So today I had an unfortunate misunderstanding with one of my good friends who tweeted something that instantly made my blood boil. As it turned out, the statement was completely justified (just confusing out of context) and I apologize for my outburst, but it got me thinking.
One thing that has been weighing pretty heavily on my heart lately is that of identity. College is a time for people to discover who they are and what they want their lives to look like. I feel that I've done a lot of that in my first few months of college, but in doing so I've noticed a trend. There's a specific aspect of who I am that seems to instantly change people's perceptions of me: my faith.
And the crowd goes wild. Oh, shut up, they say. Christians are the judgmental ones.
Do people even know what judgment is anymore?
There's a difference between passing judgment and disagreeing with someone. Example: when one of my very good atheist friends tells me he doesn't believe in God, does that mean he's "judging" my religion? Of course not! He's simply stating a fact of his beliefs, which I respect. And if I disagree and say "I believe there's a God", am I judging him? No! Do I feel the need to "correct" him and force him to believe what I do? Nope. I don't judge.
Yet somehow, as a Christian, people assume I'm passing judgment.
Judgment is a legal term that has nothing to do with opinion. You could replace it with the word sentencing. But in today's day and age, we use the word judgment as a childish argument for why someone is wrong. If a stranger has a differing belief from yours, well then, they're clearly judging you, and therefore you have the moral high ground and this makes you right. It's a pathetic argument and holds no logical weight, yet somehow it's generally accepted as a higher form of debate.
By those standards, isn't a stranger calling me judgmental... judgmental?
Here's where things get tricky, though. As Christians, we believe in a God who does judge. He made the rules, so He calls the shots. As creator He told us what was right and wrong, so as believers we logically have to believe that if He's right, people are wrong. It's fundamental to believing anything: you have to think it's true. If you don't, how can you say you believe it? If an atheist said they believed in a god, they wouldn't be an atheist, now would they?
So you see my dilemma. I can stand up and be called a judgmental bigot (among other things), or I can submit and turn in my Christian card.
I've chosen my path, and it's not without its struggles. The simple statement "I'm a Christian" or even the mention of a controversial issue with no opinion at all has evoked some intriguing responses. I love the ones that feature profanities. I also love when people tell me to stop acting all "holier than thou", as if a) I use a King James Bible and b) I'm somehow acting like a perfect little child. Those same people generally assume I've never done a rebellious thing in my life. It's as if they believe the statements they use to call me a hypocrite. They tell me to stop pretending to be perfect, and yet at the same time they really think I am.
Anyone who thinks I'm a perfect person has clearly never met me. It's honestly the most isolating feeling when you're hurting and people who know nothing about you tell you your struggles are nothing because as a Christian you can't have done anything that bad. Believe me, that's a lie.
Now I'm certainly not speaking for every Christian on the planet. I will submit that there are too many Christians who are cruel in their beliefs. They do truly pass judgment on people, instead of leaving God to do His job. These people make real Christians sick, and it's a poor reflection of the greater body of Christ. A good example is Westboro Baptist. They profess to be Christians, but they don't reflect Christ's love in any way. They simply condemn people for their sins. Honestly, the kind of people Westboro would judge the most are some of my best friends. They are the strongest, most loving, caring, amazing people I know. I owe them so much.
It also doesn't help that so many people aren't proud of their faith. They constantly put down other Christians and act like it's all a stupid game, but then you talk to them and realize they are true Christians.That sometimes bothers me more than anything else. It's like wearing your team's jersey to a game and then putting on a jacket and cheering for the other team. With religion, it's all or nothing.
Needless to say, Christians are not perfect. That much is without doubt. But that's the point of Christianity. We're broken, and God fixes us. We can't fix each other, and to try to do so isn't how we should operate. Instead, we should be mindful of the Holy Spirit's influence on our lives and let God do the healing. We're called to love, not judge.
Today's song: City on Our Knees by Tobymac. It's a song about unity. God reaching down to touch our sinful world "in a glorious display". The most relevant line I think: "It's all love tonight, as we step across the line." Regardless of religion, race, age, gender, or sexuality, I think we can all agree that if everyone took a step out in love, the world would be a much happier place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlaKYbG5Bq0
The Road goes ever on and onDown from the door where it began.Now far ahead the Road has gone,And I must follow, if I can,Pursuing it with eager feet,Until it joins some larger wayWhere many paths and errands meet.And whither then? I cannot say.
