In the novel The Power of One the author Bryce Courtenay portrays Christians as unintelligent hypocrites. Courtenay seems to have a bias against Christians that he reveals through his novel. Perhaps growing up he knew unpleasant hypocritical Christians.
For example, when Doc meets Peekay's mother to ask if he can teach piano lessons to Peekay, Doc uses the omnipotence of God to explain when he met Peekay. Peekay's mother then gets confused as to whether or not Doc was praising God or blaspheming Him. Also during their meeting, Doc says that the cactus plant has the characteristics that God failed to give to man. This is plainly saying that God makes mistakes and is giving praise to the cactus for something it did not do. After hearing this, Peekay's mom is confused and does not know if Doc had praised or blasphemed God. This shows her unintelligence. Peekay's mom is shown as not being an intelligent Christian in other ways too. When she is with her pastor she constantly looks to him to know what is right or wrong. She cannot figure out what is a sin on her own.
Another example of an unintelligent Christian is when Peekay goes to Sunday school. He asks the teacher if blacks and whites are equal in heaven. The teacher, Mrs. Kostler, does not know the answer so she asks the pastor. The pastor comes up with a stupid answer (using the teacher's Bible, not his own) saying that "In my Father's House are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you." He then says that "many mansions" means that God loves everybody but He recognizes that there are to be racial differences (also establishing him as a racist) in Heaven. This is a huge misinterpretation of Scripture that makes absolutely no sense at all. The Bible clearly states that everybody is equal (1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11). I know this and I am only 17 years old with no Bible school training. The pastor of a church that went to a Bible school does not. Courtenay is clearly trying to prove a point here.
There is also hypocrisy shown by the Christians in the church. Peekay says that in the confession times they would "soak up every drop of sin" of the person confessing and judge them. However, they commit sins themselves so who are they to judge?
This also rings true in reality. Many people who claim to be a Christian go to church on Sunday and act like they are saved, but from Monday until Saturday they turn their backs on God and act like people who say they could care less about God. However, not all Christians are like that. There are also many Christians that strive to be like Christ and witness to others on how to go to Heaven. The Power of One displays all Christians as being two-faced idiots.
I think that Courtenay is being unfair in his display of Christians. He unjustly lumps all Christians into the same boat as being hypocritical idiots. He also takes Scripture out of context and uses it as a line for his fictional character to use as a stupid, racist comment. The verse used has nothing to do with racial equality. He also has Doc explain how great the cactus plant is and how it has all the characteristics that God "failed" to give man. Doc ignores that the cactus did not create itself (Genesis 1:11-12) and that God does not make mistakes (Mark 10:18, Isiah 6:3).
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