I recently discovered the site Stuff Christians Like. While there’s a lot of funny stuff there, one entry really hit me hard:

#113. Booty, God, Booty.

In Atlanta, my favorite radio station is V103, the “People’s Station.”

It’s a hip hop station that plays mostly rap and R&B. The best part of V103 is their morning show. Everyday when I’m driving to work they do what they call an “Inspirational Vitamin.” They read a Bible verse and play a gospel song or a clip by a charismatic minister from Atlanta. I honestly find it to be an uplifting experience overall. The thing I find most interesting however is how they wedge the Inspirational Vitamin into their normal programming. What often happens is that right before they transition to the spiritual segment of the show they play some sort of booty song. Let’s say, “I’m in love wit a stripper.” Then they do the Bible verse and then they go back to booty music when it’s over. The essentially bookend the Inspirational Vitamin with booty, following a fairly simple formula – Booty, God, Booty.

It’s easy to laugh at how insincere that Inspirational Vitamin seems when it’s sandwiched between hardcore rap songs, but to do so misses the bigger point – we Christians often live our lives the same way. Maybe God is listening to the broadcast of my day and this is what he hears:

1. Quiet time in the morning. Read the Bible, prayer, give thanks.
2. Go into work and act completely different and disconnected from God.Come home.
3. Spend time with wife. Read the Bible, pray.

Chances are, that to many outside listeners, the format of my life is just as out of synch as the people station’s “booty, God, booty.” It might not be as graphic or as neon, but the juxtaposition between who I am when I’m in “God mode” and who I am when I’m in work mode is pretty substantial.

I know you’ve probably heard this a million times before from other Christian writers, but next time you transition between two parts of your day, think to yourself, “Did I just go booty, God, booty?”

If nothing else, it’s a fun phrase to say.

I recently went to see the documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, and there’s an atheist who, paraphrased, says that ideally we need to make religion a very minor part of life. At first, I found myself laughing, as this guy obviously doesn’t get how religion works. However, if western Christians are honest with ourselves, it’s obvious how he can think this; it’s how we live our lives!

Following the Almighty of Israel is about obedience (which is the highest form of worship. Disagree? Prove me wrong!), not about an afterlife destination. There is absolutely nothing saying we are to blend into society, clinging to salvation as the sole thing that makes us “set apart.” However, that’s what we do. To quote The Altar Boys:

I’m not talking about religion
I’m not talking about just a belief
I’m not talking about going to church
That’s not Christianity
I’m not talking about science
I’m not talking about politics
I’m not talking about shaving your head
I’m talking about God and
That’s relationship ah yea!

This is the Gospel message — true devotion to God!

So, I found something in an old FFOZ eDrash that does a nice job of summarizing my feelings about modern sexuality and followers of Messiah.

source: http://ffoz.org/resources/edrash/acharei_mot/a_people_set_apart.php (registration required, but it’s free if you’re really that interested.)

In the First Century, sexual immorality was intrinsically connected to the popular worship systems. Devotees to the gods followed their sexual exploits and imitated their base behavior in temple rituals which incorporated sanctified prostitution. Roman culture, for all its austere talk of moderation, was one of perversity, indulgence and depredation. In the midst of the sexually charged atmosphere of the First Century, the believers stood out as a people quite set apart.

Unfortunately, believers within our modern Egypt and Canaan have adopted the dress and behavior of the sexually depraved culture around us. This has created an unbearable contradiction. We dress our women like Canaanite women and tell our men not lust. We send our children on dates, little practice-run love affairs, and tell them to remain pure. We tell our singles that it is all right to kiss and touch here but not there, and the arbitrary lines keep moving. It’s not kosher. We attend sensual movies and tell ourselves to close our eyes in the naughty bits, but we are peeking. We enjoy an endless supply of drama and comedy premised upon sexual deviancy. We shake our heads at the immoral culture around us, but we are voyeurs feeding off of it. It is self-defeating and psychologically harmful to simultaneously feed the wayward desire of the flesh and fight against it. We have lost the fight before we have begun.

God’s solution is a total break from this culture. We are to be completely different. We should look different, act different and be different. That is the meaning of holiness.

Lest anyone think I’m judging, I’ll admit that I’m just as guilty as anyone else. So, why is it that we take the easy way out and avoid being set apart? I need some time to think on this, so expect another entry on this subject later this week. Until then, feel free to comment!