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Creasters
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Some years ago I heard a term for those people who swell churches on special events like Christmas and Easter: Creasters. It was uttered with some derision, which is how I uttered it subsequently, caught up as I was in my new Christian’s sense of moral superiority. The intervening years have taught me, however, the stark difference between debasement and abasement, between the corruption that I have wrought in this often losing battle between spirit and flesh, and the redemption that a humbled Christ brought for the likes of me. We have debased ourselves, and because of this, out of love, Christ abased himself.
Those peaks of the traditional Christian calendar — Christmas and Easter — are the peaks as well of Christ’s humbling. He came weak and poor and hunted, he left on a cross amongst felons. I think about these people we call Creasters, who haven’t the discipline or burden of religiosity to bring them dutifully to church, yet who come nonetheless, to the humbled Christ. They come in jeans or in suits, and they slouch or sit stiffly in strange pews, and they sing hymns with us though they are aware that they do not belong to our community.
It’s easy for me to go to my church, but perhaps not for the Creaster. Sometimes — too often — I come out of habit or duty, but sometimes I come out of the deepest yearning. I wonder if the Creasters feel this, if it is why they come during this season and at Easter. I wonder if they, in their alien state, don’t come closer to a true heart than I carry most Sundays. They come, though it doesn’t fit their routine. They come, in spite of the discomfort in not belonging. They come because something draws them — a faint sense of holiness evoked by the season, or because we are more inviting, or for the music, or maybe because the baby Christ and the murdered Christ are images they can relate to best in their fear and need. They come, with their doubts and their poor attendance records, and somewhere, most importantly, the hope that it isn’t all just a myth, that the baby was and is Immanuel, God with us. May they, and all of us, see in that birth and death and resurrection a world overcome, and have peace.
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A matter of life
We called them the CEO’s of the Church. Christmas and Easter Only. This article is humbling. Let’s all be more welcoming.
My MIL would have fit this title, although she went even less than that I think. She believed in God and Christ and felt church was important. She was very shy, however, and the minute someone in a church would invite her for more than a service, she would flee in fear. She had only had a 4th grade education, but was very well self-educated. She was a simple person and did not think highly of herself. Those who are extraverts or confident often have no idea of how painful even attending church can be for those who are not. Or for those who are paranoid or have whatever else. We should thank God for the opportunity to be able to minister to them even though it is not much or often. We also have no idea how people are hurting, often from other churches or church members.
I used to love church. Now I can’t think of a more boring way to spend a couple hours.
What happened, Night Train?
Long story, Marie.
We have all day, here!
I dont know for sure and have no data source, but I suspect the high percentage of functional illiterates in the US are (perhaps understandably) turned off by church. To the extent that we have more infotainment and Willow Creek-styled “worship” perhaps these folks will have reentry into church.
As for as the Creasters, CEOs.. if y’all know that you’ll have a huge influx of them on those days it might be good to hit’em with the main essential points of the Gospel and extend that altar call. They might not ever pass that way again (with apologies to CSN&Y?)
Night Train, I too wish to hear your “why I hate Christianity root stem branch and blossom” story.
A man I know was barely eking out a living as a state employee (Dept of highways they called it in the 50s). His oldest son suffered what we today would term a catastrophic illness and could have died. The man and his wife were racked by grief and fear. A well meaning “church lady”–actually the man’s half-sister–offered the following to the distraught parents:
THIS HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE YOU TWO HAVE NOT BEEN LIVING RIGHT
That man grew to be a silent pew-sitter and his pew sitting became less and less frequent as the 50s gave way to the secularized 60s.
That man was by the way my late father.
KI - 2
I knew someone just like your MIL when I was in High School. She was a wonderful woman, kind and loving, she went to our church…..but she was shy, she never married….we all liked her - She was a school teacher, I believe she taught 1st grade -
God bless you, Merry CHRISTMAS -
Sawgunner, I don’t “hate” Christianity by any stretch of the imagination. I find much in it worthy of admiration. I just don’t think it’s true.
Night Train, I have a theory, which seems to make Joel Mark livid, that some people–Karl Rove–comes to mind–think it is very useful for other people to believe in Christianity, and are very cynical about manipulating such people by their belief in Christianity.
I don’t really know if this is true or not. I asked Joel (because I’ve read comments at wmb that Joel has some connections or ties to the White House and so I wondered if he knows Karl personally). Joel’s response was to be offended that I asked, which I didn’t find very informative.
So I will ask you, though you may or may not want to answer. As a person who once believed, but no longer does, but still “finds much in it worthy of admiration,” do you think there may be people with a similar experience who turn to manipulating Christians instead of criticizing or arguing with them?
#11 Random Name,
I think a perfect example of the non-believing manipulator type you spoke of was Jack Abramoff. I’m nearly certain he was devout and religious but not a Christian. Yet he was willing to use conservative biblical Christians to help advance his lobbyist efforts.
Indeed, it was Pat Robertson wonderboy Ralph Reed PhD who was the prime manipulatee of Abramoff.
And I would also add that the GOP recognizes how invaluable conservative proLife Christians are to their “get out the vote” campaigns. But if the GOP ever got serious and actually got abortion policy remanded back to the states and elected legislators, then all those proLife GOP voters would say “Mission Accomplished!” and promptly withdraw from electoral politics.
That would greatly decrease voter turnout. No real incentive to “solve” the abortion issue.
So you could say proLifers are also manipulated by politicians who may or may not themselves be pro-anything other than gaining power and retaining it.
11,12, and on manipulation, Fool Proofing Your Life by Jan Silvious, a study of Psalms and Proverbs. Learn how not to be the companion of a fool or the friend of an angry person. Learn how to listen to what you hear.
#12
Abramoff is quite likely a pertinent example as is the GOP flirtation with proLife Christians.