Seeing ourselves through untrained eyes: Hemant Mehta

As I continue to read through I Sold My Soul on eBay (atheist Hemant Mehta’s exploration of churches) I find myself amused and often embarrassed by his observations. At one contemporary church, for example…

When the band started playing, it was just after the 8:30 start time, but there were fewer than forty people in the church. But by the time the band had finished singing and the pastor got up on stage, the crowd had more than doubled in size. I noticed families with young children walking in without any visible indications of guilt…Was the music so unimportant to them that they decided to come only for the “main event”?…Furthermore, in a small community church such as this one, I imagine people would know one another better than at a larger church. The people in the congregation, therefore, might know the people on stage who were singing and would surely respect them enough to show up on time. I didn’t see that respect being shown, though (pp. 70-71).

When did he visit our church? :)

January 17, 2008 · Filed Under Books, The Church

Comments

2 Responses to “Seeing ourselves through untrained eyes: Hemant Mehta”

  1. sumgirl on January 17th, 2008 10:40 am

    excellent observation.

    ouch.

  2. john on January 27th, 2008 3:08 pm

    Of course I’m outta town so much, that I wouldn’t know, but did you mention this in any of your sermons? I think if you said that in a sermon, people would be highly upset, but only those that are the culprits! It would be a good shot of medicine for them!! Boldness!!!!!!!!

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