My Friend the Pastor

As an atheist my wife thinks I’m absolutely nuts when I listen to religious broadcasting on the radio. I’m pretty sure she’s not worried that I will convert; I once told her that after I’ve learned what I’ve learned and know what I know that if she sees me crossing myself before dinner that my mind is probably going. But I do listen to a couple of Christian radio stations that air out of Chicago. Originally I liked to listen the political opinions (seemingly homophobic rants in the guise of the protection of the institution of marriage, incredibly cynical and suspicious vitriol directed against candidate and later President Obama) and opinions on evolution, which unless these people are total idiots they must be knowingly distorting the record of 150 years of scientific research. As a biologist and a progressive, I am somewhat concerned what our religious brethren are up to. But on the evening drive home from work, I ran into the sort of Christian that defies stereotype casting.

Gregory Dickow is the pastor of Life Changers International Church based in Hoffman Estates, IL. He has a daily broadcast Ask the Pastor that airs in the early evening. I have listened to this radio call-in show for over a year, and have participated in the show by asking questions on subjects like evolution, different rewards in heaven for Christians with differing levels of good works, and other subjects. Mr. Dickow is always very cordial to me in spite of my handle, Chuck the Atheist. He should know that I don’t go around introducing myself as such, but thought that would be a good way for the Pastor to remember who I was. I’m by no means a vicious, spitting atheist of the Dawkins or Hitchens type (although I highly respect these individuals for other reasons). I think that evolutionists and atheists can have interesting and enlightening conversations without too much vitriol. Gregory Dickow is one such Christian that does not make an atheist like me feel uncomfortable. I have to say that I am impressed by his more progressive stance that seeks to diminish the guilt that Christians might have about the normal contradictions in their lives in comparison to the ideal of a Christ-like existence. No sin is better or worse than an as Pastor Dickow relates, and the guilt that most Christians feel seemingly emanates more from other Christians who chastise them for their homosexuality or adultery while not seeing that their own vindictive, gossipy ways are just as much an affront to their god or religion.

Also interesting to me is that Gregory Dickow used to be a pastor with Maranatha Christian Ministries, which was a pretty fundamentalist Christian denomination from the 70’s and 80’s. This group was often the subject of suspicion from mainstream denominations and the press for its cohersive practices and close control over members dating lives and marriages. It wasn’t uncommon for ex-members to report that they were told implicitly or explicitly that their salvation was in jeopardy for leaving the church. MCM dissolved in the early 90’s. I have first-hand experience of this group from my early college years at SIU; I was a member of that church for a year and a half, and experienced some of the same things. I think that by path towards atheism was aided by my experience with Maranatha, although that was certainly not the only decisive factor. I suppose that makes me mildly suspicious of Gregory Dickow, but not overly so. I think he is a dynamic speaker, and has made a positive impact on his listeners. If anything he doesn’t seem horrified to speak with atheists or condemn anyone that doesn’t agree with him. A pretty interesting character.

One observation I would like to make of the many callers to which I have listened on Dickow's show. If you base your opinion of Christianity upon these people, I think you'll find that something obviously wrong is going on at least in terms of the theology that Dickow promotes and the resultant effect that you might expect (if such thing were true). Many of the callers, who's intelligence might be somewhat of a question, seem to know nothing of the Christianity that they are allegedly following. They constantly seek validation from Dickow, and want to make sure that their intolerance of their gay sons or daughters is justified, want to know that their disapproval of someone's sexual proclivities is scriptural, want to be absolved because they don't want to pay their tithes, want to know that it was the right thing to do waste 30 years in a sex-less, love-less marriage to adulterous, abusive spouses because they think that divorce is a sin. Sure you can look at these people as naive, child-like individuals, who the Pastor should take under his wing, but it seems to me to be more indicative of the fact that Christianity and religion in general has to be one of the most bankrupt pursuits that one can follow.

I have to say that Dickow conducts himself with a great deal of class in spite of the fact that most of his callers can't seem to come into a relationship with Christ as Dickow allegedly has, don't understand the fundamental point of Christianity-an atonement of sins through the sacrifice of Christ, or don't understand his more charitable attitude towards homosexuals, drug addicts, and adulterers. Seems like Dickow may be the only one in his sphere of influence that understands what his religion is all about. Oh wait, that's more indicative of ill mental health. No one understands the supernatural being, who's spirit is living in your body, that is the chief architect of your morality, whom promised you that you would live forever. Either no one can understand that the living god is inside this man, or it all a bunch of woo-woo.