Worship is like sex.
Sex is an intimate interaction between two people. It is simple, and it is timeless. People have been having sex successfully for millennia (if not, we wouldn’t be here). While modern technology has given rise to certain refinements, such as contraception and lubrication, the act itself is unchanged: a natural expression of love and commitment, authentic and sincere.
Sex is so simple it’s hard to mess it up. You have to make a deliberate effort. Apparently, however, some people are always willing to go the extra mile. Here’s how:
- set up cameras, videocameras, special lighting
- use costumes to act out skits and fantasies
- bring in props and toys
- watch TV or a movie
- answer the phone and talk to someone else
- discuss recent news events
- plan out the next week’s activities
Nothing is morally wrong about mixing any of these activities with sex. Every one of them, however, begins with a fundamental problem: losing sight of the other person.
If sex seems unsatisfying, perhaps the problem is not with the act itself — perhaps it’s with the relationship.
Sex is not a multimedia experience. It is not a time to talk to others. It is not an event planning meeting. It is not a thespian performance. Dress it up into something inauthentic or pretentious, and sex may end up being abandoned as irrelevant.
Sex has always been an intimate expression of love between two people. There’s no good reason why it shouldn’t stay that simple. Anything more is really less.
Worship is like sex.
May 2, 2006 at 6:26 am |
Yes, there's a lot more you can do with this metaphor. Rest assured I will be deleting any comment that is out of taste.
May 2, 2006 at 9:11 am |
I agree with forester. We have found numerous ways to “screw” up worship.
That was bad. I apologize.
May 2, 2006 at 10:05 am |
I saw a guy pull out a cell phone and call his dad from the pulpit, while “preaching” on father’s day, to tell him he loved him.
May 2, 2006 at 10:28 am |
Good example. Every single bullet in my original post has a similar story behind it. My sister-in-law told me recently that her church scheduled a missionary to call in from the field (Africa/Asia/wherever) in the middle of worship to give an update/testimony. They piped his phone call through the speakers.
Pretty fancy, that. Not sure how reading an email would have been any less effective. Definitely would've been far less distracting.
Why not pull the phone call stunt just before worship, or immediately afterward? Why not during a congregation meeting? Or in Sunday school? Just because worshipers are a captive audience doesn't mean they should be tapped.
Where else can we go to worship God publicly without distraction, if not in church?
May 2, 2006 at 2:49 pm |
Behind a hedge in a quiet corner of your local park?
May 2, 2006 at 5:05 pm |
Now we know limejelly's favorite make-out spot. Please give us the park's name and most probable days/times so we can all be sure to stay away …
May 3, 2006 at 1:33 am |
Nah, you’re just going to sneak in there while I’m blogging and use it yourself.
May 11, 2006 at 6:17 pm |
Uh…I can barely trace how I got here, but I just wanted to say that this is perfect.
(Okay, really how I got here: one Lessie left a comment on my now-defunct blog, I went to her blog, saw your comment, clicked on the link, got here and started skimming. Not so complicated after all.)
June 12, 2006 at 1:46 pm |
This might be kind of ‘duh’ on my part, but for maximum benefit, this post should be read twice: once as-is, and once again, replacing the word ‘sex’ with ‘worship’. (Except some substitution is also required for ‘contraception and lubrication’!)