If you have ever experienced an Asthma attack, you know the
agony of trying to breathe and get air into your lungs. Thanks to some of the
newer preventative medications, my asthma has been controlled for years and I
seldom have to use my albuterol sulfate inhalation aerosol, but I still carry
one with me at all times. As a pastor and educator, I like to keep up with various
worship styles and so today, I went to worship once again with a contemporary
church. This particular church has very load music, strobe lights, and fog
machines to the extreme.
Now I understand that throughout Scripture, God’s glory
filled the temple as a cloud (II Chronicle 5:14). Isaiah speaks of the seraphim’s
voices shaking the temple and God’s presence filling the temple with smoke
(Isaiah 6:4). In Revelation, John sees the temple being filled with smoke from
the glory of God and His power (Revelation 15:8). Today many churches try to simulate
or evoke the presence of God through shaking the building with load music to
the point that worshipers are provided earplugs, and then using various forms
of fog machines to fill the building with a misty fog to simulate the presence
of God. This is the same fog used in horror films and haunted houses at
Halloween to instill fear, which some people now experience in churches using fog
machines as they struggle to breathe.
Contemporary churches, in their attempt to inspire the
worshipers are bringing harm to the health of some of the worshipers they seek
to amaze. The church I was in today left the fog machines running for the
entire service. I was in the third back-to-back service of the day and the misty
fog was thick in the air throughout the service. It was not long until I was
having some difficulty breathing and was forced to use my inhaler. Five hours
have now passed since service ended and I am still having difficulty breathing.
Contemporary churches need to rethink their constant use of fog
machines, load music, and strobe lights. Fog machines can have an adverse
effect on a person’s respiratory heath. Some types of fog machines are more
dangerous than other fog machines. One article that might help churches make
wiser decisions is found at http://publichealth.uic.edu/sites/default/files//public/documents/great-lakes/other/HARTS_library/smokefog.txt;
of course, I would also encourage churches to Google “health dangers from fog
machines” and read some of the articles. Bright digital and strobe lights can
also trigger a multitude of health issues: Photosensitive epilepsy, migraines,
nausea, dizziness, and disturbed vision; just Google “health dangers from bright
strobe lights” or click this link for a fair discussion http://www.bbc.co.uk/safety/resources/aztopics/strobe-lighting.html.
Churches that provide earplugs to their worshipers are already acknowledging
that the music can cause a range of hearing loss.
A word of warning to contemporary churches, you should
considering the danger to your worshipers from the use of visual and audio
effects, and use them in moderation. If you do not, you are likely to become mired
in legal issues in the future. Contemporary churches should not only consider
the spiritual issues of using fake visual and audio effects to simulate the
presence of God, but they should also consider the health dangers their actions
present to their worshipers. If you love of your worshipers, you will want to
protect them from long-term health issues.
