Maximon-Panajechel

Once in Panajechel we walked through town, into the markets, and emerged a while later at the lakes shoreline and made arrangements to ride the boats to several of the towns across the lake only accessible by boat. The water seemed clear and the first leg of the trip was very smooth. Our first destination took us to a Mayan town that has a very different religious belief. “Maximon” is the god that most Mayan’s worship. This god is a carved out of wood. He is said to love smoking, booze, colorful stuff, money, and being worshiped. He does not stay in a church but stays in appointed homes of followers. As a tour guide walked with us through town, explaining the Mayan ways, I became a little worried as he took us up to a somewhat less populated street and ushered us into one of the buildings. I soon found out this was the home in which Maximon has chosen to stay. We entered and saw several men sitting around a table. These men are the appointed brotherhood of monks who sit with Maximon. They have several “jobs” which vary from offering the gifts/offerings to him from the townspeople, staying with him at all times, to helping him chose the home in which he stays for the year. They never leave his side and most of the offerings tend to go “missing” or “used” by Maximon but somehow these monks are constantly fed and drinking booze. My eyes finally settled on this god and a part of me wanted to laugh, another cry, and another wanted to scream out “you idiots! You worship this?!”. Here is this wooden thing with elaborate scarves, dumb farmers hat on its head, a half burnt cigarette in a hole drilled between his lips, melting candles at his midsections (because he is only carved from the torso up), a money plate in front of him, 40oz. booze bottles, and fanta drinks lined up before him. BJ and I were able to witness a ceremony of family that had come to pray and offer offerings to him. Husband, wife, and children are all participating, all bowing, and kneeling before this god, Maximon. The husband gives portions of his salary for the week and bottles of booze and liquor. His wife bows and bows, kissing the floor, gives soda, her best candles, and more money. The children kiss his scarves, offer coins to him, handmade dolls and toys and then sit to watch their parents worship this thing. Then the husband lays his hands on each of the children asking Maximon specific things for the children. He then pulls out a folder with papers of some sort and lays it at Maximon’s feet and prays over this binder.
I don’t understand how people can openly and honestly worship such a thing. This astounds me. In my mind the idol worship in the bible was of golden calf’s, towers sized gods, actual living kings. Things that actually had some sort of purpose, symbolism, or command to it. Not of some dumb piece of wood that looks like an over decorated piñata. In fact that was what I wanted to do. String this Maximon up and beat him with a stick and see if he fought back, or have a hotdog eating contest and see who eats the most, or have a race because gods are supposed to be fast, the best, and never lose. Right?
People from this town come and worship daily, weekly, and monthly and give away precious time and effort not to mention the amount of money they give. Money they could save if they realized this thing is not alive and does not eat, drink, or smoke. Is the giving of money and gifts bad? No, in fact the bible does teach us to tithe. But the difference is that these people are giving in hopes of getting/persuading/bribing Maximon to give them what they want. Whereas we, as Christians, are giving gifts as thanks. Maximon cannot get anything- the people have to get him everything. Jesus Christ can get anything He desires after all He made it all. Therefore, our gifts do not matter to him. They do not keep Jesus Christ alive. Our gifts do not further His Kingdom. Christ Kingdom would survive with or without us. The bribes given to Maximon are to further his well being his “kingdom”. Without the bribes/gifts/offerings Maximon would cease to exist because his power would not be relevant. But how do you respectfully tell these people that what they are doing is wrong? How do you tell them that their whole lively hood, that of their family, is not decided by a piece of dead wood but by a God who does not need their money, candles, scarves and silly hats? That this God I speak of only desires to love you, teach you, guide you, to call you to Him and call you His own…