I think of myself as a fairly open-minded person on most things. If someone is not harming someone or something I usually just live and let live. But lately I am seeing something near and dear to me get trampled on.
I am many things I am proud of that will get praise. I’m a mom. I’m a military wife. I’m a student. I’m a homemaker. I’m a worker. But the one thing I am most proud of is the one thing in today’s day and age that will get me criticized. I am a Christian.
These days everything is be tolerated. Except if you are a Christian. If you are a Christian you are automatically viewed as a racist, ignorant, selfish extremist who is out to take away everyone’s rights. You are not viewed as the person you are, but judged based upon a poor misconception that society has bestowed upon us. The ones who preach about tolerance are the first to judge us. The first to belittle us. And I’m tired of it. Here is the truth about being a Christian and my beliefs.
We really do love all of our neighbors. Not just some of our neighbors, but all of them. I do not judge based on race, sexual orientation or even beliefs. As long as you are nice to me and do not try to take away my rights, I will leave you alone. I do not for one second believe I have the right to damn anyone to Hell, tell them how to live their life or what I think they should be doing. And most of the other Christians I know feel the same way and act the same way.
We know the difference between having religion and beliefs. I believe in God. I believe He sent his son to die on a cross so that I could be fortunate enough to go to Heaven. The God I know is just love. Would I give my life for my beliefs, for my God? Yes. In a heartbeat. Religion. Not so much. Most of the Christians I know are similar in the fact they choose to put their faith in their God and not their religion. So while the rest of the world is judging us as “fanatics” we have to stand by and swallow it.
There are jerks in every religion. Before you go judging Christianity and view us as selfish snobs or extremists, take a look at some of the crimes and acts committed for other beliefs. The truth of the matter is there are bad Muslims, bad Buddhists, bad atheists. The list goes on and on. Stop putting everything on our shoulders and blaming us for all the hatred in the world.
We have rights, just like everyone else. Just like a woman has a “right” to do with her body as she chooses, we as Christians have the right to not like that choice. To not support it. We have to right to live a life based on our beliefs and fight for those who cannot fight. It does not mean we see ourselves as better or trying to rob women of their rights but rather we are trying to protect the most sacred right, the right to life.
We are not perfect and I have never heard another Christian claim to be. I have so many faults I cannot count them all. I curse like a sailor sometimes, I laugh at “inappropriate” jokes and every day I do things I shouldn’t. Just like everyone else in this world. The only difference between Christians and the rest of the world is at the end of the day, we ask forgiveness for these sins and we pray for the strength to do better the next day.
So to the world who wants to judge us. The world who continues to call us names, and belittle us, remember when you want your “tolerance” when you want to preach about acceptance, that it applies to everyone and not just those you want to pick and choose.
