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Christian Community by Reg Block
Corporations, charitable and otherwise, recognize the value of registering names,
trademarks and intellectual property to protect themselves against commercial
pirates and for the advantage of selling brand licensing rights to legitimate
enterprises. And ultimately when merchandise crosses the sales counter, consumers
want to know that the Gucci, Rolex or Vaurnet is the real McCoy before committing
to what later may prove to be a cheap imitation. Christianity suffers from the
same problem as seekers will often buy into a counterfeit or simply disregard
the faith all together because of ignorance.
From the first day the gospel was preached until now, numerous organizations using
the words Jesus, God, Christ and Church in their corporate names have come and
gone. Imagine the profits they could have earned if these key names had been trademarked
and then sold through licensing agreements to various enterprises. I dare say
that the present high level of global Christian brand recognition alone would
be enough to drive the proprietary fees into the stratosphere where the world's
leading commercial trademark properties reside. Fortunately, the Lilliputian-like
absurdity of any one group legally claiming the exclusive marketing rights to
Christian-specific branding speaks for itself as all offending churches and organizations
would have to either pay the licensing fees, change the name on the building or
shut down operations.
Today, there is confusion about what it means to be authentically Christian or
a follower of Jesus Christ. A look at phone book church listings reveals names
like Church of Christ, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah's
Witnesses, Christian Science, Anglican Church, Catholic Church and others. In
response the neophyte church-shopper is almost impelled to choose by brand rather
than by the content.
The old adage of buyer beware also applies to those shopping for the truth. Jesus
warned that many deceivers would come in his name. Typically, Saturday morning
is when Bible toting Christianese - speaking canvassers ring doorbells in the
hope of finding willing ears to bend, only to be met with a hostile housecoat-sporting
mom or dad spewing invective.
Most of us presume that those identified with Jesus Christ are basically all the
same. This couldn't be farther from the truth. In some cases the "brand"
on the wrapper may not enshrine the genuine article. Therefore it is important
to start scratching through an often well-polished veneer to find the truth. For
example, Mormons in conversation affirm the New Testament titles for Jesus, leading
one to believe they are Ôstandard brandÕ (if I can use that term)
Christians, while failing to mention that extra-Biblical Mormon doctrine says
Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer and that by passing through the Earthly
school of advancement one can join the ranks of the Gods, just as Heavenly Father
did. Jehovah's Witnesses are like Mormons - their Jesus is not the one described
in the Bible but rather Archangel Michael, a created being.
Obviously there are many more Christian-brand groups, other than Mormons and Jehovah's
Witnesses, that fundamentally contradict essential aspects of the nature of Jesus
and exclusive redemptive provision as laid out in the scriptures. To many of these
organizations it doesn't matter, but for those that want to be perceived as the
true followers of Jesus, great lengths are taken to avoid addressing contradictory
presuppositions. And marketing strategies that "sell the sizzle"
are substituted for substance.
In Matthew 24-25, Jesus said, "For there shall arise false Christs, and
false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; in that, if it were possible,
they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you in advance."
John Ch. 4 goes on to say that deceivers have gone into the world teaching things
contrary to what Jesus taught and that we should be forewarned and test all things
in light of what Jesus taught. After all, He is the author and legitimate owner
of the authentic Christian intellectual property.
Reg Block is an
apologist for the historic Christian faith. Your comments and questions are welcome:
reg@commonground.ca
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