Bob Bestler | God is not dead
It was back in the ’60s that Time magazine, in a controversial cover story, declared: “God is Dead.”
I’m a longtime and loyal subscriber to Time, both as a news magazine and as a tracer of trends, but I do believe its declaration was a bit premature.
You only have to check out the various churches tomorrow, Easter Sunday, to realize that we are still very much a people that worship God.
My own Episcopal church in McClellanville is pretty small, and on Christmas and Easter it is standing room only as people cram together to celebrate the two holiest days on the Christian calendar.
But the same is true of churches throughout the country – not to mention the nondenominational places of worship that fill up most every weekend.
A large, newly constructed nondenominational opened about two years ago in nearby Mount Pleasant; already it is building an addition and carving out a second parking lot – an indication that people, often young families, are seeking a relationship with the Almighty on a regular basis.
You don’t have to stop there.
Look at the current spate of biblical-themed movies coming out of that godless bastion of liberalism known as Hollywood (see O’Reilly, Bill).
There’s “Noah,” of course, which offers a harsher and more realistic look at the struggle in getting hundreds of animals on an ark – as opposed to the happy, smiling cartoons going aboard in various children’s books.
“God’s Not Dead” is another in theaters today, as is “Son of God.” Both have been box-office hits. On the way are two more: “Heaven is for Real” and “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” starring Christian Bale.
And then there’s Pope Francis. I don’t know exactly where he fits in, but he certainly has become a cultural phenomenon.
Any Christian religious leader with his charisma, humility and honesty certainly must give a lot of people a reason to seek out a place to worship.
And you’ve got to admit: Pope Francis makes for a much holier role model than George Burns.
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