"Christians have become a cultural punching bag."
I had always wanted to blog about this, but I kept putting it off. I read earlier today about the three muslims killed in North Carolina earlier this year, and I was sure I could no longer put it off. People don't like Christians. I am not sure whether it's religion that really pisses people off, or Christians alone. I recently noticed this.
They are hypocrites.
They are too judgmental.
People are fond of targeting Christianity as the source of many problems. Oh religious people this, religious people that. Homosexuals are fine because hey they didn't choose to be that. Okay. Transgendered people should be respected because that is who they are. Okay. Scientists who believe only in science are indeed smart people. Fine. Heck, even murderers are excused these days. Oh he always had a mental problem, and he/she just hit a brickwall. Okay. Whatever makes you sleep at night honey. WHY THEN are those who believe in God termed as stupid or termed as foolish for believing in God?
For some, it's the fact that Christianity is the basis of whatever some particular Christians do. These kinds of people believe that many Christians do not apply logic and reality to their quotidian lives. There are some others who just despise Christians. I am not kidding. The murderer of the North Carolina victims had always expressed disdain for religious people. He would say on his Facebook that he wished all religious people could be killed off the earth. While I have not personally seen any of such persons on my social media (You better believe I will delete such ignoramus), I have seen people express a certain dislike for religious people on my social media. They say they can't understand how anybody chooses to be religious. After all, they wonder, how can a God let cancer happen? Some others go as far as, in the words of someone's recent status; "Those Christians are what is wrong with this world." Pause.
How the heck does it affect you and your mother who I pray to? Oh so I am infringing on your rights by calling on God? How about my own right to call on whoever I want? I have been so chilled about this, but I am sick of everyone citing religion as the bane of the world. Oh Nigeria is sinking, yeah blame religion or those bloody Christians who call God on every little thing. Now if your message is that you'd rather see people LIVE the gospel, instead of always saying one thing and doing another, I am ALL for that. I am also tired of seeing we Christians with our double standards; we claim one thing, then turn back and our lives are a manifestation of the exact thing we preached against.
It is true that many people have gone on to do less-than-smart things in the name of religion or in the name of God. But please do not destroy yourself and blame God for your own foolishness. I will not be hostile to anyone because of my religion. My own God doesn't preach that. In fact, his grace and love are more than we can ever need. What I will not do however is to let go of my convictions to make you feel better about yourself. I don't have that type of time. I am praying for patience and understanding to be able to live my life such that you wouldn't need the bible to know God; that my life will preach the message. Pending the time I reach there however, I will not placate anyone, neither will I call what is right wrong.
It is okay to be religious or spiritual. It is okay to believe in God. It is okay to have certain principles and convictions. Again, NEVER let anyone bully you into silence, either on your social media or in real life. They will make you look stupid, or perhaps uncool, or ignorant. That's on them. What's on you is your conviction. Your principles. It is okay to not agree or accept everything the world deems as cool, it is perfectly fine to have dissenting opinions from others. Speak that opinion as often as you feel like. What you should NEVER do, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., is to let anyone bring you so low that you hate them. Also, you can't express your opinions in a hateful manner neither should you hate anyone because they are different from you. Accept everyone as often as you can (even if you don't accept certain behaviors from them) but disagree with opinions if you want to.
On that note, as much as everyone expects us (black folks) to hate Rachel Dolezal. I don't want to. I am fascinated and slightly worried about her, but I am not angry with her. And I certainly will not hate her. Yes, she lied and was deceitful. That was wrong. However, let he who has never lied cast a stone.
Love,
I
No comments