Published by Brutalizing children and calling it discipline. Torturing human beings under various pretenses. Committing emotional and physical violence against women. Sexually molesting children. Screaming and holding condemning placards at soldiers’ funerals. Attacking Jews who dared to express “Happy Hanukkah” to subway riders.
What do all of these acts of violence have in common? They were committed by “Christians” in the name of Jesus.
The great holy man, Mahatma Gandhi, in his study of religions other than his own Hinduism, once rejected Christianity, not because of its principles, but because, he said, Christians don’t act differently when they accept the teachings of Christ. What a terrible indictment on the behavior of Christians.
In the post-911 world, Americans have repeatedly called for Muslim condemnation of violence in the name of Islam. Author and human rights activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali often calls the Muslim world to task for the violence committed and attributed to the teachings of the Q’uaran. She continually challenges Muslims to condemn the violence committed in the name of Islam.
Christians have been largely silent as those calling themselves “Christian” commit atrocities. These Christian atrocities are the most reported of the Christian behaviors, in part because Jesus teaches that we should not broadcast our good works. This leaves the violence to be reported, and few Christians condemn it. Catholics spend a lot of time talking about forgiving the priests whose abuse of children the church often actively covered up and enabled. The most media-savvy Christian leaders are busy making a fortune teaching a gospel of abundance (materialism) rather than leading people to change their lives and elevate the world by living a life of Christian love. Few of these Christians are in the media talking about what it really means to be a Christian.
The teachings of Christ, which form the basis of Christianity, revolve around the love of God and the love of fellow human beings. In the gospel of Mark (12:29-31), when asked to determine the greatest commandment, Jesus replied, “This is the most important one, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
To follow these teachings, one must practice a discipline of minimizing one’s own ego, putting themselves in the place of others, and thoughtfully reacting to every situation with as much love as one can muster. If you disagree with abortion, for instance, follow the example of Mother Theresa and offer to pay the medical costs of the birth of the child, support the child, or adopt the child. If you can’t do that, pray for the mother and child. But heaping condemnation a woman who feels trapped and helpless does not create an atmosphere in which she can change. It merely traumatizes her, and further separates her from her connection to the Divine. It is not loving.
Jesus said we have to be as shrewd as snakes (Matthew 10:16)- which means we must be discerning in our beliefs and support. So the support of the Christian Right to a president who claimed to be Christian and then numbly, dumbly stood by as his administration systematically eroded the human rights of individuals, both citizens of this country and citizens of this world, is discouraging. Can you envision Jesus holding down a struggling 20 year old, blindfolded and bound, and purposefully pouring water down his throat and nostrils so that he slowly drowns, until he will tell you anything you want to know? One can argue the political and behavioral pros and cons of this torture, but one cannot, with integrity, argue that torture is acceptable in the Christian faith.
There is an opportunity for Christians to change- a history of failing to display in actions the teachings of Jesus is not fatal. Start really living your lives as expressions of complete love. Our jobs as Christians are to love others. If they are cruel, respond with love. If they are wrong, respond with love. Jesus taught that love is our role in the world.
As Marianne Williamson says so eloquently, “Love taken seriously is a radical outlook, a major departure from the psychological orientation that rules the world.” Jesus had a radical idea, and if we want to take the time to declare ourselves as Christians, we can change the world by really becoming Christians.
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Yes! This seems to be the main problem that I observe within the Christain community-Christains not behaving as Christains. If we ask ourselves what would Jesus think, say, or do we might take pause to contemplate his teachings before we hastily make decisions that may contradict his word.
Thank you for this article. I believe in Jesus, but will no longer accept the label “Christian” because I no longer want to be associated with the images of hate, discrimination and violence that the label means to so many.