I Am A Real Christian

 I am a real Christian. 

This thought popped into my mind this Sunday morning as I was walking one of my dogs. Over the past few years, the words and actions of many so-called Christians have not been anything like what Christ taught.

These so-called Christians, aka evangelicals, oppose gay marriage. They tend to be anti-Semitic and homophobic. They pick and choose which biblical verses they will follow. They rail against the imposition of sharia law by certain Islamic countries, but they have no problem at all with attempting to impose their restrictive religious beliefs on their fellow Americans.

The recent decision by the Alabama supreme court that declared frozen embryos to be children, while the state has eliminated its summer food program for children who already have been born, tells me all I need to know about the so-called Christian nationalists.

I was raised in a church-going family who attended a mainstream Protestant church. Once I left home to attend college, and ever since then, I have not attended church on a regular basis. In fact, I can't recall the last time I attended church. I did attend a friend's church wedding many years ago, but that was a special occasion.

When I lived in Houston, I joined a local church that sponsored a group called Christians in Action. I enjoyed that group, as it gave me a chance to take part in things that helped others. One Thanksgiving, we were asked to purchase everything, from a turkey to a roasting pan to gravy, stuffing and everything else on the list we were given, for a family in need. We got to choose the size of the family we wanted to help.

One Christmas, we were asked to purchase a gift for a child. Again, we got to choose the age and gender of the child, and we were told what the child would like for Christmas. This was fun. I remember shopping for a pink bicycle for a little girl.

So although I don't attend, or belong to, any church, I believe I am a good Christian. Why do I believe this? Don't I need to attend church services each week to glorify God? I don't think so.

I don't need to promote or announce my religion. I'd guess that none of my friends has a clue about my religion, and that's just fine with me. I prefer to put my religious beliefs into action. After all, actions speak louder than words. 

My actions include donating to a dozen charities every year. They include funding a scholarship for two girls from rural Kenya so they can attend high school. They include being kind. They include adopting my daughter from an orphanage in Siberia. They include adopting 15 dogs during my adult life. They include paying forward a kindness shown to me. They include working to protect our planet from human destruction. They include being a witness at the wedding of a gay friend and photographing the brief civil ceremony.

My actions do not include trying to force others to follow and live by my beliefs. They do not include refusing to allow gay people the same rights I enjoy as a straight person. They do not include discriminating against others because of their race, ethnicity, skin color, political beliefs or gender preference. They do not include declaring frozen embryos to  be 'children' while simultaneously refusing to take part in a summer food program for children already born.

I'm not writing this blog post to hold myself up as a wonderful example of Christianity. I'm not looking for praise or accolades. I am merely pointing out the gross hypocrisy of many who call themselves Christians.

They need to read again the teachings of the one whom they allegedly follow.