Chameleon Christianity excerpt

If you are not familar with Dick Keyes, Toom recommends. This little book is full of very provocative commentary ... we are reading it in small group at Perimeter Church. Here is Keyes discussing Tribal Christianity.

"Tribal Christians want to know the right way and wrong way on every issue and then teach it to others...But commands added to New Testament ethics are apt to fix on somewhat arbitrary practices and priorities. They might have had certain wisdom in earlier situations but they are anachronistic and destructive when turned into moral absolutes for all times and places."

He then provides an example from a 19th century work, Cottage Economy, in which William Cobbett attacks the evils of drink. Keep reading for a rather humorous and startling surprise. Cobbett's words in quotes:

"It must be evident to every one, that the practice...must render the frame feeble and unfit to encounter hard labour or severe weather...Hence succeeds a softness, an effeminacy, a seeking for the fireside, a lurking in the bed, and...all the characteristics of idleness...[Drinking] fills the public-house and makes the frequenting of it habitual, corrupts boys as soon as they are able to move from home, and does little less for the girls, to whom the gossip of the [drinking place] is no bad preparatory school for the brothel. At the very least, it teaches them idleness."

Keyes then shows his cards:

"We've probably heard similar accounts elsewhere. Interstingly, however, Cobbett is not writing about the evils of drinking alcohol, but against the evils of drinking tea. In fact, the little book is on making home-brewed beer, obviously a morally superior drink for the whole family."

Indeed.