Recently, I had the opportunity to view the documentary "Lord Save Us from your Followers". It was created and produced by an evangelical christian. He wanted the christian community to be able to see themselves from the secular point of view.
One of the most fascinating moments was when he conducted an experiment in the form of a game show similar to Family Feud. On one side was a group of evangelical/conservative Christians, and on the other a group of non-Christians/secularists. In order to win, each group must be able to think like the other group. What he found out with four separate families/groups, was that the secular group could think like a Christian, but the Christians could not think like a secularist. In other words, the Christians had little ability to move outside their own world and glimpse into the perspectives of people of other faiths or no faith at all.
That explains a lot. I ask myself all the time how any Christian could intentionally hurt another and claim that they are in the right based upon their bible. My perspective of that is from the point of view of a homosexual who has been driven to attempt suicide by the condemnation of the church. Unfortunately, this is an all too common perspective. I like to tell myself that if Christians knew how many homosexuals they had driven to take their own lives by trying to "save" them, they would change their ways and repent. However, I'm not holding my breath. Until they can relearn the ability of empathy instead of right-fighting, it will never stop.
Another noticeable lesson from the documentary is that America see's God in a much more favorable light than they see his followers. Thanks to the radical right and many evangelical Christians, the church is often considered a place of judgment and condemnation, of hate and snobbishness. The word "God" on the other hand, brings to mind words like "love".
I find this terribly sad. It is in fact, one of the reasons if I am asked if I am a Christian, I will answer "no". I know that if my instinct, having grown up in the church and have spent 8 years as a pastor's wife, automatically have nothing but negative thoughts when the word is mentioned, than how much more so those who have not seen any of the good things of God? "Christian" has become a dirty word, and "church" a scary place. I avoid any business that claims to be "Christian" oriented because I have learned to expect just the opposite of "Christ-like".
The good thing is, this trend is starting to change. This documentary is proof of that. There are Christians who are capable of thinking outside the box, of showing empathy. The traditional church continues to fight this change, however, progressive churches are pressing forward. I even see it happening here in the Bible Belt, which surprises me the most.
It is terribly difficult for me not to scream to the religious right "STOP scaring people away from God!!"
I suppose it is one of my greatest frustrations. It defies common sense to try to bring people to a God who hates them for who they are, yet that is the message that prevails.
But it is people like the gentleman who made this documentary and the progressive Christians who show that one must live the love of God, that will change this message. I look forward to that day and I hope to be a part of it.
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