Wingclips.com reports that the top movie clip download by pastors for use in their sermons is from Horton Hears a Who—that has been the top clip every week for the last three months. Dr. Seuss is apparently growing in popularity as sermon fodder. The thrilling true stories from Holy Scripture are no longer enough to hold even adult attention in church, but Dr. Seuss evidently meets the need.
Our family attended a Thanksgiving eve service at a local church one year. We were visitors, and we appreciated the readings, the Thanksgiving hymns and the prayer. The church was heavily attended by faculty from the denomination’s local college and seminary, and the place was full that night. The pastor finally ascended the very large pulpit, looked out into the audience with the intense glare of someone with a serious message to proclaim. A hush fell over the congregation. He gripped the sides of the pulpit. His opening words were:
“I do not like green eggs and ham!
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
You do not like them. So you say. Try them! Try them! And you may. Try them and you may, I say.
Sam! If you will let me be, I will try them. You will see.
Say! I like green eggs and ham! I do! I like them, Sam-I-am! And I would eat them in a boat. And I would eat them with a goat…”
The theme of the ten-minute crowd-pleaser message was “taste and see that the Lord is good. If you avoid God like green eggs and ham, you’ll never know what you’re missing. Give God a taste.”
An exit sign never looked as good as it did that night.
Are there moral lessons in many fairy tales and stories? Of course. But when did church become a place for “moral lessons?” We have the whole counsel of God in our hands, the inerrant, powerful, authoritative Word of God, preserved down through the ages by God’s sovereign hand and the faithfulness of those who paid many times with their own blood. Why is that precious book not sufficient?
Why? Because nobody wants rich meat any longer. They want to be entertained and regaled with childish cartoons. They want to see movie clips of Spiderman, The Hulk, Sex in the City, and whatever other garbage the world is doling out. They want cute moral lessons from dancing vegetables on Sunday morning, not the true meat of the Word for grown-ups in Christ. With the persecution of believers that is coming to the West, Horton Hears a Who is not going to cut it. Interviewing Richard Wurmbrand and Christo Kulichev, two pastors who suffered incredible torture and imprisonment in Romania and Bulgaria, it was clear to me that their knowledge of the Word was what got them through their suffering. The promises of God provide the only key to escaping the dungeon of despair in our own lives.
Let those who want silly elephants teaching them on Sunday morning carry on with their cartoons. But let those who desire a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ feed deeply from the true meat of the Word. It alone can sustain us in the one true faith.
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The reason "Horton Hears a Who" is so popular with pastors is that it makes a fantastic modern-day parable for the pro-life movement. "A person's a person no matter how small." This is a message that any solidly conservative Christian could agree with and apply to the all-important issue of abortion, and the fact that it has been so dramatically and insightfully put into a story that secular society can ingest makes it prime material for sermons. Even Jesus used existing, non-scriptural stories of his day to make a point -- that's why many of his parables related so well to his audience. It wasn't because scripture wasn't enough; it was because this is a great way to connect with an audience to make a point. If Jesus could adapt popular stories for his purposes, there should be nothing wrong with pro-life speakers using "Horton" for a purpose that the author, "Dr. Seuss", never intended. It has become a powerful anti-abortion message. Can you please find something else to slam? Click here to reply to this post
I agree, but...
Posted On: 06/19/08 10:40:44 AM
Age 43, AL
I agree that Horton has a powerful message for us pro-lifers. Some strong Christians in CO have used "A person is a person, no matter how small" in a powerful way to advance the pro-life movement.
That being said, I'm not convinced that most churches are using Horton in this way. Most larger (i.e. Mega) churches sadly tend to avoid subjects that might spark controversy among their givers...er, members. If you'll notice, it's not necessarily what they say that is of concern, it's what they don't say from the pulpit that really bothers me. Click here to reply to this post
Dr. Seuss (slightly modified...)
