“YOU DON’T SPEAK FOR ME”:

   In my last post I suggested “Christianity” had lost any definitive meaning as a label or description.  Part of the problem is the tendency for people with opinions (and I’m one of those), who communicate as though they are speaking for God or Christianity (I’m trying to avoid being one of those).  Many of these people are leaders of churches and Christian organisations who assume that their job description includes making sure the community at large know their personal and organisational position on every issue that comes down the highway.

Reality check!

-   sometimes the spokesperson doesn’t really believe what they’re saying.  They say it because it’s “expected” of someone in their position. And more often than not, not everyone in their organisation believes it. Issues get debated, votes cast, decisions made, and positions declared.  And sure, everyone who wants to stay part of the group accepts the outcome.  Doesn’t mean they agree with it. And yet when the pronouncement is made public it is usually accompanied by an air of certainty, as representative of God and the Christian community.  So let me just say that even though I too am a passionate follower of Jesus, “you don’t speak for me”.

 

*When a Christian leader declares that God made the world in 6 days, 6000 years ago – “you don’t speak for me”.

 *When some Christians got offended that Christopher Hitchens declared the last Pope should be arrested, on entry into Britain, for contributing to child abuse – “you don’t speak for me”.

 *When Christian groups declare that God will bring judgement on the nation for legislating to allow same-sex marriage – “you don’t speak for me”.

 *When you label all Muslims as part of a plot to use every means including violence to conquer the world –“you don’t speak for me”.

 *When you claim the ‘righteous’ nature of God supports tougher prison sentences, and the death penalty – “you don’t speak for me”. 

   I think I’ve made the point.  I fully endorse the right to have an opinion and to make it public.  So long as you don’t give the impression you are speaking for “Christians”.  Nor for God.  Because neither you nor I speak for God. Even when we quote Bible verses.

A MEANINGLESS LABEL?

   So it seems that two Christians - Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh - think Pope Francis is a Socialist and a Marxist.  That's because he's convinced Jesus is on the side of the poor and he doesn't believe in unfettered capitalism.

There's all sorts of irony in this:

- Pope Francis has done an incredible amount to improve the perception of Christianity throughout the world.  His openness, generosity, and humility may not have overcome entirely, some of the negativity associated with the Catholic church but it has made a significant difference.
- Palin and Lumbaugh on the other hand, have done plenty to damage the Christian reputation, if not in their own country then certainly around the world.
- And it does seem strange to label the head of one of the wealthiest institutions in the world, a socialist.

But the bigger issue for Christianity, is that Palin, Limbaugh and Pope Francis would all claim to be Christian, and yet have entirely opposing views on most everything.  This of course has become the norm in Christianity.  Orthodox Priests bless troops in the Ukraine before they shoot at fellow Christians protesting against the Government.  Christians proclaim that God hates fags, at funerals led by Christian clergy.  Celebrities on their fourth marriage claim to be Christian while other Christians criticise politicians having affairs, as immoral and poor role models.


And on it goes...

  Some would say this is a positive thing.  It shows that Christianity is a big tent that can accommodate almost everyone.  And I'm a fan of the generous, welcoming version of Christianity.  I'm more than happy for Sarah, Rush, and Frankie to enjoy the love of Jesus.  But the fact that all of these people claim to be Christian while decrying the 'other' and holding to totally conflicting views on key issues of theology and practise, has I would suggest,  made the label "Christian" meaningless.

   No surprise then that an increasing number of people trying to follow Jesus, are choosing not to identify as Christian.  Recently a colleague asked me "You're a Christian are you?"  I replied "Tell me what you think that means".  When they had finished I said "Well, no I'm not". 

This dilemma isn't going to go away.

LOSING MY FAITH

"So, have you lost your faith?"

   The question came from a close and dearly loved relative and was in response to a long coffee conversation in which I had expressed my dissatisfaction with Christianity. And it came with a fair degree of concern. I started to reply "no of course not..." which is my standard reply when I'm trying to reassure a past colleague or church buddy. Only this time I stopped, gave the question some more thought and said "well yes, actually I have lost my faith". And I went on to explain -

Here's what I've lost faith in:

  -The Christianity I grew up with that was so certain that we were right, or most right. More right than any other expression of Christianity. That looked down on Catholics, ignored the Orthodox stream, and cast doubt on the eternal destiny of liberals. I'm sorry but to maintain that stance you have to believe that your interpretation of Scripture is superior to everyone else's. That your worship is closer to the heart of God. And that your own hearts are somehow more pure. Sorry but the jury is in - the Christianity of my upbringing (evangelical) is just as flawed as everyone else and the outcome just as pathetic in its attempt to be true to the words of Jesus, as everyone else. I've lost faith in it.

  -The view that every word in the Bible was explicitly voiced by God into the minds of people who wrote it down literally without error. And that later translators were free of all bias, thoroughly equipped in language skills, and produced a book that must be obeyed without question. I'm sorry but there only needs to be one example where a translation was influenced by culture, church or politics to make that stance untenable. I've lost my faith in that view of the Bible.

  -The Holy Spirit as some sort of saloon girl 'comforter', who is always available to tickle you under the chin and give you a great smile when you've had a tough day. I'm sorry but that's easy to believe when you've grown up in a great middle-class setting of security, safety, food, education, and health care. But spend some time in a slum or war-zone for a while and watch people crying out for relief with seeming silence as the response and you have to find a different reality for the Spirit of God. I've lost faith in that happy notion of the Spirit.

  -A Jesus on the side of the status quo, who mostly wants us to learn to behave and not rock the boat. Who wants decency and order in all things. Who is opposed to radicals and socialists, suspicious of artists and the avant-garde, and will only love the prodigals when they come to their senses. I no longer have faith in that Jesus.

  -And in a church that thinks attending on a Sunday is the primary task for their leaders to focus on, and their congregation to demonstrate healthy faith. That was the clear impression in the first 55 years of my Christian journey. I've lost my faith in it.



  So, as I told my Dad, yes I have lost my faith.