I had something come up on my Facebook memories again. Oddly enough, it’s been something I’ve dealt with repeatedly through the years: too may times when I’d done something that someone religious disagreed with, their response has been “you’re backslid,” “you hypocrite,” or “how can you call yourself a Christian.” Recently, I’ve realized that it’s even been used on some very famous people. I’m not alone, though the words are isolating to someone who has always believed, always wanted to believe, always dreamed of doing more for God.
I’m going to be very frank, because I know too many Christians who think nothing of saying things like this. Four years ago someone told me “how can you call yourself a Christian and vote for ____?” What is not important. What IS important, and what Christians should realize before they say things like this, is that this attitude and those questions eventually may lead – did lead – me to four years of on and off saying I’m NOT a Christian. I don’t want to be a Christian if being a Christian means I have to believe in some political figure or ideology, wear certain clothes, or say certain things. If I have to follow others’ rules (which always seem to change). People ask if I’m a Christian, and I remember those words, the exclusivity, the refusal to love a neighbor who might think differently than her (because marking me anathema is not very loving) and I just kind of shrug, or laugh and say “not if you ask most Christians.”
Be careful you don’t tell people if they don’t think like you, agree with every point of doctrine and dogma, dress like you, act like you, sound like you, attend the same church as you, that they must also not be a follower of Jesus. Be careful not to label and judge so quickly. Be careful not to be quick to judge, quick to condemn, and far too quick to voice that condemnation all in the name of religion.
Before you label and judge and exclude others, stop and think. Take a breath and consider those words. Because the people who are reading or hearing your statements may not be like you, but that doesn’t make them bad. And you’ll never win them by threatening them, labeling them, marginalizing them, mocking them, or excluding them. And worse, you may actually push them in the opposite direction.
Don’t call me a Christian if you think I have to be like you. You’ve been very clear that I’m not, and I don’t want to be, anyway.
********
Shop at our Amazon store! As an Amazon Influencer, this website earns from qualifying purchases.
