CONNECTING POINT - NOT MY JESUS: Genie in a Bottle

If, like me, you were born between 1965 and 1980, you might recall vividly some scenes from I Dream of Jeannie, which starred Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman. As a comedy half-hour sitcom, Hagman, as a befuddled astronaut, finds a bottle on a beach and, lo and behold, becomes the “master” of the Genie in it, Barbara, who creates all kinds of trouble for him. As reruns go, it is still available on the internet.

Has our culture in recent years turned Jesus into a personal genie? One trend has even been given a name: the Prosperity Gospel, which teaches that Jesus will give you anything you ask for...