My usual blog readers, if I am lucky enough to have them, are a group of other Christian mamas who are very easy to write to, because they are much like me, but today, I'm gonna venture onto the proverbial limb and write something that has been on my heart, for people who don't know Jesus. I hope you will hear me out.
There are a few misconceptions about Christianity that seem to be rampant that just need to be addressed:
1. God, and therefore Christians, hate: gay people, non Christians, and/or anyone who is different or has different beliefs than we do.
Okay folks, I know, there is always that jack wad in the crowd, hating everybody in the name of God, making us all look bad, and he always seems to be the loudest rooster in the coop, but let's be clear here; God hates sin, NOT people. The bible clearly commands us to love one another, no exclusions. Any failings on our behalf to do this, rest squarely on our own sinful natures, not on Christianity, and most certainly not on Christ. Jesus hung out with rabble, and He invites EVERYBODY who believes in Him to heaven. Does this mean that he condones all of our choices? No. Does it mean that Christians have to embrace behaviors that contradict our biblical values? No. What it does mean is that we need to love individuals regardless of their lifestyle choices, and that anybody who hates people needs to examine themselves, and reread their bible, because that is just flat not what Jesus taught.
2. We think we're better than you.
Really, the reason why we are Christians is because we know we're not better than you. We are Christians because we know we need HELP! It's the same deal on this one; being judgmental is human nature, we've all been there, but when we get on our high horse, it's not our religion's fault. The bible absolutely doesn't condone it; it fact, it says the opposite numerous times. So when one individual that says he or she is a Christian is judgmental, don't put that on all of us. You don't like it when people make generalizations about you, we don't like that either.
3. Since we think we're better than you, we want to convert you, so we can improve you, by making you like us. (Insert diabolical laugh here)
So, here is the deal with evangelism: Big shocker...we do want to convert you....but, cut us some slack: We LOVE Jesus, we remember what our lives were like before He was in them, and we believe that He saved us; not just in the abstract eternal sense, but in the quality of life we have now. We believe we are broken, all of us, and He makes us whole. We just want to share the Jesus koolaide, because we actually do like you, (well, most of you ;)), and we want you to have the good that we have. Sort of like how if you see a good movie, you want your friends to see it too, so you tell them about it, multiplied by infinity. I know we can be pushy and we go about it the wrong way a lot of the time, but if you don't want to be converted, just keep in mind: as annoying as we may be, our intentions are good.
Now, let's talk about you. You want tolerance for everybody? That means you have to tolerate people with whom you don't agree too. Let's not have any of this, "Let's tolerate people with purple hair, people who are purple, people who sleep with purple people, ....but people who drink purple Jesus Koolaide, oh no! We mustn't tolerate them, they are FU-REAKS!"
We know you're decent people too, and you don't have to know Jesus to see there's no logic in that kind of equality.
And next time you encounter "that guy", please remember, he doesn't speak for all of us.
