People are good.
Theologians often live in ivory towers far from average folk who dismiss their lofty theological notions. Not so with eBay, the current theological teacher of the masses. This Internet company is constructed on a simple theological proposition: “People are good.” If you’ve not seen their powerful theological video you should watch this convincing piece of theological persuasion.
Of course eBay needs this theological assumption. If I am supposed to send $150 to some unknown fellow in Florida for a brand new sleeping bag I need to trust him because people are good. eBay reminds me t people will toss a basketball back over the fence, people volunteer to take Meals-on-wheels to sick folk, people hold elevator doors open for late-arriving people, people sometimes leave $10 tips for coffee, people in a crowd who see a guy’s briefcase flip open and all his papers are being blown away will rush in to help, people bump into a parked a car and when they can’t find the owner they’ll leave their address, people give blood and pick up trash, and when most people see a car stuck in the snow they’ll pitch in and help push it out—people are good.
Well, are they? Are people good? What do you think? Do you believe all people are basically good? Or perhaps you believe most people are good? Or, maybe you believe people are good most of the time? If you agree with eBay I suspect your sermons will sell in modern America. You might even splice eBay’s video into an upcoming worships service and it will bring a tear to eyes and inspire people to be better persons. While most Americans accept the presence of “a few bad apples” they generally believe people are good.
The only trouble is people
are good isn’t orthodox. It
flies in the face of St. Paul, Augustine, original
sin, depravity and orthodox theology of the last 2000 years. This doctrine has been generally labeled
heresy. Is it? Has the church been right about the nature
of people, or is eBay right? Who is willing to stand up and promote one of the
embarrassing doctrines of Christianity—people are bad. Whew—will you?
Of course, the bigger question is how to preach an unpopular doctrine
to a nation who disbelieves it. Most Americans refuse to believe all humans
are darkened and inclined toward evil continually. This is why the eBay campaign is so successful—it reinforces what
Americans already believe. When we in
the church proclaim that humanity is “totally depraved” they’d mostly roll
their eyes. They suspect it’s not
true. They trust eBay’s theology
quicker than St. Paul’s or Augustine’s.
So what will you do? Usually
we’ve downplayed unpopular doctrines. I imagine most of us will take eBay’s
campaign as a pleasant and helpful contribution to the American spirit. I suspect few will take it on and label it heresy.
Face it; total depravity and original
sin are obnoxious doctrines to Americans.
However a few bold preachers and Sunday school teachers might mention
it. Perhaps you are one? Which theological position do you have? EBay’s or that of St. Paul and Augustine?
Keith Drury February 22, 2005