By Luke Cawley
Over the next few months, I’m travelling to a range of countries as part of my work with Chrysolis. Each month I’ll share with you a story from one of those places, and share some of the questions it raises.
This month, we start with the USA:
The words stopped my friend in her tracks: “I’m not a Christian, I hate Christians”.
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Who says something like that?
A hardened atheist? A disillusioned former believer? A member of another religion?
Such a statement would perhaps be understandable (though sad) if emanating from any of these people.
Incredibly, though, the words about hating Christians came from the mouth of an American church leader.
He was speaking with a group of unchurched people about Jesus and he was seeking to forcefully and clearly distance himself from the negative images popularly associated with the category ‘Christian’.
My friend, herself a fairly radical Jesus-follower whose life explodes most archetypes of Christianity, recoiled and shot back: “Those are my people; don’t talk that way about them”.
A few weeks prior to this, I was sat in a church listening to a talk by a mega-church pastor who was graphically describing the shortcomings of various other churches.
He made it clear to his audience that he understood and condemned these type of negative experiences.
I was curious, after hearing such a catalogue of negativity about the Church, how the pastor would commend church to his listeners.
His response to abuse in other churches was simple: “I just want you to know that our church is not like that; we are different.”
There seems to be a growing trend among Jesus’ followers in the USA to respond to the historic (and present) shortcomings of the Church by disidentifying themselves from the rest of Christianity.
“We’re not like other churches; we’re different”, or “I’m not a Christian, I’m just a follower of Jesus” are two of the most common manifestations of this attitude.
There is plenty of merit in such a response.
We certainly do want to strongly assure people that not everything which calls itself “Christianity” is an accurate presentation of the movement envisioned by Jesus.
And we should all aspire for our community life to clearly embody the words and actions of Jesus in ways which contrast with negative popular images of Christians.
But is the best way to do this to disown the historic church and also many of its less savoury current manifestations?
Is there a way we can simultaneously do the following three things?
- Acknowledge our kinship with Christian individuals and communities whose have acted in ways which make us ashamed and embarrassed.
- Strive to create communities which don’t repeat their same misdeeds.
- Point clearly to Jesus.
I’m curious to hear your suggestions on the matter. What are the issues which repeatedly raise their head where you live and work: Historic racism from certain denominations? The medieval Crusades? The current impact of the Religious Right? Misdeeds by paedophile priests?
Is there a way to address these difficult questions which doesn’t only say “oh well, we’re not like them”? If so, then what is it?
Thanks Luke for this great post. I see this more and more as people claim the love of Christ yet have no problem using a broad bush to throw churches / other Christians under the bus then back over them. I read a blog just the other day of a Christian guy who is starting church who has a weekly “vent” session for people to come and share their Church gripes. I found it strange thought that he proudly displayed he was financially supported as a mission group of a major evangelical denomination.
We need to find away to focus on what we have in common and understand that God calls us to different works to be able to reach different people.
I am one of those followers of Jesus whom feels that some churches and some christians are more evil than good.
Just recently I was unfairly dismissed from my job, and when it went to court, I thought that a christian whom was a witness for the defense would tell the truth and all would be revealed about the workplace bully. Unfortunately after he swore on the bible, he then proceeded to lie… This is at least the third time in my life where I have spent years educating and then gaining employment, for it all to be trashed by a so-called christian.
The dismissal left me homeless and without food. The church I was going to at the time gave me money. Not much, just enough for food. Unfortunately no one offered me a bed, no one offered me comfort, no one offered me a hug… and I would have taken these over money any day.
When we become christian, we are to surrender our lives to God. Unfortunately, some christians still believe that they have a right to go against Gods will for their own individual needs. My brother and sister in law forbade our mother from seeing her grandchildren on saturdays because my brother and sister in-law wanted “family time”. Then my sister in-law proceeds to justify the sin by saying that we are only human… but I am still yet to find one thing in the Bible, commanded by Jesus or God, which is impossible for a human to do.
I also had a minister whom visited my, at the time, girlfriend. Not long after his visits she ended the relationship. When I questioned the minister, he refused to answer. After repeated requests for him to reveal why he needed to visit my GF and what he had said, he the proceeded to contact the police, and I was convicted of misuse of a telephone.
I also find church a place where people go to catch up with friends, rather than to worship God. This leaves newcomers feeling very alone and isolated.
Some christians believe its okay to be rich, but to become rich you have to retain your wealth. Therefore ensuring that we have a poor class of people. Yet christians are suppose to help the poor…
To many christians embrace this world, to many christians believe that money that makes them rich is a gift from God… for them, to many christians believe that all they have to do is believe, to many christians separate work life from christian life to justify what they do at work, to many christians judge others… and the list goes on…
Its now at the point where I believe in God, but due to the experiences Ive had with so-called christians, I would rather spend eternity in hell than a second in heaven with them. But then Jesus even stated “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Praise the lord. Amen
I thought as Christians we are commanded to praise God in all things
It says in the bible Christians will be known for the love we have for one another.
Think on these things
interesting site—love the name— and article— i too have been researching the contempt some christians show others.. my husband and i not longer attend church due to how we were treated by some church members. it seems if you do not go along 100% with what others believe as the true way your faith is somehow suspect.
i have found many churches are grounded in legalism and patriarchy rather than true christianity….where the patriarchal belief is “Me Tarzan You jane” relegating women to be submissive, run the house and have children.
i have also found that egalitarianism is a better way where man and wife submit to each other and equally hold the reins in marriage, coming to their own decisions on family matters rather than following men’s rules or what a religion has told them the bible says. Each person is responsible to god for their walk with him.
And i have yet to see a site where women tell their stories of abuse because they were under egalitarianism, but i have found many many sites where women tell how they have been abused under patriarchy.
Glad you found the site, Susan. Thanks for your thoughts!