Monday, January 9, 2012
270 - Love and Hate, Christians and Bigots
Spirituality Column #270
January 10, 2012
Current in Carmel – Westfield – Noblesville – Fishers
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)
Love and Hate, Christians and Bigots
By Bob Walters
I have unchurched friends who, I sense, keep a close eye on me for signs of Christian bigotry.
Mostly I think they are watching for an unloving slip, a judgmental harangue, a hint of meanness, a splatter of impatience, or other overt cracks in my Christian armor. The irony is that my Christian friends, I sense, have just gotten used to them. It’s not like they have to wait very long for a slip, a hint, a splatter, or a crack.
So … I specialize, it seems, in imperfection. But recently I thought I handled a challenge especially well and wanted to share the meat of it. Names and situations are veiled, but I hope the sentiment is clear.
The challenge was from a business friend I see periodically. He has tried the religious, Bible Christian route and, as of now, it truly doesn’t work for him. He figures he’s spiritual enough on his own, all religions are basically the same, why would you want to associate with all those Christian hypocrites, and what right do you have to tell other people how to live?
I’m guessing my Christian brothers and sisters can relate.
Anyhow, we were discussing our upcoming holiday and Christmas schedules and I mentioned one gathering I was especially looking forward to that would include a surprisingly eclectic congregation of ages, family, friends, ex-spouses, believers, non-believers, some divorced, some married, some gay … but mainly how we all enjoyed Christmas together in each others’ company.
Naturally, my friend laser-focused in on the “gay” reference. I could see his face twist as he immediately adjudged – as he often does – my evangelical, conservative, Bible-focused, Christ-centered Christianity, and cross examined. “So …” he very deliberately, almost menacingly, inquired, “does being around gay people take away your Christmas joy because you hate them?”
I can’t say I was surprised by the question because he is a good man but highly predictable in his assumptions. And yet my answer even caught me off guard, because I’d never thought of this response in this way before.
I said …
“Hate who? Gays? Because I’m a Christian? Being a Christian isn’t about who I hate, it’s knowing who I am called to love, and that’s everybody. That’s the message of God in Christ; loving, not hating.”
“Oh, OK,” was his reaction. Rarely in our conversations are religious bigotry insinuations and questions settled with one punch. I was happy that one was.
I don’t love everything everybody does, including that guy I see in the mirror every morning, but hate is almost always a lousy witness for Christ.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com, www.commonchristianity.blogspot.com) has learned that recognizing one’s imperfections intensifies one’s appreciation for grace.
January 10, 2012
Current in Carmel – Westfield – Noblesville – Fishers
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)
Love and Hate, Christians and Bigots
By Bob Walters
I have unchurched friends who, I sense, keep a close eye on me for signs of Christian bigotry.
Mostly I think they are watching for an unloving slip, a judgmental harangue, a hint of meanness, a splatter of impatience, or other overt cracks in my Christian armor. The irony is that my Christian friends, I sense, have just gotten used to them. It’s not like they have to wait very long for a slip, a hint, a splatter, or a crack.
So … I specialize, it seems, in imperfection. But recently I thought I handled a challenge especially well and wanted to share the meat of it. Names and situations are veiled, but I hope the sentiment is clear.
The challenge was from a business friend I see periodically. He has tried the religious, Bible Christian route and, as of now, it truly doesn’t work for him. He figures he’s spiritual enough on his own, all religions are basically the same, why would you want to associate with all those Christian hypocrites, and what right do you have to tell other people how to live?
I’m guessing my Christian brothers and sisters can relate.
Anyhow, we were discussing our upcoming holiday and Christmas schedules and I mentioned one gathering I was especially looking forward to that would include a surprisingly eclectic congregation of ages, family, friends, ex-spouses, believers, non-believers, some divorced, some married, some gay … but mainly how we all enjoyed Christmas together in each others’ company.
Naturally, my friend laser-focused in on the “gay” reference. I could see his face twist as he immediately adjudged – as he often does – my evangelical, conservative, Bible-focused, Christ-centered Christianity, and cross examined. “So …” he very deliberately, almost menacingly, inquired, “does being around gay people take away your Christmas joy because you hate them?”
I can’t say I was surprised by the question because he is a good man but highly predictable in his assumptions. And yet my answer even caught me off guard, because I’d never thought of this response in this way before.
I said …
“Hate who? Gays? Because I’m a Christian? Being a Christian isn’t about who I hate, it’s knowing who I am called to love, and that’s everybody. That’s the message of God in Christ; loving, not hating.”
“Oh, OK,” was his reaction. Rarely in our conversations are religious bigotry insinuations and questions settled with one punch. I was happy that one was.
I don’t love everything everybody does, including that guy I see in the mirror every morning, but hate is almost always a lousy witness for Christ.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com, www.commonchristianity.blogspot.com) has learned that recognizing one’s imperfections intensifies one’s appreciation for grace.
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