I learned a lot from the 84 comments you all made here and the 62 comments you all made here.
Very insightful comments on race, faith, politics, hate, love, the church, and everything in between…
However, one of the things that really left me troubled was how ABSOLUTELY SURE so many of you were that President Obama is not a Christian. Generally speaking, your litmus test was that he was not a Christian and could not be a Christian, because he supports abortion. I understand.
(Sidenote – how President Obama not being your type of Christian makes him into a Muslim is hilarious. It would be much harder to find a Pro-Choice Muslim than a Pro-Choice Christian.)
However, what I have learned is that many conservatives have one standard for how you must be a Christian and many liberals have another standard -and they both claim the Bible backs them up.
- A Pro-Life conservative may say with total confidence -anyone that supports abortion cannot be a Christian.
- An anti-war or anti-death penalty liberal may say with total confidence that war and execution promote death and God is for life and against killing so you cannot be a Christian and support these things.
If we traveled to Europe the issues are different…or Africa, or Asia, or South America…in all of those places – people make similar statements of “If you do or do not support XYZ you cannot be a Christian”.
Here’s what I know – none of you really know. We are all a complete mess. We all love to impose our cultural will upon God and call it Gospel.
Ultimately, it is a slippery slope to become fixated on whether or not President Obama (or your boss, or your favorite celebrity or whoever) is or is not a Christian. Matters of the heart, while they come out in the lives of people, are hard to judge.
Ultimately, I’d advise that we all give it our best shot, turn the judgment down a bit, turn the love up a bit, and keep on pushing forward.
{ 14 comments }
Good blog, Shauna. What I was attemtping to say…..but your did it far more succinctly.
Preach!
Hi Shaun,
I don't have anything deep or profound to say to this…just wanted to say that I love this post. I think if we all concentrated on ourselves and our relationship with God a little more, and on those in our lives who may or may not have that relationship a little less, the rest will fall into place.
If we [as Christians] show love, we'll receive love, and others will want to model themselves after us. Isn't that the whole point of this thing, anyway? :)
I am a Christian and struggle with all of the things you wrote. I think we just need to pray that God will guide our steps in all we do.
Hi Shaun,
I love you bro! Your work for God is amazing! I must say that I am glad you wrote the last sentence the way you did: "Ultimately, I’d advise that we all give it our best shot, turn the judgment down a bit, turn the love up a bit, and keep on pushing forward." Thanks for saying "we all" and not "you all" … because frankly, I thought your original blog was pretty judgmental. Thanks for letting me be honest…as you have been honest.
OMG…..apologize for the typo…..Shaun (no A)……
Wynn – the You should say Us.
You were right.
I talk about this issue because it is an active issue going on currently and I feel pretty strongly about it.
Love the thoughts man. I have been wrecked the last year to 2 years on judging who is or who is not a Christian. Most of the people(groups) we(Christians) say are not Christians – Christ was hanging with during his time on earth. The only times in Scripture Jesus calls out people was when he was directing His comments to the so called "religious leaders" of the day. When I read the Scriptures, I see a God who loves the unlovely and accepts the unacceptable. My mission is to love. I will leave the judgment up to God in the end. I will choose LOVE
I got what you Shaun was saying. I don't believe he is demonizing conservatives, and he spoke pretty directly to 'liberals' as well. (for the record I am anti war, and anti capital punishment and since my wife became pregnant and we had a daughter, pro- life.)
While Obama's church (Weird he has a church when he's a muslim) can be racist, talking about specific churches was not in Shaun's interest, I think, mainly because he would have to start a new blog just for that….
Assuming people are racist because they don't support Obama is a political move, however, the very clear line he drew was not disagreeing with his politics, but the outcry that he is not a citizen or he is a Muslim. The point was, get educated.. it's ok to disagree with people's politics, but choosing other methods of slander to envoke fear, or just plain out lie, is unnecessary and can be viewed as racist…
I was unable to watch your youtube video, because I'm at work and can't access the site, so I don't know what it is. But, normally I find it humorous how liberals and conservatives use YouTube and E-mail forwards to prove their political agenda. ;)
"Here’s what I know – none of you really know. We are all a complete mess." (Shawn, you are so right, I pray that resonates in my heart today.) Thank God for His grace, that he offers it to all. His grace gives hope to the hopeless.
We are a complete mess. God graciously gave us the Bible to use as our litmus test and we are called to examine ourselves.
Shawn, I agree that we are all a mess. but, I know you know THIS, what separates "us" from the world is the HOPE we have in Jesus. The way, the Truth, and the Life. I'm by no means perfect, but I am washed in the blood daily. Jesus is the dividing rod. That is my faith, not ashamed of the Gospel. Politicians and faith, I agree is awkward for them because they do not want to be offensive (which is why Joel had the problem on Larry King), Obama included, because 9 times out of Ten they will NEVER say the name Jesus. Hillary wouldn't, Obama only once. Why? Christianity by nature is intolerant AND offensive to the world. Jesus said it over and over. There is only one way, Him. So, you can draw the conclusion that any other way is false.
is Obama a Christian, I do not know for sure, his words suggest he is a new age Christian (more than one way to God). Is he a Muslim, doubt it, I think he just has a Muslim worldview that we haven't seen before. He likes them, and wants to somehow get them involved on the world stange in a more positive light. He has a cultural obligation, I think. Doesn't make him a bad person.
Anyway, I agree we need to extend more love, but love without compromise. Jesus is Jesus, He is not a prophet, teacher, wise man. He is God. to pretend, white-wash, or water-down would be wrong, and I think that sometimes in order to be "liked" "followed" or "important" we Christians tend to downplay Jesus. The world HATES Him, and therefore at the end of the day, the world will HATE us. who likes being hated?
I am one of those "Christians" who isn't always recognized as a Christian by the "Real Christians". I think you know what I mean. I'm an Episcopalian from the liberal Northeast. I know I'm a Christian but I don't have the overwhelming need to SAY it or TELL everyone.
What then is the deal with having to wear a badge, like a logo on a golf shirt? Is it easier than having to simply live it? It's guys in a locker room proving, well.. you know what I mean there.
The truth of the matter is that I do my best everyday to simply live my faith. To have every act I do be an act of prayer and thankfulness to God. I have my doubts. I have my moments when I screw up. I don't always love my neighbors and those I encounter (though I do try at least to "do no harm.") So with all that going do you think I have to time to speculate about who's a Christian and who's a "real" Christian? I've experience more harm by professed Christians than not.
So the argument is really something to keep the ignorant and hypocritical busy. If they spent their time in manner like your logo/vision, it would be time much better spent.