"Righteous" indignation (part II)

A couple days ago I mentioned how seminarians (re: me) can display pride and arrogance at those who would dare to prefer buying an audio copy of the latest Henry Cloud marriage book instead of a scholastic commentary on Ecclesiastes. Well, I don't want to stop with just the seminarians. I've seen the same pridefulness in regards to accepted expressions of emotion.

There is a basic assumption in the emerging generation that authenticity is valuable. I can't remember the last time I was in an emergent-style worship gathering and the guitar player failed to remind us that any authentic expression of worship was valid. Sit, stand, go to the bathroom, whatever. Worship must be authentic. In an effort to cultivate authenticity, worship leaders who express emotion and "seem real" are regarded as more authentic, and therefore superior.

I am not a "worship leader." I have immense respect for those who can walk and chew gum at the same time, much less sing and play a guitar. Worship leaders are often good-looking, funny, athletic, and have cool, spiritual sounding names like "Tim" or "Braden." Even so, I suspect that we expect worship leaders to exhibit the emotions we find important, rather than what they are actually feeling. I have variously heard worship leaders defined as too quiet, too loud, too talky, too touchy-feely, too happy, too sad, and not-Bob-enough (okay, that last one was a lie).

When we seek out an environment where the worship leader is an idealized version of our spiritual life, we're in for a rough ride. I wish I felt God like Josh does. That's what real penitence looks like. Looking to anyone, whether worship leader, pastor, Sunday school teacher, or janitor for our spirituality is ineffective and heretical.

So what does this have to do with pride? The reality is, we can become judgmental if the worship leader does not fit our understanding of proper spirituality. If we are the brooding type, but the worship leader is happy-clappy, we can become prideful about their lack of spiritual depth. But, I thought the value was authenticity? If that is his or her authentic spiritual expression, why do we become judgmental?