Did you know that Mister Rogers was an ordained pastor? Yep, that Mister Rogers. What would it have been like to attend a church service where “Pastor Rogers” preached?
My old comedy act Mitch & Allen started riffing on the idea of a laid-back zinger-dropping Pastor Rogers and an unbelievably annoying person named Mr. Deacon.
Watch the video now, and then meet me for milk and cookies below!
“God loves you, but if you don’t get right, he’s gonna fry your face off!” A smidge condemning, perhaps. But then Mr. Deacon has such a grating laugh you almost want him to go to hell. Worse though, he’s a hypocrite, in the sense that Jesus used the word, an “actor,” a person who pretends to be something they’re not.
I guest-spoke at a church in Chicago one time. It was a great morning. Until a stern-looking man came up and rebuked me for “cussing.” Huh? I didn’t use any curse words.
“That was Frank,” the pastor explained. “It was because you said ‘gee.’” We don’t consider that cussing, but Frank does — on Sundays. He cusses like crazy the rest of the week. Plus, I’m pretty sure he’s having an affair with his next-door neighbor. I don’t think he gets the whole Jesus thing. He’s just ‘religious,’ you know? And we’re trying to fix that.”
Psychologists call it cognitive dissonance: the uncomfortable state of living at odds with what we believe. To resolve it, we have to make one of two choices: either live what we believe, or believe what we live. The first takes effort. And humility. The latter is easy, but requires some mental twisting. E.g. Do you steal from the company you work for? Tell yourself, “They underpay me and they know it. So, I’m just taking what’s mine!” Voila! You now officially believe what you live.
The problem with believing what you live is that your hypocrisy can be exposed at any time. Pastor Rogers’ biblical zingers have this effect on Mr. Deacon. But there’s a way out of the hell of self-deception, he explains: let your Creator remake you, change you into “a new creature.”
How could it be any other way? There’s nothing Mr. Deacon, or Frank, or you and I can offer God but ourselves, to let him transform us into who we were meant to be. The real Mister Rogers understood that. And he was an excellent preacher, by the way.
Now, who’s up for milk and cookies?
Can I say, “Holy Smokes!” How in the world did you guys keep going all the way through? Thanks Mr. Rogers.
;>)
I didn’t know that about Mister Rogers, interesting!
Thanks, Kirsten.
The Holy Spirit convicts us all when we do wrong so the believe what we live group will still answer for the decisions.
Mr. Rogers was quite a guy. I dug him.
Live what we believe, or believe what we live, thank God for mercy and forgiveness, great post
Thanks, L.G., and amen.
Great post, funny and thoughtful.
Thank you, Lisa.
Gotta love Mister Rogers. Great skit and true message!
Thank you, Carolyn!
I loved Mr. Rogers…..:)x
It might be hard for Mister Rogers to say to Mister Deacon, “I like you as you are,” though Mister Rogers might appreciate what Mister Deacon believes (and does not practice). Actually, Mister Rogers spoke at a luncheon I coordinated while I was in college. It was a treat to meet him, he brought King Friday along (and Johnny Costa for the music), and he came across as he did (does) on TV. I like your humorous take on hypocrisy. Would that we could laugh at ourselves while we heal.
Thanks, Christopher. And, wow, how cool that you got to meet Mister R!
“God loves you, but if you don’t get right, he’s gonna fry your face off!”
Apparently a Southern Baptist. 😀
;>)
Funny and poignant skit!
Thank you, Kara.
“Cognitive dissonance” – just one example of the many ways we rephrase our sins to make them sound less offensive.
Any chance you and Allen can get your act back together? You two worked great together. Sharing a wholesome message in an amusing way makes it more memorable. 🙂
Aw, thank you, Nancy, but I’m afraid that’s water under the long-gone bridge. We’re still close friends, though, and see each other every few years.
Love it 😊
I remember Steve From Blues Clues while looking at it. The show was really good
Great stuff, Mitch! Yes, please; bring on the milk and cookies. ~Ed.
;>) Thanks, Ed.
That was fun! I like the play on conviction of sins. It was funny, but to the point.
Thanks, Pete.
Great stuff, Mitch! My greatest complement was being told I am the modern day Mr. Rogers. 🙂
I’m not in the least surprised to hear that, Jennie!
Aww…🥰 Thank you!
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neighborhood of make believe
Yes, it is, Rudy.
i been viewing his series i like to make believe
I know you do, Rudy!
can you pray for cora hope she gets the counting correct cause that upload is a failure
I don’t think that means the same thing to her that it does for you, Rudy.
cora didn’t do well on the post she did, now i need her to do the counting with the same pen & page.
“Where the hell is the neighborhood”? 🙂
On a big sheet of plywood, with an electric train and buildings about four inches high. ;>)
Used to watch that show even into my 20’s 🙂 So goofy good!
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