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I don't usually like being called a Christian. It has such a negative image in today's society. People see Christians as closed-minded, anti-intellectual, bigoted, rude, judgmental, selfish and clueless. They see us as people who are determined to tell everyone else how to behave and how to think (or not to think.)

The worst part is, from a lot of the Christians I have met, that's pretty accurate.

The term 'Christian' does actually appear in the Bible, in Acts 11:26. The term actually means 'little Christ,' so basically, a Christian is someone who is like a replica of Jesus. Only, Christians seem to have a problem being like Jesus. They would have just assume Jesus is like them.

Part of it is that a lot of people who say they are Christians aren't. They don't have any trust in Christ or his teachings. They don't obey them, nor do they want to. They call themselves a Christian to blend in with people around them, or feel like they have the 'spiritual side' covered. Other people were merely indoctrinated with some political and social ideas at a young age, call it Christianity, and cling to it like a sinking ship because they have never tried to learn to swim. These are the people that protest gay rights parades or throw rocks at people going into abortion clinics. These people are like the overly flamboyant gay people that are looking for someone to discriminate against them so they can be a victim. 'Real' (what does that even mean) gay people can't stand them, and they do a violence to the gay pride movement. The same with the "it's because I'm black" black guy that sees a racist behind every white problem, they are neither representative of most civil rights activists, nor do they actually help their movement.

In reality, being a disciple of Jesus is nothing like all that. It is freeing. It is peaceful. It is loving. It is filled with contentment and yet purpose and determination. It is a better life that I have every experienced elsewhere.

It has nothing to do with hate, but with loving all people. It has nothing to do with being a conservative. It has nothing to do with telling people how to live their lives. I would like to teach some people how to live their lives at some point, but only those people who are interested in learning from me because they see the peace and happiness I have, I have no interest in coercing people to agree with me who don't want to listen.

You don't have to agree with my view on life. Really, I'm not offended. I'm secure enough in my belief that I don't need you to agree with me to feel okay about what I believe. I'm not going to yell at you or condemn you or talk bad about you because you don't agree with me.

In fact, I think people who agree with me about everything are pretty boring. I would much rather hang out with an open minded person with some different opinions and have a friendly discussion about what they believe. I think you can gain a lot of wisdom my listening to what other people think. That doesn't mean you have to accept it, just listen and entertain the idea, without trying to refute everything they say. That's what I try to do. Preferably on a couch with some coffee while listening to some live jazz in a coffee house.

Now that's a blessing, deep conversations in a jazz coffeehouse...