Spiritual Vantriloquism!

Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

2 John 1:7-9

Some years ago I discovered a fundamental principle of evangelizing. It is much easier to mention the name of God than to mention the name of Jesus. “God bless you” can come rolling off your lips at just about any point with even ardent unbelievers paying little to no attention. “Jesus loves you” raises eyebrows even among some groups of Christians. God is generic, Jesus is specific. God is “somewhere out there,” but Jesus is “closer than a brother.”

Many religious people try to have God without Jesus. Even though God is awesome and beyond our imagination it is easier to put God into a box. With God in a box I can open that box when I so choose and see if God has anything that might help my situation or fulfill my personal desires. If not, I can close the box until I feel a need for something that God might provide.

But when I try to put Jesus in a box the Cross gets in the way. I must have a special box for Jesus, but if I am diligent I can make one that fits Jesus and the Cross.

In some ways we treat God and Jesus like vantriloquist's puppets. It may look like I am having a meaningful conversation with Jesus, but I am putting all the words in His mouth. I can even fool myself into believing that Jesus is telling me to do this or that, but it is really “spiritual vantriloquism.”

When I finish “listening to my puppet God.” Then back in the box he goes until I am ready to hear more.

It is fun to watch a vantriloquist's perfomance. Even though we know we are pretending and the puppet is not real, the show can draw a large crowd if the puppet master is accomplished.

How sad it would be if the vantriloquist actually believed that his puppet was alive and he was having a real conversation with a “dummy.” Such a man would surely be confined for his own safety.

Spiritual vantriloquists are even more to be pittied. They believe they are hearing from God, but are simply listening to their own words. Their lips are not moving but the words are coming from their own hearts not God's.