Thoughts On Crutches and Losers

In his writing of Mere Apologetics, Alister McGrath points out that "one of the most familiar criticisms of Christianity is that it offers consolation to life's losers." It has been my observation over many years that born again believers, especially, are often caricatured as being somewhat weak and naïve or just plain losers. That is, a person like me needs my faith as a "crutch" just to get me through life.  I don’t read much of it, but  I was struck along side of the mind when Dinesh D'Souza mentioned the new atheist format at a forum I attend this past week; I was reminded of an article in Pulse magazine, written some time ago, entitled: Is Christianity Just a Crutch?  Quoting: ". . . . . . . . this depiction is often contrasted with the image of a hardier intellectual atheist who has no need for such infantile, yet comforting, nonsense. This type of portrayal may resonate with some, but does it really make sense?”

Ever since a president of our country used the phrase: "small towns cling to guns and religion,"  I have been slogging through a, seemingly, immense swamp, shotgun over one shoulder and crutch under the other, in coming to grips, looking for a personal offense. I’ve found it helpful, firstly, in defining  what is meant by a "crutch." In a medical setting, the word obviously means an implement used by people for support when they are injured. The analogy implies, therefore, that those who need one are somehow deficient or wounded. In a sense, it is fairly obvious that the most vulnerable might need support, but as the agnostic John Humphrys points out, "Don't we all? Some use booze rather than the Bible."  As this suggests, it is not so much a question of whether I have one, but it is more of a question of what my particular crutch is. I think this is an important point to make, as people rely on all kinds of things for their comfort or self-esteem, ranging from material possessions, money, food, and aesthetics to cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, and sex. It’s been my experience (many of my friends and colleagues have had different experiences and may disagree)  that rather than being viewed as signs of weakness, many of these are even considered to be relatively normal in society, provided they don't turn into the more destructive behavior associated with strong addiction. Nevertheless, many of these only offer a short-term release from the struggles of life and they sometimes only cover up deeper problems that a person might be suffering from. To suggest, therefore, that atheists are somehow stronger than believers is to deny the darker side of humanity, which is only too apparent if we look at the world around us. McGrath explains in Mere Apologetics : "If you have a broken leg, you need a crutch. If you're ill you need medicine. That's just the way things are. The Christian understanding of human nature is that we are damaged, wounded and disabled by sin. That's just the way things are."

Then I discovered where Augustine of Hippo compared the church to a hospital, because it is full of wounded and ill people in the process of being healed. As is the case with any illness, this treatment cannot begin, however, until someone has admitted they are sick or need help. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that religious belief does have an advantageous effect on both mental and physical health. Andrew Sims, former President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, writes that a "huge volume of research" confirms this, making it "one of the best-kept secrets in psychiatry and medicine generally." In a culture that often seems to exalt health, well-being, and happiness above other things, this would seem to render religious belief very appealing both to the weak and the strong in society.

Again and again, I have heard, personally, believers testify to the transformative effect that becoming a Christian has had on their lives and this can include being delivered from some of the crutches they had previously relied upon. Yet, the idea that coming to faith is somehow either liberating or empowering is, of course, anathema to many people. Christopher Hitchens in his writing of God Is Not Great in 2007, for example, speaks of the totalitarian nature of Christianity that keeps its followers in a state of constant subservience. Now, G. K. Chesterton saw it differently, as he writes in Orthodoxy, suggests that the "dignity of man" and the "smallness of man" was held in perfect tension, allowing people to have a strong sense of self-worth without becoming big-headed.

Yet my greatest find is where God clearly offers much more than this. In 1 Corinthians 12:9 it says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." The idea of strength flowing from human powerlessness may seem counter-intuitive in today's risk-averse culture, but as Simon Guillebaud points out, "Paradoxically, our waving the white flag of submission to God's right over our lives is the key that unlocks the gate to many future victories in his name." Nevertheless, as C. S. Lewis observed, people will still choose to cling on to their crutches, even though something much better is being offered to them: "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."  I found this in the writing of The Weight of Glory and other Addresses.

I’ve conclude that it is helpful to intentionally  reflect on what I am relying on at this stage of my life and what the impact has upon me, my relationship with others and God. I don’t want to miss out on the fullness of life that God offers me, whether I think I need it or not.

Father, God, Almighty,  I thank You for sending Your Son Jesus which You offered upon on the cross not a crutch. It wasn’t a call to be a better person with high self-esteem or a plan to help me scrape through my existence.  It is a call to acknowledge that the forgiveness I seek is to be found in Jesus by following Him onto the cross…It’s because following Him has something to offer me and every other person in every circumstance, regardless of baggage, state of health or emotions, background or intellectual capabilities!  Amen