Posted On: 06/19/08 10:34:25 AM
Age 43, AL
I do not like Dr. Seuss and such,
Where the Word of God is needed much.
The Word of God you do not like?
So you say,
Try it! Try it!
And you may.
Try it and you may, I say.
Word of God?
I like movie clips much more,
I feel better, and no convictions sore.
Plus, our mega-church is growing more!
Say!
The Word of God IS truth!
I need it, I need it.
I will read it every day,
and meditate on it I will.
With popularity, but no relevance, those movie
clips only thrill.
I must leave this church now!
I must leave it right now I say.
I’ll find a church, that only from the Word,
On it’s sufficiency we preach, read and pray! Click here to reply to this post
Get a Grip on Yourself
Posted On: 06/18/08 02:37:09 PM
Age 62, VA
Ingrid Schlueter says the church is not a place for "moral lessons" outside the specific accounts in the Bible - preserved by God and the faithful (presumably herself and those who agree with her.) But, should we blindly trust the counsel of the "faithful" when they strike out at even a simple children's story about trying things - in this case, God - before you reject them. I do not trust anyone who keeps pounding on the table and shouting that I should not listen to anyone else. I particularly do not trust a person who keeps using God's authority to claim their own infallability. When one thinks he or she has the only true take on how to improve one's faith it is time that person got a grip on his- or herself. Click here to reply to this post
God is providing for us His Word, to prepare us
Posted On: 06/18/08 10:52:16 AM
Age 41, CA
"With the persecution of believers that is coming to the West, Horton Hears a Who is not going to cut it."
God is graciously providing for us to prepare by leading many of us to feast fully upon His Word- if not via church, then from the many solid teachers who have posted their teaching,admonishment, edification and encouragement from the Word, on the web, and by leading us to leave the "light and fluffy" churchianity and bringing us to our knees into intimate fellowship with Him through His Word. He is lovingly providing for us now in these ways, for our spiritual preparation, in advance of what is coming. Click here to reply to this post
Consecraded or confused?
Posted On: 06/18/08 08:43:16 AM
Age 50, MS
The "bride" of Christ, is in denial, she has lost her innocence in a crowded church, you can tell simply by the different ringtones, and buzzing's in people's pockets or purses. You can also tell by the people looking intently at their watches, or as I was informed by a fellow co-worker, in his church during the praise and worship as the words of the song are in the screen upon the wall, the football scores being passed in a tickertape fashion above the words. Can the church of Christ really stand against the persecution that's coming? will they be able to deny the world while upholding their beliefs? The true test will tell. Click here to reply to this post
IF WE FAIL THE EASY TEST THERE IS NO NEED FOR A HARD TEST
Posted On: 06/18/08 12:24:26 PM
Age 64, OH
You say,"Can the church of Christ really stand against the persecution that's coming? will they be able to deny the world while upholding their beliefs? The true test will tell". It seems to me that any church that "the football scores being passed in a tickertape fashion above the words" during worship songs has already failed the test haven't they. They have seen the world as more compelling than the worship of The One who shed His blood for them. We do not have to wonder how they will do in the test, that was the test. If one fails the easy test there is no need to give them the hard test. Lou Click here to reply to this post
what planet are we on?
Posted On: 06/17/08 08:46:49 PM
Age 48, GA
I'm thankful for your site....sometimes I wonder if I'm on another planet. The "Christianity" of today reminds me of masses of lemmings rushing over a cliff, oblivious to the destruction they are volunteering for. My family is blessed to have a wonderful church where we get deep teaching and reverent worship, refreshing after seeing what is going on out there. Yet many visit and pass by, looking for the "different" church down the street, which is exactly like the "different" church on the next street. All I can say is that I bless God for redeeming me from the pit and from my self. I pray for my children and this next generation. The vast majority of these teens in church, I'm afraid, are lost and blissfully unaware. Even so, Lord Jesus.... Click here to reply to this post
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