"The Bible doesn't forbid it."

I hate to pick on John Piper: everyone seems to have some reason to take pleasure in kicking him, but I mention this little confrontation in order to help you understand something about "culture", which, I am always pointing out, is not about tuxedos, opus numbers, the allure of the fugue, or wine & cheese with the artist after the concert. Culture is about what we believe and why. It is also about preserving what was once loved and knowing how that too is a good thing. The tuxedos, opus numbers, the allure of the fugue, and wine & cheese with the artist are just aids to understanding.

I agree with Piper as to the risk of the theater in the church, but anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that I disagree with him about why it should be opposed. And as I've said both in person and on the blog, this is no longer a battle to be fought. We ignored the wisdom of our parents and decided we were smart enough to "use this drug for medicinal purposes only".

Now we observe someone with a real care about preaching as he tries to explain to philistines why skits, video clips and drama are not "illustrations", as Matt Stephens supposes. They are in fact distractions.

Piper knows this because he understands preaching better than most; it is sad that he can't explain it to the yobbs at Christianity Today and its ADHD readership.

Again, I really don't want to reopen this whole anti-theater argument with unread and undiscriminating bumpkins. The Bible forbids an awful lot of things we'll never perceive as harmful until we stop being stupid. What I do want is for our readers to remember Ephraim Stoltzfus, the poor guy who shaves his upper lip every day but doesn't know why. You may argue that his church was misguided; I am prepared to argue they were being perceptive and that no small disobedience is trivial.

Obedience without understanding is good for children. It's rather sad in adults, and it's even worse for the children of those adults.

The Bible may well forbid many things we are indifferent toward. Our history is full of pious and discriminating saints who perceived a real danger in those things that distract us from spiritual matters. Piper is a discriminating saint trying to warn the blithering ignorant.

It is extremely difficult for fallen men to worship a holy God. You'd know this if you attended church anywhere. To allow distractions in a liturgy is just stupid.

It is beyond the ability of decadent post-Christians to recognize a distraction when they see one. Piper is right; it is tragic that he can't make them understand, but it is better that he be right than that he satisfy their adolescent curiosity.

View the YouTube clip and read the comments it provoked. This is a picture of a sensitive soul trying to warn us and a depiction of the rabble that resists what it cannot understand.