UMR Communications is offering the latest headlines in the RSS format.
Commentary
COMMENTARY: When Christians are unChristian Adam Hamilton, Jul 28, 2010
Adam Hamilton
By Adam Hamilton Special Contributor
Editor’s note: This is the first in a four-part series.
John was 24 years old and had just returned from six years as an Army Airborne Ranger deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. John’s dad, Tom, suggested we meet. I am Tom’s pastor.
John had very strong negative feelings about the Christian faith. Tom felt both John and I would benefit from a conversation.
In our 90-minute conversation John was thoughtful, articulate and respectful, but at times almost angry as he told me why he had rejected Christianity. His undertone of anger was not directed toward me, but at the views, attitudes and actions of Christians he had known—views that seemed out of sync with the God of love Christianity preached.
John was describing for me the ways he believed Christians get it wrong.
His feelings were not new to me. I had heard them many times, though seldom as thoughtfully or comprehensively presented as John presented them. I had felt some of these same things myself in dealing with some fellow Christians.
Young adult impact
Several years after meeting John, our church set up a website to invite young adults (under 35) to tell us where they believe Christians get it wrong. We also began sitting down to talk with people who had opted out of church.
There were so many common responses between the two groups. Generally we found that young people rejected Christianity because of the beliefs, attitudes and actions of Christians they knew.
Their criticism usually included one or more of six themes: the unChristian ways some Christians act; questions related to the role of God in human suffering; an anti-intellectual, anti-science stance; views of other world religions; politics; and the way Christians view homosexuality.
When I ask non-Christians what they think Jesus stood for, most say “love,” and they are correct. This is one of the defining elements of Jesus’ teaching. He told his followers that God’s will for humanity could be summarized with two commands: Love God and love your neighbor.
He went on to say that our neighbor is anyone who needs our help. Love is not a feeling but a way of acting—a love of kindness and compassion and a desire to bless and seek good for others.
Jesus told his disciples they were to love not only their neighbors and friends but their enemies as well. He told them that the world would know that they are his disciples by their love. Non-Christians know that Jesus stood for love. Which is why it feels particularly unpleasant when those who claim to follow Jesus act in unloving ways.
A wake-up call
Every Christian gets it wrong sometimes. The critique from John and countless others who share a frustration with Christian hypocrisy is an important wake-up call—a warning to Christians who are becoming the very Pharisees Jesus preached against.
When Christians are judgmental, hypocritical, insensitive and mean-spirited, they are acting in ways that are unChristian. When the Apostle Paul described what Christians should strive for, he used these words: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, generosity, faithfulness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
UnChristian Christians stand out because even non-Christians know that these people are living in a way that is inconsistent with Jesus’ teaching.
Jesus commanded his followers not to judge. He warned them against hypocrisy. Again and again he called them to love all, both their neighbors and those with whom they did not see eye to eye.
For all the Christians who get it wrong, I believe there are many who get it right. They are not as vocal as their pharisaic counterparts. And they are not perfect.
But there really are countless Christians who daily seek to live authentic lives of faith. They go out of their way to care for others. They are compassionate. They live and give sacrificially toward others. They volunteer their time to serve the poor, visit the sick or take the time to encourage the discouraged. They work for justice. They genuinely love people.
When Christians get it right, they love and give, they work for justice and demonstrate kindness. When Christians get it right, they befriend those outside the church rather than condemning them.
And when Christians get it right, people are drawn to rather than repelled by their faith.
The Rev. Hamilton is pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan. Excerpted from his new book, When Christians Get it Wrong (Abingdon, August).
Adam Hamilton
When Christians are judgmental, hypocritical, insensitive and mean-spirited, they are acting in ways that are unChristian. When the Apostle Paul described what Christians should strive for, he used these words: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, generosity, faithfulness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
