Here\u2019s a bit more on the theme of the last two posts \u2014 the unsustainable anxiety of those who believe that \u201cobedience\u201d to God\u2019s Law requires them to do the opposite of what their conscience is telling them to do \u2014 prompted by two videos recently posted by bloggers I enjoy.<\/p>\n
The first is from Kimberly Knight of Coming Out Christian<\/a> who introduces this clip from America\u2019s Got Talent<\/em> with a warning that it might make you a bit teary:<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=DpeAnjyeUUQ<\/a>\n If you can\u2019t watch that video, it features Jonathan Allen, 20, of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., who tells the story of being kicked out of his parents\u2019 house on his 18th birthday because he\u2019s gay. He relates that background in his introduction to his Talent<\/em> audition \u2014 shocking and dismaying the panel of celebrity judges.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a terrible story,\u201d Howie Mandel says, and it\u2019s hard to disagree.<\/p>\n After the kid brings the crowd to its feet \u2014 Jonathan\u2019s got some pipes \u2014 Howard Stern said, \u201cI don\u2019t know if your parents are watching tonight, but I would like to say to them, \u2018What a wonderful son you have.'\u201d<\/p>\n And you realize, watching this, that what you\u2019ve just seen is a lop-sided moral dispute in which two devoutly religious believers, acting on their idea of \u201cobedience\u201d to a holy God, have been publicly put to shame by Howie Mandel and Howard Stern.<\/em><\/p>\n Let that sink in. When your religious beliefs and actions cause you to lose the moral high ground to Howard Stern,<\/em> then something has gone horribly wrong with your religion.<\/p>\n The other video that helps to illustrate how American evangelicalism has come to be racked by the opposing strains of \u201cobedience\u201d and conscience is from Darrell Dow of Stuff Fundies Like, and it\u2019s not quite as inspiring or lovely as Jonathan Allen\u2019s audition. This one is an earnest church trio\u2019s rendition of Lanny Wolfe\u2019s* \u201cMy House Is Full (But My Field Is Empty)<\/a>\u201d \u2014 a staple of missions\/evangelism guilt-trips that will be familiar to anyone who\u2019s been a part of the American evangelical subculture in recent decades:<\/p>\n