Many people think that being a Christian ”“ especially during our more festal seasons such as Christmastide ”“ is the silver-lining, that is, the lucky charm to an abundant life in an otherwise lifetime of pain and suffering.
Christianity-lite®, as I’m keen to call this mind-set, is marketed ”“ particularly in the world of mega-church evangelicalism ”“ as the ”˜feel good about yourself’ religion of the moment that, like a rabbit’s foot tucked in the proper pocket, is the ticket to paradise on earth, or, at the very least, is an amulet bestowed upon all who earnestly seek wealth, happiness and really white teeth.
Being a christianette, which is really what this movement produces, means adoring those indispensable talismans hidden deep in the treasure chest of our prideful self, the ego and the Western god of individual choice. Hubris is the withered fruit this movement produces.
All the “mega-churches” around here are Christ- and Bible-centered, not purveyors of Christianity Lite.
I would submit that Christianity Lite is even more prevalent in the Mainline Denominations, although in many of them it is just “Lite” with the Christianity removed.
There’s a slightly unpleasant whiff of de haut en bas about the piece. I could have done with a bit more “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost” and rather a lot less of “God, I thank you that I am not like other people”.
The piece could have benefited from an engagement with any sort of evidence, with which the author signally uninterested. (Never let facts get in the way of a good rant). FWLIW there is some sociological evidence that the communal life of large evangelical churches may be rather weightier than, at least some, mainline churches.