Regarding Hans Christian Andersons book The Emperors New Clothes, Wayne Jacobsen writes, The church today is more like this fictitious emperor than anyone would care to admit, and so are many of the people who fill its pews. How it happened to him illustrates how it happened to us. The story is about an emperor who was more concerned about his appearance than about governing his people. Seizing that opportunity, two swindlers convinced him they could weave the most beautiful clothes ever made and also fashion them in such a way that they would be invisible to anyone who wasnt fit for his post or who was hopelessly stupid.... He gave the self proclaimed tailors money and the finest silk and gold thread. But the swindlers only pretended to make the clothes, pocketing the money. Fearing his own incompetence, the emperor sent his most honest aides to check on the progress of his clothing. The swindlers pretended to weave and sew, but the aides could see no clothes, for there werent any. Thinking they would be thought unfit or stupid, they lavished praise on the nonexistent garments. Eventually the emperor came to see the clothes. His aides were so enthused about them that he was sure of his own incompetence when he couldnt see them. So he joined the pretense, as did everyone who thought they alone werent seeing the clothes. His aides suggested a parade to show the people his new clothes. Even though the emperor couldnt see them or even feel them, he pretended to put them on and went off to parade naked before the crowd. Never had the emperors clothes been such a success. Everyone praised their beauty until a little child said, But he hasnt got anything on! The word quickly spread through the crowd as people realized they werent the only ones not seeing the clothes. When the emperor overheard their shouts he realized his own nakedness, but he could only say, I must go through with it now, procession and all. The point of the story is not vanity; it is vested interest. Though the ruse began with the emperors pride, this alone could never have convinced him to walk down the street naked. The swindlers sprang the trap by giving EVERYONE a good reason to believe what was not true. In the tale the first two officials to fall for the swindlers deception were described as honest and capable. Yet for fear of losing status and position they pretended to see what their eyes told them was not there. Once the most honest fell for it, the others went along. The reality of the clothes became a secondary concern to protecting their image. Anyone today who does not gush with admiration for church institutions and activities is accused of being arrogant or judgmental. Thats our modern equivalent of being stupid or unfit. So, even though our Christian experience feels empty, we think were the only ones that feel that way. To admit this is unthinkable, so we rationalize those nagging thoughts that tell us this cant really be what God had in mind. After all, there is always more to be gained by exploiting a system than there is by exposing it. The first person to be honest about the emperors clothes was not all that courageous; he just didnt have any personal stake in the deception. He was too young to understand the necessity of denying reality to save face. It doesnt take great wisdom to unmask deceit--only a desire to look at things as they really are, not the way we want to see them. --Wayne Jacobsen, The Naked Church, pp. 23-26, Harvest House, 1987.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:23:46 +0000