I Hate the Hate

As a Christian I'm exposed to so many classically poor interpretations of my faith during the course of a day. I can't stand it!

I keep thinking we're past the pithy, inflammatory statements posted on church signs, or wherever else Christians think they're clever (e-mail signatures), but no. No, I'm regularly shown that people's unaltered human nature is simply focussed through their "faith".

With grace I can understand what they're saying. I can see the truth behind the blatant but (probably) unintended offense. Of course, not everyone is wired that way. (Most people, I dare say.) And the unthinking, smarmy, smug, trite, snappy, little statement reinforces everything negative that ever existed within faith. Oh, how I hate the "I'm right, and you're going to Hell" mentality! And it's bandied about so readily! If people had a taste of what Hell was like (whatever it's like) that mindset would die in a snap -- I have to admit that I sometimes wish that for people. Imagine if instead of telling people that they're headed there, Christians would actively and unitedly work to prevent it.

Faith requires a life change. Otherwise it's not faith, it's something else. (Actually, there are innumerable examples of what it isn't.) But the life change doesn't come first -- it can't and never will. People who expect that in whatever form are simply heading for a reality smack upside the head. The process is what grace is, and what it does. It's the supernatural power that leaves us speechless -- like trying to describe the colour blue to a blind person. So please quit trying to encapsulate it in a catchy little slogan. You're bound to fail, and I'm bound to my anger!