"I'd be a Christian, if it were not for Christians"

Mahatma Gandhi is still recognized as one of the most remarkable and outstanding leaders in World history. He liberated India from an oppressive British regime without firing a shot. While it is well documented that he was Hindu, I can't help but notice that his tactics and teachings were far different from traditional Hinduism.

One of his most famous quotes was: "You must BE the change you wish to see in the World."

Where did he learn to love his enemies and pray for those that persecuted his people?

I noticed a quote from him on a website "I'd be a Christian, if it were not for the Christians!" I did a little more internet research to find out what he meant by this quote. It turns out that he was an avid reader and once sat down and read the four Gospels in the New Testament.

He had long despised the Hindu 'caste system' which places people into categories based on race and ethnic heritage. As you may recall there was a lot of controversy during the Tsunami recovery a couple of years ago because families from lower castes were not admitted into shelters where the upper castes had taken refuge. For more information on the caste system
click here.

Gandhi was enthralled with Jesus Christ and wanted to know more about this Messiah that Christian's worshiped. The next Sunday morning he tried to visit one of the Christian churches in Calcutta. He was stopped at the door though by the ushers who told him he was not welcome and would not be permitted to attend this particular chuch because it was for whites or 'high caste' Indians only. (There is an expectation that higher caste Indians have lighter skin than those in the lower castes).

Gandhi was neither 'high caste' nor white (British). After this rejection at the church, Mahatma Gandhi never considered becoming a Christian again.

Preach the Gospel to all the World! When necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi

When lost people act lost

This past weekend I was visiting some friends at their apartment. They have a six month old baby. Not long after he was fed, the father picked him up and held him. The baby's stomach must not have been completely settled because he spit up on his father's back. Watching this child's parents' as they calmly responded - cleaning the mess and comforting the child - made me think.

As a general rule we do not get upset when infants act within their nature - infantile. Parent's don't punish their infants for soiling their diapers, spilling food, spitting up, or any other action that is natural for their state in life. (If you know any that do, you should call CPS immediately!)

We as humans have a natural fallen state that has been with us since the fall of Adam and Eve (Gen 4-5). It is our sinful nature. As redeemed Christians we have access to Christ's grace for forgiveness and sanctification (Romans 2)- so that our sinful natures can be overcome and our lives to Christ. Even so, we still stumble and fall and make fools of ourselves along the way. We fall down and then get up.

When we encounter our fellow sinners that are "un-churched" or have not yet had the experience of knowing Christ at all, they may sometimes say or do things that offend or hurt us. They may even say things that are blasphemous and profane to shock us (examples abound: The Davinci Code, John Edwards' bloggers, etc.). If these people are protesting a hot button social issue counter to our faith - and are in sufficiently elevated emotional state -they may even spit on us or try to assault us. (not all will act this way, but some will).

We should not be the least bit surprised by this behavior.

If we as redeemed Christians find ourselves more often than not acting in "un-christian" ways toward others, how can we expect better behavior from those who have not had any of the immense gifts and graces that we have been fortunate to have received.

How should we respond?

Why can't we respond the way a parent responds to their infant child? (not the ones that you called CPS on earlier). Good parents expect and prepare. They respond with love and focus their immediate attention on the child's needs - rather than their own inconvenience.

As I mentioned in my first post I got spit on by a pro-abortion counter protester when I was a teenager. I didn't respond the way I should have. I avoided reacting in kind - perhaps only because the assailant ran away.

It is not enough though just to avoid reacting in kind. If we endure the attack and then publicise it to show everyone our saintly endurance or to embarrass the other sinner than we will have again accomplished nothing and have already received our reward. (Matthew 6:5-6).

Without expecting recognition or validation, we must humbly focus on fulfilling Christ command:

Luke 6:27-29 "love your enemies, treat well (do good to, act nobly toward) those who detest you and pursue you with hatred, Invoke blessings upon and pray for the happiness of those who curse you, implore God's blessing (favor) upon those who abuse you [who revile, reproach, disparage, and high-handedly misuse you]. To the one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other cheek also"

"God doesn't like people like us!"

A while back I talked to an old friend from high school who has since left the church and is now very anti-catholic. During the course of our brief conversation when I was inviting him to attend a church retreat he replied rather passionately: "Don't you understand, God doesn't like people like us!"

This past weekend I kept thinking about Christ's command to love our enemies and how it seems to be missing and absent in modern Christian practice. I know that I have often been guilty of showing everything but love toward those who offend me.

LoveForSinners.org is dedicated entirely to fulfilling the command Christ gives us in Luke 6:27-36.

This is particularly important when it comes to the modern "Culture War" that we Christians now find ourselves in, but it is also important in our family and work life. It's important to remember Christ's command here anytime we come in contact with those who offend, ridicule, hate, or torment us.

I do not want to do anything to take away from these important battles that cross over the religious, cultural, and political realms. I definitely plan to continue to vote pro-life and pro-family in all future elections. I do believe though that it is critically important that we a Christians begin to put some focus on Christ's command to love those who don't love us back. It is a very difficult thing to do, but Christ commands it.

When I was young teenager I went with my parents to a pro-life event. It was a memorial service held outside an abortion clinic and lead by the bishop. There were about a dozen pro-abortion counter protesters a few feet away and the only thing separating us was a small plastic divider put up by the police. One of the pro-abortion protesters ran up and spit on me and then left the scene. It wasn't personal, I just happen to be standing nearest the barracade. I must admit that I did not react with Christian charity in this situation. As I look back though, this is precisely the type of situation Jesus is referring to. If we recall, the early Christians had to express Christ's love and forgiveness toward the very people that were feeding them and their children to lions. I can't even imagine!

Last year I was working with a friend of mine from UD on the movement to defend traditional marriage. Tensions were very high due to the Massachusetts and San Francisco gay marriage controversies. She remarked once out of frustration "we should take all the homosexuals, put them on an island, and them bomb it." Now this is a girl that attends daily mass seven days a week and I know her to be a very devout and holy person. She would do anything to help anyone in need - regardless of their sins. I know that she was just reacting to her frustration over the dire situation at hand. It still makes me wonder whether statements like this are what lead lost people to say things like "Don't you understand, God just doesn't like people like us!"