Reactions To The Word "Christian"
Posted by: tony on 08/20/2007 08:05 PM
Updated by: tony on 08/20/2007 08:40 PM
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Expires: 09/20/2007 12:00 AM
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Jen at Et Tu? links to The Friendly Christian who asks the question "Does the word 'Christian' make your stomach turn?"
I want everyone to leave a comment giving a reason why you are turned off by Christianity.
I'm going to answer his first question, not the second, because I'm not turned off by Christianity, since being Catholic I fully embrace it in it's most complete form.
I'm going to address the first question he asked. Does the word "Christian" make your stomach turn?
While I was growing up, the word Christian was used as a bludgeon by my Protestant bretheren, to separate themselves from me. I have been told on numerous occasions that I, as a Roman Catholic was not a Christian. I have told that I am an idolater, Marioloater (it's a new word, I'm sure you can figure out what it means), a heretic, a mindless follower of the Pope, a Papist, a Romist, and other terms of derision from those who Christ calls to "love one another as you love yourselves".
So yeah, I have had a certain queasiness which over the years to the word "Christian" which I had come to associate with sleazy televangelists, bigoted fundamentalists, and KKK members.
I've grown up.
I now understand that Protestants, like Catholics come in all different flavors. I understand that they all have some of God's revealed Truth. Some have most of it, some have little of it, and the Catholic Church has all of it.
I understand that I am Christian. I understand that we Catholics have a lot in common with Protestants. We cannot share communion, but we can pray together, sing together and eat pot luck together.
We can even have calm, rational and fridly discussions of theology related stuff.
Jen jumps off with:
Going through all this has got me thinking: what does this mean for me now that I am a Christian and a parent?
First of all, I want my children to be aware that, for better or worse, they are going to represent Christianity to people who aren't religious. Yes, in a perfect world a religion should be evaluated objectively on its claims and its doctrines, but the fact is that a lot of people are turned off (or on) to Christ based on the actions of Christians. Which is not to say my kids need to be perfect. I just want them to keep that in the back of their minds.
Second, and the thing I kind of struggle with, is what to tell them to say to friends who aren't religious. I don't want them to be pushy about their beliefs...but I would hate for them to never even offer to tell their non-religious friends more about it. Would I have become a Christian as a child if someone had done that for me? Who knows. But I certainly would have thought it was a kind gesture.
My children have free reign to speak with their frinds about their religion. It doesn't come up much in the conversation, but the friends who visit our home know, by our decorations, that we're obviously Catholic.
When it does come up, my children are generally prepared to defend their faith gently, accurately and with charity. When conversations regarding Catholicism come up, and they are asked a question they can't answer, they feel free to come to me and ask, and if I don't know we can go to the horse's mouth and find out. We have a NAB Bible, and a copy of the CCC should they want to do independent research. This way we all can come to a deeper understanding of our faith together through the questions of our separated bretheren, even if the questions are being asked to trap us.
We also allow our children to attend other Christian churches when they are sleeping over at their friends' houses. It is made clear that they shouldn't receive communion there. It doesn't substitute for Mass (which they are expected to attend), but they are allowed to go. Also we are happy to take their friends to Mass with us as long as their parents specifically approve after they are asked. They also are given the rules for receiving a blessing in the communion line if they wish (crossing the arms over their chest).
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