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Our Sunday morning class is three weeks through an eight week series where we are taking a look at the book unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity… and Why It Matters. The book is “groundbreaking research into the perceptions of sixteen- to twenty-nine-year-olds [and] reveals that Christians have taken several giant steps backward in one of their most important assignments” (unChristian.com). So far, this has been a very interesting study. Last Sunday we discussed the number one way “outsiders” perceive Christians: anti-homosexual. But it also became a discussion about loving sinners apart from their sins.

I have known many Christians in my day that wouldn’t associate with someone based upon their sexuality. However, I can also say the same thing about race, religion, etc, etc, etc. Jesus did not avoid those with whom he disagreed with. For some reason, those that we think Jesus would have the hardest time getting along with, were those who were drawn to him. The tax collectors, prostitutes, and thieves all had meals with Jesus, or changed and followed Him. He saw beyond their sins and offered help, hope, and love. These people were not dismissed because of their lifestyle, their nationality, or their past.

Yet, as Christians, we do this everyday. Hypocrisy is another major turnoff to non-Christians, yet there is no small amount of it among the Christian community. Today I came across the video below. Though satirical, it plays off the behaviors of many Christians and churches. (Listen closely because some of the digs are smooth). One church even makes national headlines professing that “God hates fags” and “God hates dead soldiers”. VERY Christian, behavior.

Watch the video, then remember we are all God’s children. It is possible to hate the sin and love the sinner. If we had to be perfect to join a church or fall in love with Jesus, who amongst us would be worthy?

I originally found the video at my friend Keith’s site, BagOfNothing.com

Because so many of my new online friends are ministers, preachers, or regular church attendees, I have a new feature that I would like to keep up with once per week. I am going to be posting a few questions that I have always wondered about and many new ones that arise as I make my way through the Bible.

So preachers, ministers, teachers, elders, deacons, etc, etc, add me to your feed reader and submit your answers, and tell your preacher / minister friends to do the same. It will be interesting to see different viewpoints and interpretations and get answers to questions that I can’t be the only one wondering about. I will try to get all questions up by Saturday night.

Week One Questions

1. Was God literally walking in the Garden of Eden? How can / should this be interpreted?
Gen 3:8

6. I think this question was answered in a sermon a few months ago, but I will pose it again for alternate responses and for those who have wondered the same thing. Why was Jesus baptized? He had no sins to forgive. Mt 3:13-15

You may see all of the questions in this series here.