Things Aren't Always As They Seem - Pt 2

"Where do I start?" Dolty asked.

"Well, I could send you to Joel Osteen's church, but that would be too easy. Driscoll and Warren are out too; even a moron could see these places are full of unsaved people. You need to go to a church that, at least, looks authentic."

Satan continued, "I've got the perfect place. It's like thousands across the United States. It looks like a church, they sing traditional stuff, people dress nice, well, better than a typical Walmart customer anyway. They hold pleasant conversations and generally agree that Osteen, Driscoll, and Warren are way off track. Most even suggest that there actually is some change of behavior that accompanies salvation. Fortunately for us, what behavior and to what degree is often a bone of contention. It's in a place like this where your confidence in the downward slide of society will be restored, and the silliness of these polls will be evident."

Dolty blinked, then blinked again. He wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, and this was a lot to digest. Of course, he had heard those names before (Warren, Osteen, etc.), and realized that they sent them a lot of eternal guests. However, it was still a frightening prospect to be in their realm.

Then, before you could say "Bob's Your Uncle", Dolty found himself in the parking lot of a church. He had visited the "world" before, and learned how people behaved in many situations, but this was the first time he was allowed to be in a strictly "Christian" environment. None of the human senses could detect his presence (unless he allowed), so he moved about freely and undetected.

The first thing he noticed was how most dressed, specifically, not much different than the rest of the "world". You could go to any Walmart (he had spent a lot of time in various Walmarts; it was such a fertile ground for studying people), and find people similarly dressed. In studying the "enemy" (Christ), and his followers, he had seen photos where church-goers looked so different. Men and women wore what was described as, "Sunday clothes". What constituted these may vary somewhat depending on denomination, income, geography,and other factors, but they were definitely different from what he was witnessing (no pun intended).

Next, he observed how prevalent coffee was. He actually wondered if it was some sort of requirement for "membership" as there was hardly anyone over 20 that didn't have a cup (I have to admit to being a card-carrying member myself).

"Maybe that's why they wear Walmart clothes," Dolty reasoned. "So they don't spill that stuff  they're always sloshing around on their nice clothes."

However, here was just another example of "Christians" being no different than others who are in bondage to worldly vices. And, as Dolty noted, "If nothing else, you'd think Christians would be more sympathetic towards others battling their own addictions, since they can't stop using a drug that stains their teeth, upsets their stomach, affects their sleep, and certainly isn't cheap."

As he moved through the congregation, maybe the most striking realization was the conversations that took place (or the ones that didn't).

Stay tuned for the next installment!