Faith From McDonald's

[NotforSale]

Notice these interesting comparisons dealing with what people are seeking from Churches, and how the mind of today has diverted to a diabolical concept of life, Faith, and reality. Out of sight, out of mind, has caused society to embrace complete fantasy, and the Church is not exempt.

Walking through the doors of McDonald’s, many things happen to us, and many concepts are developed in the brain without us being aware of this powerful sway. It’s just a fast food joint, right?? Wrong! It’s a Multi-Billion dollar industry, and what takes place in this “Marketing Giant” is manipulation beyond our wildest dreams.

First, the target of this business is, you may have guessed it, CHILDREN. Hook them while they are young, and you will have clients for life. This is a proven tactic of McDonald’s. So, how do they lure the little people into their culture? A Clown. I asked this question in Church a few weeks ago, addressing the young people sitting on the pews; Who was the 1st President of the United States? No Answer. Who is the Clown at McDonald’s? Kids shouted out, “Ronald”! Seems harmless, but is in fact McDonald’s ploy to never let you go.

Another “Hook” to get kids in the door; A HAPPY Meal, with a TOY. Kids will generally bypass the meal, digging for the toy. This toy makes the meal HAPPY. The toy becomes the reason. The toy becomes the focus. Without the toy, the meal is NOT happy, and the child will disconnect. This is not unproven. I’ve raised three children, who all went to McDonald’s as young children. I watched them respond exactly in this way. Also, the documentary, “Super Size Me” brings this out.

This gets better. As we grow, the Golden Arches loom in the distance, their colors drawing us into a food chain that is deadly, and creeping with fantasy. Inside, the restaurant is dripping with dark concepts that we wind up living by. We order our Big Mac, indulging in the slaughtered animal we would never kill. This “Out of sight, Out of Mind” pretty paper, perfect bun, and a Magical Clown draw us away from the bloodshed, tears, and shame of real life. We fill our gut with more than just processed food of the darkest kind. We fill our minds as well with this hideous dream, drifting into a fairytale about life, and ultimately, Faith.

I will never forget the first time I drew my knife, cutting the throat of a deer taking its last breath. It squirmed within my arms, its eyes looking at me in despair. I literally bowed my head, asking God to help me understand the pain and sacrifice of this animal. The hot blood flowed over my hands, and tears burned from my eyes. Reality was vivid. This animal would give provision and health to my family, but the cost was obvious to me. No Clowns, no colored paper, no golden arches, and no toy.

People walk through the doors of our Churches wanting a “TOY”. They want a Happy Meal! They want Clowns! They want color!! So, we give it to them. Noah and the Ark becomes a magnet on the fridge, and David and Goliath are in the comic book or the Sunday School lesson. We make things “CUTE”, non offensive, and we always look in the bag for the trinket. Murder is no longer murder, it’s just a clown. Nothing is real, and the church is full of FAKE concepts about life, and people become unwilling to face the lows of living. We need to be HAPPY, otherwise we’re looking for another church.

In the end, Marriage, our Jobs, where we live, and our life with God are all affected. When things get tough, and the toy is gone, SEE YA!!

[Digging4Truth]

First... let me state without reserve that what you have stated is true. I hold back nothing in my agreement with what you have written.

But I would like to state that there are people out there hungry for something real... something nourishing... something that will heal their tired and malnourished souls and often they come to the place that, by nature, seems to be the answer. That being the church.

Not in all... for sure. But in many places they find programs, hip & happening ministers & sub ministers who can flash that winning smile but carry with them little substance. But, in the end, what they hungered for is not there and so they wander back out into the darkness hoping they stumble upon help before it is too late.

[Cindy]

May God have mercy on us, you are both right.

[NotforSale]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

First... let me state without reserve that what you have stated is true. I hold back nothing in my agreement with what you have written.

But I would like to state that there are people out there hungry for something real... something nourishing... something that will heal their tired and malnourished souls and often they come to the place that, by nature, seems to be the answer. That being the church.

Not in all... for sure. But in many places they find programs, hip & happening ministers & sub ministers who can flash that winning smile but carry with them little substance. But, in the end, what they hungered for is not there and so they wander back out into the darkness hoping they stumble upon help before it is too late.

My opinions about this may be somewhat biased, as we pastor in one of the most difficult places on Planet Earth, the Pacific Northwest. Research proves this. But, I do stay in contact with ministers from other places within our Country, and they ALL express frustration on this topic. People of the upcoming generation have very little "staying" ability. And, they gravitate to the Church that has the "TOY" when times get tough. Music, Schools, visiting preachers, big meetings and events, all the hoopla they can get. Run from the dull moment. Flee the call to arms.

Smaller churches can't compete with Mega Churches. All that they (Mega Churches) offer seems to take away from the spirit of pioneering, and the hardship of real life. Bringing people into the burden of Home Missions is near to impossible anymore because the diet of folks is never satisfied.

I recently spoke with a neighboring pastor. He is in his 80's, has had open heart surgery, and built his church from the ground up decades ago, much of the finances coming from his own pocket. He mortgaged his home to build it. A few years back, his church struggled from lack of funds and he and his wife sold peanut brittle to pay the bills. Not the church folks, HIM AND HIS WIFE. The economy got bad, people moved away, and they did what they had to do. My heart broke as he told me this story.

