Time to Throw Out a Sentimental View of Christianity

God the Father: Sugar Daddy?

by Fr. Dwight Longenecker

The most dangerous trend in the modern church is this sentimental idea of a Great Grandaddy in the sky who gives everybody a piece of pie.

Atheists sometimes blame Christians for believing in a Heavenly Father who is great big sugar daddy in the sky who will take us to heaven when we die. Our God, they say, is like Colonel Sanders—always beaming down from above with a benevolent smile and perhaps a bucket of fried chicken if we are good boys and girls.

This Father in heaven is a comforting thought when life is hard. They continue by saying that all our talk of self sacrifice and helping others and doing good–is self interest. We’re investing in a great big life insurance plan. We pay in the good works, faith, love and worship and in return we get happiness and heaven and forgiveness and a chance to see Grandma and Grandpa and all our loved ones again.

No doubt there are some Christians who do have such a shallow and sentimental understanding of God and the afterlife.

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