Personally, there is nothing inside of me that agrees with the term Jesus Freak. The implications of such terminology as supported in the song, “Jesus Freak,” written by Toby McKeehan and Mark Heimermann was a quite popular song in the world when I was younger. It has never inspired me, until now.
The Southern Californian post Jesus-Culture church of the late 70’s in my opinion had a radicalized post-hippy extremist view of Jesus’ role in counter culture. Where terms like, “Real Men Love Jesus, His Pain Your Gain, and My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter,” came from. There were T-shirts, stickers, and a mass media explosion of terminologies, theologies, and cultural views of Jesus that were created in this time. I propose this is the reason why my generation hates Jesus and I don’t blame them.
This transition was hell-bent on teaching it’s ideals that, in my opinion, were angry, prideful, and thus silly. They worked to propel a movement that is now near extinction just like Muscle T’s and Mullets. Thank God.
People base their understanding of Christianity off of the only movement they have experienced. It makes sense. If all you know is the last 20 years of Christianity and you have tried reading the Bible in that context it is easy to spot a farce, a generally useless book, and an empty hopeless world without a God. Why would anyone embrace a world of holier then thou people and empty fear-filled followers that have divorced their God given personalities and passions to saturate their minds in half-assed theological study? I will quote my roommate Matt here, “God doesn’t need more lawyers to defend him; he needs more servants to serve him.” There is a place for apologetics but it is an expertise. Take Ravi Zacharias for an example he is one of the most brilliant men in the world. Check him out.
Then there are other people who I have experienced who continually obsess over the crimes of Christianity past. It seems there is some kind of validation or justification of hating modern Christianity based off of not only its current state but also the Crusades. The Crusades? Really? The Crusades? In my mind that is like hating France and the French for the Napoleonic Wars, hating Germany and Germans for WW1, and hating Rome, Italians, and Latin for Rome’s near domination of the ancient world. Securus Te Projice. ¡Por favor!
So as you can see there is nothing wrong with acknowledging that lovers of Jesus may be viewed as radical, uncultured, or even outcasts, but the glory is not there (obviously!!). There is no pride in being a freak. However, being faithful, joyful, loving, peaceful, patient, kind, good, and gentle is enough reason to believe isn’t it? I often wonder at the possibility of this reality. These are certainly triumphs and worthy victories for any human life.
What will people think if they hear I am a Jesus freak? That statement is a trap like: Does your mom know you are dumb? or Do your friends know you are stupid? It is time to move past these self-imposed cultural stereotypes and become a people who are honest with themselves and others in saying we are all human. There ain’t no disguising the truth.
