Disclaimer: I'm never polite on this subject. You have been forewarned.
I went to a high school where we had a segment of the population I privately called the "white t-shirt club". The "Christian kids" all wore "Christian t-shirts", went to "Christian events" and listened to "Christian rock bands". They were a very tight clique. Almost too tight, I guess, because I found out after the fact that during my sophomore year of high school at least one of them thought I was a witch. Strangely enough, that was the year after my baptism, when I was teaching Sunday school and serving as an alter girl at my church. Why the confusion? Well, my best friend wasn't a Christian. My best friend wasn't a Christian and I didn't wear the t-shirts. Oh, and we used to hiss at a certain snotty girl when she passed by in the halls. That probably had something to do with it. I got along with these people, but I wasn't one of them. I couldn't be. I was an Episcopalian. We didn't have a rock band at youth group.
As I get older, I've noticed it more. Christians maligning people for not being like them. Openly. Not in a "Oh sweetie, you seem lonely, do you want to go to church with me?" kind of way, but rather, a "you aren't in the club" kind of way. In fact, I've come to call it "Jerks for Jesus". If a business doesn't specifically cater to our religion (yes, I'm admitting these people are also Christians), they boycott it... loudly. You can't have "holiday trees" or we won't buy them! Market them to us! Only us! People... It's a plastic tree. If you put a crucifix in the middle of it, you're just being gross. Get over it. It's a plastic tree. What do you care what corporate America calls the trapping of your holy day? You want to 'keep Christ in Christmas'? Go to church! Don't bully the retail stores. They undermine it anyway with the BUY BUY BUY brainwashing you've all fallen for. They demand prayer in schools and never bother to think about which prayer, or whose prayer would be used. They certainly don't think about the little kids who aren't of a Judeo-Christian faith being made to be respectful while their peers sneer at them for not praying to the "right" god.
Jesus wasn't like this. I was very young when I ran across this passage from I Peter and it struck a very deep chord with me:
I went to a high school where we had a segment of the population I privately called the "white t-shirt club". The "Christian kids" all wore "Christian t-shirts", went to "Christian events" and listened to "Christian rock bands". They were a very tight clique. Almost too tight, I guess, because I found out after the fact that during my sophomore year of high school at least one of them thought I was a witch. Strangely enough, that was the year after my baptism, when I was teaching Sunday school and serving as an alter girl at my church. Why the confusion? Well, my best friend wasn't a Christian. My best friend wasn't a Christian and I didn't wear the t-shirts. Oh, and we used to hiss at a certain snotty girl when she passed by in the halls. That probably had something to do with it. I got along with these people, but I wasn't one of them. I couldn't be. I was an Episcopalian. We didn't have a rock band at youth group.
As I get older, I've noticed it more. Christians maligning people for not being like them. Openly. Not in a "Oh sweetie, you seem lonely, do you want to go to church with me?" kind of way, but rather, a "you aren't in the club" kind of way. In fact, I've come to call it "Jerks for Jesus". If a business doesn't specifically cater to our religion (yes, I'm admitting these people are also Christians), they boycott it... loudly. You can't have "holiday trees" or we won't buy them! Market them to us! Only us! People... It's a plastic tree. If you put a crucifix in the middle of it, you're just being gross. Get over it. It's a plastic tree. What do you care what corporate America calls the trapping of your holy day? You want to 'keep Christ in Christmas'? Go to church! Don't bully the retail stores. They undermine it anyway with the BUY BUY BUY brainwashing you've all fallen for. They demand prayer in schools and never bother to think about which prayer, or whose prayer would be used. They certainly don't think about the little kids who aren't of a Judeo-Christian faith being made to be respectful while their peers sneer at them for not praying to the "right" god.
Jesus wasn't like this. I was very young when I ran across this passage from I Peter and it struck a very deep chord with me:
13 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; 16 yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.
Those who abuse you for your good conduct will be put to shame. Good conduct. Elitism not included. Peter would probably be appalled at modern Christianity's lack of gentleness. If I am a jerk---and I can be---let it be said that is in spite of being a Christian and not because of it. I didn't earn my salvation. It was given to me freely. I have no business bragging.
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