Why I am not a Christian.
by MW Cook
In Pakistan the third question new people generally ask after meeting you is, “What is your religion?” In the beginning I would tell everyone I was a Christian. But I quickly found out that this wasn’t the best way to describe what I am. In Pakistan Christians have the (mostly earned) reputation for being drunks, swindlers and promiscuous. I can remember walking into a video store and, once the owner found out I was a Christian, being offered porn. Something was wrong.
So I stopped saying I was a Christian and started saying that I followed Jesus. Same thing, right?
Maybe not.
In forcing myself to use different words to describe myself I found that my brain started noticing subtle differences between following Jesus and following Christianity. Or maybe, to be a little more fair, a difference between the brand of Christianity that was given to me and following Jesus.
- The cry of Christianity is, “Obey!” The cry of Jesus is, “Love!”
- Christianity says, “Hold these opinions, never let them go.” Jesus says, “Hold these people, never let them go.”
- Christianity’s enemies are silly little things like movies, books,and people. Jesus’ enemies are serious things like sin, poverty, sickness and death.
- Christianity has destroyed the lives of many. Jesus only fixes lives.
- Christianity helps Christians. Jesus helps everyone.
- Christianity offers you religious satisfaction. Jesus offers you your heart’s desire.
- Christianity accepts you when you start looking good and helps you to look better. Jesus accepts you at your worst and makes you really better.
- Christianity fills your life with religious rituals. Jesus fills your life with the omnipotent power of himself.
- Christianity makes excuses. Jesus makes change.
- Jesus suffers the little children. The children of Christianity suffer.
- Christianity limits your options. Jesus gives you options.
- Christianity damns. Jesus saves.
- Christianity commands you to defend it. Jesus defends you.
This is second-hand unless you’re reading it at http://www.theilliteratescribe.com
Matt W Cook 
"The cry of Christianity is, "Obey!" The cry of Jesus is, "Love!"Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" and "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me" and "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word" (John 14:15-23). And 1 John 5:2 says, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments." So the cry of Jesus is actually "Love and obey," isn't it?
"The cry of Christianity is, "Obey!" The cry of Jesus is, "Love!"Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" and "Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me" and "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word" (John 14:15-23). And 1 John 5:2 says, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments." So the cry of Jesus is actually "Love and obey," isn't it?
Thank you Matt. And thank you GrammaMack – I was thinking the same thing!
Thank you Matt. And thank you GrammaMack – I was thinking the same thing!
I think that obedience is really a sign of Love. Obedience is not the thing in itself, but a proof of it.
I think that obedience is really a sign of Love. Obedience is not the thing in itself, but a proof of it.
I'm still confused by what you wrote. You aren't saying this is true of genuine Christianity but just of "the brand of Christianity that was given to [you]," right? So you aren't condemning all those who call themselves Christians but the ones you grew up with, who you know are not really Christians?Are you saying that those things are true of just some who call themselves Christians? Because that sure is some serious condemnation, and it does seem like you may be applying it to Christians in general, but maybe I'm not understanding correctly.Signed,Confused in Belleville
I'm still confused by what you wrote. You aren't saying this is true of genuine Christianity but just of "the brand of Christianity that was given to [you]," right? So you aren't condemning all those who call themselves Christians but the ones you grew up with, who you know are not really Christians?Are you saying that those things are true of just some who call themselves Christians? Because that sure is some serious condemnation, and it does seem like you may be applying it to Christians in general, but maybe I'm not understanding correctly.Signed,Confused in Belleville
I'm not condemning any person or people at all. I'm condemning a religious system that has trapped people. As system that is rabidly against things like homosexual marriage and children's novels while ignoring the poor, the dying and those who don't know Jesus.I should have been more clear. I have nothing against the church I grew up in or anybody there. My problem is not with people at all. It's with the system that we've created. I think it's a system that has trapped us into a way of thinking that does not further the cause of Christ. It's a system that spends buckets of time and money trying to stop homosexual marriage when that same money and time and energy could be better used to love people in Botswana who die every day because they can't get enough food.I want to be clear: I have nothing against Christians and Christian people. Nothing at all.
I'm not condemning any person or people at all. I'm condemning a religious system that has trapped people. As system that is rabidly against things like homosexual marriage and children's novels while ignoring the poor, the dying and those who don't know Jesus.I should have been more clear. I have nothing against the church I grew up in or anybody there. My problem is not with people at all. It's with the system that we've created. I think it's a system that has trapped us into a way of thinking that does not further the cause of Christ. It's a system that spends buckets of time and money trying to stop homosexual marriage when that same money and time and energy could be better used to love people in Botswana who die every day because they can't get enough food.I want to be clear: I have nothing against Christians and Christian people. Nothing at all.
Hi Matt (BTW were you on SG once?)I agree with you and you're not jaded.Words mean different things in different situations and, while labels are useful, they limit understanding and communication, so we have to get beyond them. (I am sure you are aware of this) Reading early christian writings it can be seen that people thought Christians were atheists because they had no visible idols to worship. 'Christian' was an adopted term given by others to followers of 'The Way'.So use whatever term suits the situation. None of the words are sacred to Him who has no name.AgapeJohn
Hi Matt (BTW were you on SG once?)I agree with you and you're not jaded.Words mean different things in different situations and, while labels are useful, they limit understanding and communication, so we have to get beyond them. (I am sure you are aware of this) Reading early christian writings it can be seen that people thought Christians were atheists because they had no visible idols to worship. 'Christian' was an adopted term given by others to followers of 'The Way'.So use whatever term suits the situation. None of the words are sacred to Him who has no name.AgapeJohn
Thanks for explaining, Matthew. I still don't quite get it, but I'm not saying that's your fault.You said, "I'm not condemning any person or people at all. I'm condemning a religious system that has trapped people…It's a system that spends buckets of time and money trying to stop homosexual marriage when that same money and time and energy could be better used to love people in Botswana who die every day because they can't get enough food."My confusion is that a system cannot do those things; only people can.
Thanks for explaining, Matthew. I still don't quite get it, but I'm not saying that's your fault.You said, "I'm not condemning any person or people at all. I'm condemning a religious system that has trapped people…It's a system that spends buckets of time and money trying to stop homosexual marriage when that same money and time and energy could be better used to love people in Botswana who die every day because they can't get enough food."My confusion is that a system cannot do those things; only people can.
[audio src="http://www.tonycampolo.org/podcast/tonycampolo_podcast_Peace_Movements_Part_III.mp3" /]
Just listening to this thing and heard some GREAT stuff @ 8:00 into it.
“I think it was better when the church used the words ‘Are you Christ-like, because you can believe all the right doctrines and not be a Christ-like person. I think we ought to get rid of the word Christian and we ought to call ourselves ‘Christ-like people’; and you say ‘Man that’ll put a heavy burden on me cause I don’t live a Christ-like life…no, then start living a Christ-like life. With God, with the Holy Spirit empowering you, these things are possible. You don’t have to be perfect, but you certainly should be more Christ-like than you are right now!”