This
piece was first
published in The Universe
The
Corruption of Christianity
By
Dwight Longenecker
Last
Saturday our family
went shopping.
At one point the
winter rain was
so bad we had to
duck into a card
shop for shelter.
The older children
enjoyed looking
at the cards and
toys while my wife
tried to control
the three year
olds’ enthusiasm
for a huge Bob
the Builder. As
I wandered through
the shop my attention
was grabbed by
the Valentine’s
Day display. I
was surprised how
vulgar the cards
were. Some featured
explicit nudity.
Most of them were
suggestive and
rude. Among the ‘gifts’ for
Valentine’s Day
were trashy sex
toys and gadgets
for ‘kinky’ sex.
The whole impression
was that Valentine’s
Day was a chance
for an orgy, and
the cruder the
better.
I
don’t think I’m
a prude, but there’s
a difference between
a wholesome enjoyment
of romance and
the sort of stuff
they were selling.
St Valentine was
a martyr bishop
from the earliest
days of the church.
In the Middle Ages
his feast day of
14 February became
a celebration of
courtship, romance
and married love
because folklore
said 14 February
was the day the
birds chose their
mates. Over the
years Valentine’s
Day became the
day for a cheerful
and mischievous
celebration of
love. Valentine’s
Day has never been
a major Christian
feast day. However,
as a simple celebration
of courtship it
supported family
values. It was
also a plain folks’ reminder
that within the
dance of our human
love and marriage
God’s love can
be found.
This
wholesome and happy
Christian celebration
has been corrupted.
The mystery valentine,
the red roses and
the box of chocolate
hearts have been
replaced with sex
toys, perversion
and pornography.
Rude-ness has replaced
romance, and love
has been trampled
by lust. To make
matters worse,
it is all done
for money. The
corruption of St
Valentine’s Day
is just one example.
Remember a few
years ago when
a famous Record
store used an image
of the Virgin Mary
as an advertising
gimmick? They were
only riding on
the back of a famous
pop star who used
the name and image
of the Blessed
Virgin Mary to
promote her cheap
act.
The
same effect is
seen at Easter
where no mention
is made of Christ’s
death and resurrection.
Instead this greatest
of all Christian
celebrations is
reduced to spring
flowers, chocolate
eggs and marshmallow
bunnies. Probably
the most perverse
twisting of our
faith happens in
the Autumn. While
Catholics celebrate
the triumph of
All the Saints
the commercialists
are busy pushing
Halloween—a celebration
of all that is
ghoulish, ghastly
and ghostly.
Fr
Scott is an American
friend of mine.
He got into trouble
a few months ago.
He was instructing
the thirteen year
olds in his parish
school. As it was
Advent, Fr Scott
decided to tell
them the story
of the real Santa
Claus—Saint Nicholas.
A few days later
word had got around.
Fr Scott had telephone
calls and letters
from parents who
were incensed that
he should tell
their children
there was no such
thing as Santa
Claus. Fr Scott
is a sort of John
Wayne priest. He
waded into the
fray and replied
that Santa Claus
was an invention
of the marketing
men. He explained
that God gives
us grace without
any merit on our
part. The myth
of Santa Claus
teaches children
that goodness is
rewarded with goodies.
Santa Claus encourages
greed and materialism.
Santa Claus, said
Scott, is the patron
of shoppers while
Saint Nicholas
is the patron of
the poor.
How
can anyone counter
the powerful effect
of this corruption
in our society?
If you complain
you immediately
seem like a purse-lipped
old grouch. If
you speak up you
confirm everyone’s
suspicion that
Catholics are all
killjoys who are
only worried that
someone somewhere
might be having
fun. If you try
to defend your
faith you are seen
as an intolerant,
narrow minded and
old-fashioned puritan.
What
can be done about
the problem? Three
things. First of
all, by being positive
we can avoid being
spoil sports. We
should establish
priorities. We
can make sure that
at Christmas Christ’s
presence comes
before our presents.
At Valentine’s
Day we can find
ways to celebrate
Christian family
love. At Easter
we can draw into
the mystery of
Christ’s death
and resurrection
by taking full
part in Holy Week.
At Halloween we
can remind the
children that the
saints are greater
than the spooks.
To do this might
take some work
and require some
research. Joanna
Bogle has written
an excellent book
called, Book
of Feasts and Seasons which
helps families
celebrate the Catholic
year in a creative
and positive way.
The
second thing we
can do when we
see a particularly
offensive corruption
of our faith is
to complain. It
is possible to
complain without
being a holy terror.
Good manners and
a sense of humour
can be the best
way to express
displeasure without
being unpleasant.
Followers of other
religions are quick
to complain when
their beliefs and
customs are trampled
on. Why shouldn’t
Catholics do the
same? Our society
prides itself in
giving a voice
to everyone. With
manners, tact and
a sense of humour
we ought to write
letters, send emails
and make phone
calls to express
how we feel.
Finally
we should learn
to celebrate the
joy and victory
of our faith in
our own lives.
Each week we celebrate
the Eucharist together.
Each month of the
Church year we
have a cause to
celebrate. If we
live out our faith
in our lives, then
the corruption
of Christianity
will not be so
rapid. Its easy
to think that one
person can not
make a change.
But if we do nothing,
then things get
worse. In The
Lord of the Rings the
hobbit Frodo is
faced with a threat
to the whole world.
He doubts that
he can do anything.
But the good wizard
Gandalf replies, ‘Even
the smallest person
can make a difference.
It is up to us
to do what we can
with what we have
been given.’
Dwight
Longenecker is
the author of Listen
My Son-- a
daily devotional
guide for parents
based on the
Rule of St Benedict.
