Delusions of Adequacy

Delusions of adequacy is a phrase I heard the other day, I forgot where, but I thought it was most interesting. Marj K noted on Facebook today that 6 companies give us 90% of what we see and read: GE, Newcorp, Disney, Viacom, Time Warner and CBS. I think they reflect delusions of adequacy. Reporting of news today is basically aimed at reporting bad news. No wonder we sell millions of dollars of antidepressants; with what the news tells us who wouldn’t be depressed.

Since being down here Doreen and I have been watching the Anderson Show. Anderson Cooper is a good smart man who communicates well also Gloria Vanderbilt’s son. But his is like so many shows that concentrate of horrible problems of our society and strange people. Today his show starts with a man who is selling his own sperm to couples; need I say more? And, of course, the audience claps when the whackos they invite get stomped on in the interviews. I prefer Regis and Kelly, now just Kelly which has very little substance at all, but is fun to watch and is positive. I like those movies that make you think and pull at your heartstrings, but they need to be balanced with 10 light hearted comedies.

One place we have found that is in no way deluded by adequacy, is the church where we worship here, the First Presbyterian Church of Dunedin. It is a great church with sterling pastoral leadership, demonstrating and proclaiming the good news in their community and beyond. It is a joy to attend there and get to know the parishioners.

Jesus did not come to teach us about adequacy but unqualified faithfulness and commitment. And he certainly did not push us toward delusions, despite what Marx might say about religion in general. Christianity is about excellency with the full knowledge of human limitations. God loves us unconditionally and we are to respond with that same unconditional love. Churches sometimes reflect that truth and often just become another secular type institution proclaiming negativity, and these are the ones the deludedly adequate media report. But then there are those churches like the one in Dunedin that restore faith.

Here’s to good news, but you have to look for it because it is not readily available in our delusions of the adequate society.