Sunday, November 14, 2004

Good Christians Don't...

Today I got to thinking about the things that our society says that "good Christians" don't do.

Good Christians don't:

  • drink
  • smoke
  • cuss
  • skip church

Why doesn't our list look something like this? Good Christians don't:

  • gossip
  • pass judgment
  • hate
  • hold prejudices

I suppose that we all think that good Christians shouldn't do the things on the second list, but it seems to me that the things on the first list are mandatory; you don't do those things- under any circumstance. But the items on the second list seem excusable, especially if you do them in the name of "religion". Why is that? I don't know. Seems to me it should be quite the opposite.


4 comments:

friend said...

You are right...absolutely.

Josh said...

Because our "rules" have been formed by culture, not the Bible. Cussing, smoking, drinking, etc. are - as a whole - still frowned upon (though not at all as much as they used to be). But to gossip, pass judgment, and show prejudice - well, that's just how a person has to act to make it in this world, you know!! :)

We're not concerned about being radically different from the world. Instead, we've found "pet sins" for which to condemn folks, and let many others slide by. I could write pages on this :)

crittermer said...

(Insert sarcasm here) But I liked passing judgment, holding prejudices, and gossiping!

Napkin Artist said...

I think that Christianity falls into a dangerous category anytime it starts to see itself as a system of rules rather than as a way of being in the world based on the movement of God in our lives. Morality and order are mere bi-products of Christianity, but not its focus. God is looking to bring novelty an intensity to the world as a goal, and I believe the divine is less concerned with morality. It is no wonder that Christianity lacks power in the world when it is mistaken for a system of beliefs or rules rather than a living path that requires we pay attention to the movement of God.