oprah, people. We Christians alone share the burden for “wandering” spiritual seekers. It just so happens that Oprah has a some spiritual advice for people now. But, for her followers, her cultural influence eclipsed the practical aspects of Christianity long ago. Eckhart Tolle just made Christians stand up and take notice.