by A. A. Neale

The big to-do in the U.S. these days roils around Hillary Clinton's new book of old tales. For eight million dollars up front and bunches more to be doled out later, the former First Lady spills the beans.

But it's not about money, not completely, anyway. Most everybody recognizes what she's up to, clearing the way for a run for the White House. It's power, pure, unadulterated power. Her book is a softener, getting us public rags ready for the big wash.

Hillary represents everything the indecent, immoral liberal element in America loves. Nothing she can do will displease them, because they speak the same language, though not all of New York state thinks their Senator is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

You might think otherwise, but this article isn't about Hillary. It's about our public face, mine and yours. Two problems keep popping up to mar the image.

First, like Hillary, we think we need a spin job to catch the public eye and win support. Try these examples on for size, from yesterday's Agape Press:

"Some Ohio churches are jazzing up their services with movie clips, rock music, theatrical lights, and giant video screens. Pastor Bryce Davis says Eastside Christian Church in suburban Cincinnati has increased attendance ten-fold since adding high-tech equipment. Nearly 1,600 people came to Easter services this year. And Gail Rizzo, director of worship, technology, and drama at Mount Carmel Christian Church, says the church wanted to make sure it was using every available tool in its services. So the church has installed enormous screens that project guest speakers beamed into the sanctuary by satellite. An elaborate speaker system pipes rock music into the church to introduce the sermon topic, and theatrical lights spotlight actors performing Bible stories."

Whoops! They forgot the smoke or dry ice or whatever makes the ground boil to make the performers look like they're floating on clouds. And how about suits with lights? Or bring the preacher flying in on a hidden wire, like Peter Pan. That ought to get their attention. Or maybe a theatrical Matrix-Star-Wars-kung-fu battle to show how real the battle is between good and evil. If not, why not? You can take this just as far as you want to to take it, because once you get away from the simplicity of the gospel and the Biblical plan of worship, the imagination's the limit.

This isn't church, it's Hollywood in religious garb, and it just plain stinks as it rises to Heaven.

That's the first public face. The Lord's order was for edification not titillation. Go read 1 Corinthians 14.

Here's the second one. Like Hillary, lots of us religious folk show a hypocritical face. Lots of people are laughing at Senator Clinton's mock surprise at Bill's shenanigans. As if she's going to convince anybody she's the poor victim.

Well, the polls say people who claim to be a part of Protestant Christendom don't live any better than their non-religious neighbors. I think it was Barna who said the Baptists are breaking up their marriages quicker than most folk. There are reasons for that, a main one being, to my mind, the faith-only doctrine of salvation that says that even if you don't live it, it doesn't matter anyway because once you got it you can't lose it. Be that as it may, the big evangelical world is just as perverse as its pagan neighbors. The denominationals are drinking and doping, divorcing and dancing, double-timing and defaulting just like everybody else, and putting on a pious face on Sundays. When they go.

That trite phrase, "walk the talk," was invented among people who, as a rule, don't do it. Will the one body, the Lord's church? If it doesn't, it will cease to belong to the Holy One.

And if the real Christian tries Hillary's ploy, he'll be the laughingstock of the world. Just like her.

It's time we threw away the masks, and got real.