The Christian Cynic
We had guests coming to the house in a day...my wife was out of town as is apt to happen. She asked if I would clean up the place, particularly the dust under the couch, in the Great Room. I rolled out the Vacuumater, the ultimate weapon against crud, and declared open season on the dust bunnies. There was a time that I feared the vacuum. It looked like some robot with so many parts it made my long for the days of the broom. Now, I have acclimated to the apparatus. It appreciate its design and cleaning prowess. Don't fear the cleaner.
As I pulled out the couch to expose the dark and dusty underbelly, I discovered a Men's Health magazine from March 2010 (fully cleaning under the couch goes back at least that far). You know, one of these men magazines that recycle the same topics monthly of "Great Sex, Ab Workouts, Eat This, & Huge Biceps" plus a smattering of articles on finances, work-outs, clothing, etc. Boiling it all down to the foundation, rock hard abs and libido. I wonder if the two are related. No articles on how to vacuum like a real man.
But there was an article in the issue about Cynicism titled "Why Men Fail." It was a good read, a helpful read. Essentially, don't bitch about problems, solve them. Be positive and not a negative punk or crybaby. I delved into ancient Greek history to learn more about the origins of the Cynic philosophy. This quote from Diogenes seems to summarize it best:
"I am Diogenes the Dog. I nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy and bite scoundrels."
That actually sounds like what the Church should be prophetically doing in our world without the base improprieties of the ancient Cynics. The Cynics could be quite rude in their rejection of convention and the status quo. The Greek word for dog was Cynic. Most dogs I know are happy, so I don't necessarily get the canine connection.
The difference between traditional cynicism and how it manifest itself today versus Christian cynicism is love. Look at Jesus. John says this about Jesus:
"But Jesus didn't trust them, because he knew human nature."
Anyone who thinks Jesus was naive and did not understand the wicked nature of the human heart are deceived about Jesus, themselves, and others. Simply put, mankind ain't so kind beyond the strict biological definition of species (kind). Morally, humanity is depraved and hell-bound without Christ's substitutionary sacrifice. Christ took our darkness out of love, and redeemed us from the due penalty for our sin. And it wasn't because He didn't know people. It was because he did.
It is quite the spiritual challenge to love people when we really know them. Or, even ourselves. It is easy to devolve into a cynical posture that emanates a cruel edge in word and deed. Or, practicing a casual and condemnatory disengagement and letting society get flushed down the commode of history. We are to care about others beyond their just desserts and deservedness...essentially give a damn. Just as Christ did for us.
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