THIS! Christine

I am an Amazing Race junky.

This season has been full of surprises considering it is the Family Edition. but the reason I mention AR isn't the race itself but one team of racers that generate so much animosity within me: the Weavers. (They call themselves Christians. Gack!) It's a similar feeling I get whenever anyone says, "I rely on my faith to make decisions", because it automatically places you[me] on the defensive or on potentially shaky ground, that in questioning/disagreeing with that decision, you are attacking their faith (Shrub did this in the past to great advantage, btw, although it seems to have worn thin now.... and I've digressed,)

I've spent the better part of the day over at Television Without Pity reading all the wonderful snark on this truly hideous family and some of it has helped me reconcile what it is about the phrase, 'I'm a Christian' that makes my hackles rise.

1. It's generally unsought personal information, so having it announced always takes you aback. Like, 'Hi my name's Mary, and I pick my nose."
2. Because it's unsought it always sounds boastful, smug... superior. I graduated from Yale, I make 100k a year, I'm white!!!

Most Christians bleat that they're labelled as hypocrites. guess what, you are. I will tell you up front, that I'm a insensitive, irreverent, sarcastic, bitch, (actually I wouldn't have to tell you. Five minutes in my company and you'd know). I won't disappoint you by acting differently. But you're a Christian.

If you were to announce you were Catholic, or Baptist, or even that you're church-going, it's implied that you attend a facility that tries to interpret the teachings of Christ. There's no standard to live up to, you can fall and fail and get back up and try again, all without being a hypocrite... but under the generally accepted definition of Christian, (and the perception of what a Christian should be) you are a hypocrite. Here's the important section of that definition: showing character consistent with Christ's teachings.

You may well argue that no one is perfect. True. But the vast majority aren't announcing their higher standard either, so when you fall, you're gonna fall far.

Christian is beyond anything as limiting and fallible as any one church. Christian is the ideal, and using it to define you is like a graduating diploma. Well, the first time you [the self proclaimed Christian] act in an unChristian-like manner, be prepared to be called on it.

And I only hope, that this new upswelling of Christianity doesn't redefine and water down a wonderful definition, else we'll all lose something truly important. A goal that we as a society can strive for in our behavior toward each other... (well not me, I'll still be sitting at the bar heckling the bad hair and fashion crimes)

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