What makes Christianity ugly?

“For many, there is a deep-seated political hatred, racism, and bigotry hidden behind the guise of Christianity.” Opening line in article by Hillary Ferguson

I used to be a member of the Church of Christ. I proudly called myself a Christian…. But, I will never again be one of them. And I’ll tell you why: when I was 18, a freshman in college, on the cusp of adulthood, already questioning my faith and whether or not I even believed in organized religion, a woman stood up in a Wednesday Bible class and said, “Praise the Lord! Ted Kennedy is dead!”

I sat there slack-jawed, shocked and disgusted, and the dimming light to my already fragile faith flickered out as everybody in the room—even an elder—laughed. They laughed and laughed, and the woman said, “If I could, I’d go dance on his grave.” She did a little jig and turned around with her hands in the air and again, once again, there was more laughter. Louder laughter. I wish I could say that was an isolated event. But things like that happened often…. The truth is, that kind of attitude and hatred cannot coexist with God in any form. And I refuse to be apart of any organization that would affiliate with that kind of rhetoric.

UGLY CHRISTIANITY Judgmental Christians

Based on a national survey of non- Christians, ages (Unchristian: What a new generation really thinks about Christianity…and why it matters) “Christians are primarily perceived for what they stand against. We have become famous for what we oppose, rather than who we are for.” (p. 26)

Antihomosexual90% Judgmental87% Hypocritical85%

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!”

It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside.

3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

Balancing Grace and Truth Ephesians 4:15

It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” (1 Cor. 6:12-13) OUTSIDERS: Be radically welcoming, as Jesus was with messed up people. All are welcome, just as they are. We provide a safe place for people to explore faith and move toward Jesus. INSIDERS: When we become insiders, we are asking our brothers and sisters to hold us accountable, to give loving correction when we sin, and we are promising to do the same for our brothers and sisters. We are not to judge each others’ hearts (motives), but it is our responsibility to judge behavior. When insiders are living in open sin, we are responsible to correct them. When do we become insiders?

Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

“We are a colony of heaven on earth.”

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Matthew 13:33 NIV

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