Okay, What's Wrong With Me?

As I was driving home from our office today, I was flipping through radio stations and I foolishly paused on our local Christian radio station. I say foolishly, because, inevitably it makes me angry. I don't know if you've ever heard a dramatized-for-radio conversation between a Bible-Believing Born-Again Christian and an Unbeliever. If you haven't you're really missing something special. It seems that often when I stop on the Christian Radio Station, I'm hearing these. To put it mildly, they upset me. To state it plainly, they make me want to embark on a mission to end Christian Radio altogether (I'm sure ours is the only local radio station that is bad).

The conversation usually goes like this:
Unbeliever: "I am having such a hard time in life."
Christian: "Oh really? I'm so sorry."
Unbeliever: (This is the one I heard today) "My finances are a mess, and I'm so stressed out."
Christian: "I know what you mean. I have cancer."
Unbeliever: "Really, I didn't know. You seem so happy and at peace. I feel guilty for being so superficial and worrying about my money, when you're dealing with life and death issues."
Christian: "Don't minimize you're problems. They're real to you. And my problems used to be real to me." (that was my added sarcasm)
Unbeliever: "How do you deal with having cancer now?"
Christian: "I know that God is all-powerful, and he gives me peace. I know that whatever happens, He is in control. I'm not scared, anxious, worried, upset, discouraged, disillusioned or ever have a negative thought because I believe in Jesus" (oops my sarcasm slipped in again)
Unbeliever: "Wow, you have something I want. Maybe after this movie you can talk to me and tell me all about this Jesus you speak about."
Christian: "I knew there was a reason God brought our paths together."

Okay, it was even worse than that, crammed with more trite phrases and fake sincerity about over simplistic solutions to difficult problems in life. I find it interesting in Christian dramatizations how quickly unbelievers are ready to turn to Jesus when they hear a few pat answers and some Christian lingo thrown their way (I've noticed this same trend in Christian skits). I don't find this to be my experience. People who aren't Christians are more . . . I guess real is the right word, and not so easily persuaded by overly-simplistic solutions to their problems.

Maybe it's me. Maybe, I don't use enough trite phrases. Maybe I don't listen to enough Christian radio. Maybe I think too highly of authenticity, honesty, and reality . . . I don't know.

It was the first time I laughed out loud for a while, by myself in my car. Then I became angry as I thought about the possibility that anyone would be inspired by that dramatization. And if someone was, what kind of people must be listening to this radio station, wait a minute, I was listening to this radio station . . . I changed it and vowed to never listen to it again.

I know I will. I'm drawn to it for the same reason I'm drawn to Christian Television - I am drawn to the ridiculous.