On What Being A Christian Should Mean

[wlotus]

I want, when I say "Christian," for people to think of the teachings of Jesus… how he healed the sick and welcomed those who society spit at… how he forgave the unforgivable and ate with those that most people of his day would not even look at. I’m tired of "Christian," meaning pamphlets with hellfire and gay-bashing. I’m tired of it meaning Bush-supporter and anti-evolutionist. I want it to mean “follower of Jesus” again....

To be a follower of Jesus should mean that we were profoundly moved by his Life and ministry, not simply that we’re glad that he died so that we could go to heaven.

Read the rest. I most definitely could NOT have said it better, myself. If "Christian" means what this writer says it should mean, I am, most definitely a Christian.

Comments

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this. While I cannot return to Christianity, it is good to see people standing up to the zealots who have hijacked the name and turned it into a definition of hate and intolerance.

[rockbirthedme.livejournal.com]

Amen.

[far-gone.livejournal.com]

Yea, I think "christian" needs to be re-branded. I have to say it's a turn off for me too, even though the underlying philosophy is all about love and compassion, which can only be a good thing.

[verucas-chaos.livejournal.com]

I was just talking about this to hopas_haunt and 1_stepfarther recently. I have family members who are devout and fundamental about what Christianity means. While I do not put myself in the Christian category, I remember a time that I thought it was such a good thing to be a Christian for EXACTLY the reason your reference states. During the past 10 years or so though, it was thrown in my face by conservative fundamental evangelicals and now, well, it's hard to get past it. When I went to the pride parade yesterday though I was VERY happy to see many churches represented and embracing everyone again. It gave me a little faith that things can move forward again for Christ-like people.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that so many Christians who pride themselves on being "fundamentalist" have completely lost the fundamental meaning of what is means to be a follower of Christ.

[queen-in-autumn.livejournal.com]

Great essay!

I've just sent the link to a dozen friends and reposted to my own LJ.

Thank you for sharing.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

After reading that essay, I was able to go to church this morning and be inspired by worship, in spite of the underlying assumptions in the liturgy about Christ's divinity and Heaven's surety.

[untied.livejournal.com]

maybe if that definition ever becomes common usage people will hate the church a little less.

in my experience i've found that people inside the church are completely unaware how little people outside the church care about their beliefs. we were taught that non-christians were aching, every day, to fill the god-sized hole in their gut and that it was our job to help them. people inside the church also GREATLY misinterpret the way they and their actions are viewed by others.

i have yet to meet someone outside the church who had any feelings whatsoever about christianity, except for those who harbor resentment, dislike or other negative views/emotions.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I remember having this conversation with a minister in the evangelical church I used to attend. She insisted that unsaved people are, at their core, desperately unhappy, don't have a moral center to guide them, etc. I told her we may like to make ourselves feel good by saying that, but if that was true, the church would be full every Sunday of people seeking Christ, rather than it being full of Christians. She thought for a moment and then (to her credit) conceded the point.

The only reason I think so much about Christianity is because I was raised in it and am deprogramming myself. If I didn't have that early indoctrination, I doubt I'd think much about Christianity, except to strongly dislike the hate and elitism that has made the religious right what it is.

[flyingshaman.livejournal.com]

That is an awesome write up. Yes.

[dulcinbradbury.livejournal.com]

I'm a former sort-of Catholic. I don't think I'll ever go back to Christianity, but, I've a lot of respect for Christianity as described here.

One of my favorite bloggers is Slacktivist (http://slacktivist.typepad.com/). He's a liberal Christian & pokes a lot of holes in the really hardline "Conservative Christian" ideas. You might like reading him.

[jiffyschnapps.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I just started checking out this woman's site following your link. It is pretty powerful. In particular, she writes, "What should I be striving for? GOD"

This is exactly the sentiment that has gotten me into the predicament that I am in now and exactly the sentiment that is getting me out of it to the next step. I am struck by the way that surrender is not neat and perfect but it is beautiful and awe-ful, -some, -inspiring. This resonates, for me, with her notion of creativity.

That's for pointing us toward this site...

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I was just thinking of you when your reply popped into my Inbox.

I have only the vaguest idea of what is going on with you, based on your blog entry from the other day. I've been keeping you in my thoughts since I read it.