If You Call Yourself A Christian

If you call yourself a Christian, act like a Christian.

Far too many Americans these days who consider themselves Christians are in reality anything but good Christians. This applies equally to certain individuals and to certain churches. I am not a pastor or a theologian, and I haven't set foot inside a church except as  a tourist for decades. But I do remember a few things from my childhood religious instruction.

One of these teachings said we should treat our neighbors as we wish to be treated. "Love your neighbor as yourself," right? So how about all these good Christians marching against Jews and Muslims in our country? Is that how they want to be treated? They get very upset when they see news footage of radical Muslims in other countries protesting against Americans, kidnapping and killing Americans. But that's different, right? It's OK if those spewing hatred are 'Christians.'

How about the so-called right-to-life advocates who cherish life so much that they have no problem blowing up women's health clinics or assassinating doctors who perform abortions? So much for cherishing life. How many of these people would want someone else making medical decisions about them? How many of those who cry that the federal government is too involved and has too much control over people's lives think it's just fine for the church (their church, of course) to use the government to dictate a woman's reproductive decisions? And how about the insurrectionists who called for the hanging of former Vice President Mike Pence because he didn't act to overturn a legitimate election? Separating children from their families and locking them in cages apparently is OK as long as the kids are Hispanic, right? How many of these 'right to life' terrorists have actually adopted an infant born to a mother-to-be who is unwilling or unable to care for a child? I have.

This same group of hypocrites also has no problem with discriminating against gay/lesbian/transgender people, or against women or those who are not white and Christian. So really, these so-called Christians feel entitled to pick and choose their beliefs and the Bible verses that support those beliefs. And to hell with the actual people who get hurt.

These alleged followers of Christ praise and honor him with their words, but deny him through their actions. And remember that old adage that actions speak louder than words? It's true. 

The biggest group of hypocritical Christians is the evangelicals, a group that overwhelmingly supported (and still does) the former president, despite his history of three marriages, numerous affairs, charges of rape by a couple dozen women, and stealing money from a charity for children suffering from cancer. He's quite the one to be adored, isn't he? And the latest thing that should offend all Christians is the golden statue of the Dear Leader featured at last weekend's conservative political action conference. I seem to recall something in the Bible about not worshiping graven images and avoiding idolatry. Yet here he is in all his golden hypocrisy, bedecked in American flag shorts and flip-flops.

Of course, there are lots of good Christians in the world, people who are compassionate, who do what they can to help and uplift those in need, and who truly try to live a life consistent with the teachings of Christ. 

And one doesn't have to be a Christian to be a good person. Kindness and acceptance know no religious limits. The group that comes to mind as being good followers of Christ despite not being Christian is the Sikhs. These good folks have a history of stepping in to help their neighbors facing adversity from natural disasters, most recently in the aftermath of the winter storm in Texas that left millions without electricity and running water. These Sikhs are far more Christian in their actions than is the pastor of a Houston megachurch who only opened his huge church building to victims of a hurricane after he was publicly shamed into doing so.

Perhaps the idol-worshiping evangelicals should take a refresher course and learn about treating others as we want to be treated, and about sin, greed and the worship of false idols. Perhaps it's time to try harder to actually follow the teachings of the one they profess to follow.