scene from "Sergeant York" (1941)
featuring Walter Brennan and Gary Cooper
As the conversion of Alvin York is theatrically portrayed we hear the familiar sounds of the hymn “Gimme That Old Time Religion” whose refrain is “It’s good enough for me.” As this Lenten season is coming to a close and as I prepare to remember in prayer and in worship the first Lord’s Supper on Thursday and the Cross on Friday, I’m left wondering, is it really good enough?
Okay, let me be completely honest here. It’s no longer a question for me. I can say with certainty that the old time religion is not good enough for me. The simplistic one dimensional non questioning faith of my departed grandfather (Rev. Harry S. McGuffee) stopped being good enough for me a long time ago. The religion that claims the extremely complex relationship between mortal and the Divine can be summed up in one or two statements and all one needs is a proclaimed conversion experience, I’m sorry Grandpa but that religion is not good enough for me.
The hubris of the evangelist who claims he has the exclusive claim to the truth and that all who disagree are damned to hell. Well Grandpa, not only is that not good enough, I find that part of your religion to be appalling and blasphemous.
On the other hand, there is a verse in the hymn that I love: “Makes me love everybody.” I absolutely adore this verse. This verse gives me hope. So, while I find much of the old time religion to be pablum there are things that I wish to preserve. Oh, I yearn for the parts of that old time religion that compel me to love everybody. That is definitely good enough for me.
1 comment:
First off, thanks for brightening my day with Gary Cooper, he's smashing.
Second, I hesitate to say you've hit the nail on the head. A simplistic faith view is not the way to go for everyone but for some I will admit it is. Ideally, faith is a transformative experience, affecting every aspect of a person's life, but for some it is not. For some, a lovely but simplistic "mountain gospel" chorus of "good enough for me" is enough. One can hope that such people will be at the very least touched by the messages of the song and maybe able to grow in their faith journey, examples include:
"It was good for my father" - let us be mindful of tradition and history of our faith, learning from those who have preceded us, repeating and growing in their innovations (reaching out to those in need) and learning from their less than stellar moments (exclusion when compassion should have been the way)
"Makes me love everybody" - this one I hope is self-evident
"It was good for Paul and Silas", Read your text, know what's in there, and know the leaders and figures of your tradition
"It can take us all to Heaven" sometimes we lose the idea of an After, we get so caught up in today and issues that leave us red-faced and fuming that in the long run aren't that important. I also like to note that it doesn't say God's Kingdom, or Christian Heaven, just Heaven...Nirvana anyone?
I'll stop here because I've gone on a bit of a tirade. Thank you for the post McGuffee!
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