He told me he wanted to retire. The Church is paid for free and clear. He has had men inquire on several occasions, but the salary doesn't fit, and there is no parsonage. God forbid, the little babies would have to get a job and rent an apartment!!

I'm going to be blunt about this. Sorry for my brash comment here, but many of our Bible College Preachers are looking for a career, the limelight, or want to make a name for themselves. Very few want to get down into the filth of real work, real pain, and real sacrifice. They get their ministers license, then sit on the pew and get pampered by Big Name Pentecost. If they were told about going to a place with no church building, no income, and no offerings to help them, they’d run and hide. No choirs, no music, no friends, just them and Jesus!

They want the Toy, the Clown, and the Burger with NO BLOOD! The Bible is just a storybook to these men. Just a fantasy. And because these men won’t answer the call to arms, the Church is becoming a melting pot of drug addicted, selfish, lazy people. This combination is leading us into the arms of “Ronald”, not God. It’s all about being happy.

My friend, the world is different. I spoke with my father the other day who is almost 80. He said, “Son, people are so different. Work ethic is so amiss. Staying power, or hanging in there is hard to find anymore in our young people”. TV, Video Games, Fast Food (get it now); these and much more are corrupting the World with a heart that is driven with FANTASY.

[Godsdrummer]

My but don't we sound scynical but all true anyway. If only people would wake up. Instead of trusting God for the things of life they want it now. And why not we have plastic easy credit we don't need God. We just want a form of Godliness without the power. Even the performance based religions put more on their performance their standards of holiness to insure their salvation they pay lip service to a God they don't realy know. But there is hope there are people out there that have a relationship with God. Even when Elijah complained to God he was the only one God assured him he still had many that had not bowed the knee to Baal.

[noeticknight]

I haven't completely figured out why excellent threads like these slip into oblivion faster than you can click the refresh button. A very well written piece. And keen observations from the other posters as well.

Your comments stirred up memories from my childhood about the cruel realities of life. I remember going to work with my father (to a slaugherhouse) at a very small age. I remember not wanting to see this cow, as it was brought down from the hill in the cold morning fog and herded into a small enclosure, to be slaugherted for meat. I remember watching at the last second as my dad pulled the trigger of his rifle, point blank on the animal's head. It fell into the trap and was strung up with hooks by its rear legs. I vividly remember the cow convulsing, bleeding as it's throat was cut. It was left to bleed, only to be gutted moments later.

Of course, I never gave it any thought when later that week or that month while happily enjoying my meal at McDonald's! I was only a child, but the connection escaped me, even then. Some how, it manages to escape me now. I guess I don't want to see it, or think on it, or believe that it really happens that way anymore.

On a more profound level, I guess I could say that I'm as guilty as others of suppressing the harsh reality of our human existence. We have become masters of building facades that mask the unattractive underpinnings of our society. Our lives are so inudated with things, technology, and "toys," that often, we are too distracted to properly percieve the curse of mortality brought upon all creation by one man's sin. I have even drawn back from people, who were facing real trials and pain, because it was too "messy" for my neat and tidy life. When life becomes that sterile, it is indeed painful to think on the harsh truth of Calvary...but we must never forget it! It is only fitting to occasionally be reminded of these things, both naturally and spiritually.I think Solomon said it right: (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4).

[NotforSale]

Originally Posted by noeticknight

I haven't completely figured out why excellent threads like these slip into oblivion faster than you can click the refresh button. A very well written piece. And keen observations from the other posters as well.

Your comments stirred up memories from my childhood about the cruel realities of life. I remember going to work with my father (to a slaugherhouse) at a very small age. I remember not wanting to see this cow, as it was brought down from the hill in the cold morning fog and herded into a small enclosure, to be slaugherted for meat. I remember watching at the last second as my dad pulled the trigger of his rifle, point blank on the animal's head. It fell into the trap and was strung up with hooks by its rear legs. I vividly remember the cow convulsing, bleeding as it's throat was cut. It was left to bleed, only to be gutted moments later.

Of course, I never gave it any thought when later that week or that month while happily enjoying my meal at McDonald's! I was only a child, but the connection escaped me, even then. Some how, it manages to escape me now. I guess I don't want to see it, or think on it, or believe that it really happens that way anymore.

On a more profound level, I guess I could say that I'm as guilty as others of suppressing the harsh reality of our human existence. We have become masters of building facades that mask the unattractive underpinnings of our society. Our lives are so inudated with things, technology, and "toys," that often, we are too distracted to properly percieve the curse of mortality brought upon all creation by one man's sin. I have even drawn back from people, who were facing real trials and pain, because it was too "messy" for my neat and tidy life. When life becomes that sterile, it is indeed painful to think on the harsh truth of Calvary...but we must never forget it! It is only fitting to occasionally be reminded of these things, both naturally and spiritually.I think Solomon said it right: (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4).

Great testimony. So simple, so valid, and so full of answers.

I've told so many people who can't sit still; wherever you go, you will be there. The ugly you that made you leave.

We run from our pain, our afflictions that give us bare reality. It's in the bare reality that we are renewed, and where we see.

The clown brings the doom of a thrill, and the love for a lie (what's fake).