As I scrolled down one blogger's comments so I could leave mine, I came upon a post that really disappointed me. This woman said that she was related to an actor I grew up watching, that she heard he'd died and wondered if he'd been "saved," but since he was a "libtard," she couldn't be sure.
It always upsets me when people wrap their hate in piety. And make no mistake about it, the suffix of "tard" is ugly and contemptuous. Instead of expressing the love and joy that can come from following Christ, it makes Christians sound judgemental and exclusionary.
But this insensitive ass got to me to thinking about Jesus and what He wants and expects of us. Would He prefer that we proselytize and spread "The Word," but treat others with disapproval/disgust, or would He rather we not believe but treat one another with respect and love. (And the "libtard" actor she mentioned was famous for having marched for civil rights n the 1960s.)
Obviously, I think He wants both: our hearts and our deeds. But I think that He probably looks more kindly upon the well-meaning but non-believing actor than He does the woman who uses her faith as an excuse for her scorn.
I agree with every word you wrote.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me angry. I have decided that's not What Jesus Would Do, so I try to remind myself of something a pastor told me once: Churches are hospitals for broken human souls.
I figure I've done so much damage to the world in other ways (and maybe this way too), that I need to sweep up my own mess before I start taking care of other people. It's hard! Ugh.
I also agree with everything you wrote. I don't identify myself as a Christian but think my living example is more Christian than many, many other people.
ReplyDeleteAnd I also don't like the use of "tard." As a teacher, I am highly sensitive to how my students speak and their word choices.