Networking with Jesus

Occasionally one finds an atheist who knows blasphemy when she sees it.

Barbara Ehrenreich, pseudo-Marxist social critic, writes in her latest book, Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream about attending "undercover" a Christian ministry for job-seekers in Georgia. She writes of the charismatic speaker encouraging the unemployed seekers to learn how to network. "And who should be our first networking target?" the motivational speaker queries. "The Lord."

Now we've all seen this kind of trivialization of the apostolic faith. But what struck me was the way in which this atheist feminist materialist took special offense at blasphemy against a God she doesn't even believe exists. Writes Ehrenreich:

I'm sorry, this is too much for me. I endured the Norcross Fellowship Lunch as an atheist, but now, at the Mt. Paran Church of God, I discover that I am a believer, and what I believe is this: if the Lord exists, if there is some conscious being whose thought the universe is, some great spinner of galaxies, hurler of meteors, creator and extinguisher of species, if some such being should manifest itself, you do not 'network' with it any more than you would light a cigarette on the burning bush.

I hope Ms. Ehrenreich will not be offended if I say "Amen."

Comments

[Rev. Michael Philliber]

Wow! Now that is a woman whose eyes are wide open. Too bad the children of this age are usually wiser & more perceptive than the children of the kingdom. Lord have mercy.

[Steve Nicoloso]

if there is some conscious being whose thought the universe is ..., you do not 'network' with it any more than you would light a cigarette on the burning bush.

... any more than you would use "network" as a verb!

[Max]

I agree, with a caveat. Some agnostics and skeptics advance the argument that God, if He exists, is so big and great that he would have better things to do than meddle in the election (or what people do in the bedroom or if they go to church, etc.). That argument is false and cannot be reconciled with Christianity. It is actually a testimony to God's greatness that He both effortlessly holds the universe in His hands and numbers the hairs on your head, offering you, personally, his unfathomable love.

"Networking" with God is indeed a crass and trivializing way to put this relationship with God. But to the extent Ehrenreich's implication is that God would be uninterested in whether one has a job or not, or that one ought not bring those concerns before God, she is mistaken, and diminishes God.

[Juli]

Some agnostics and skeptics advance the argument that God, if He exists, is so big and great that he would have better things to do than meddle in the election

Of course, to suggest that God is not above "meddling" in an election is a bit disturbing - cosmic vote tampering?

"Networking" with God is indeed a crass and trivializing way to put this relationship with God. But to the extent Ehrenreich's implication is that God would be uninterested in whether one has a job or not, or that one ought not bring those concerns before God, she is mistaken, and diminishes God.

I don't think she implied that. I think the concept of "networking" with God makes God a means to an end. The main thing becomes finding a job, not seeking God and God's will.

[Joe Long]

There is more than a hint of magic in the approach which so rightly horrified her..."networking" (yes, they're verbing nouns, aren't they?) means something very close to "manipulating", where I come from. Or "schmoozing", at the very least.

"(God) should be our first...target" gives the whole game away. Might the theory be that if you can impress (or fool?) Him, you can certainly impress/fool any mere mortal corporate interviewer...?

[Max]

Of course, to suggest that God is not above "meddling" in an election is a bit disturbing - cosmic vote tampering?

I was writing in the voice of a skeptic. It's not how I would characterize it.

I don't think she implied that. I think the concept of "networking" with God makes God a means to an end. The main thing becomes finding a job, not seeking God and God's will.

Please read again the statement you were replying to. I'll help and bold the relevant parts: "But to the extent Ehrenreich's implication is that God would be uninterested in whether one has a job or not, or that one ought not bring those concerns before God, she is mistaken, and diminishes God." In other words, to the extent she is not implying that at all, I have already said I agree with her. Sheesh.

[Juli]

Please read again the statement you were replying to. I'll help and bold the relevant parts

I did read your statement. My point was that the quotation from Ehrenreich didn't support the suggested possible implication.