I read this in a book called "The God of all Comfort" by Hannah Whitall Smith:
"I was once talking on the subject of religion with an intelligent agnostic, whom I very much wished to influence, and after listening to me politely for a little while, he said, "Well, madame, all I have to say is this. If you Christians want to make us agnostics inclined to look into your religion, you must try to be more comfortable in the possession of it yourselves. The Christians I meet seem to me to be the very most uncomfortable people anywhere around. They seem to carry their religion as a man carries a headache. He does not want to get rid of his head, but at the same time it is very uncomfortable to have it. And I for one do not care to have that sort of religion."
It's a great thought to ponder...what kind of "religion" are we as a community and as individual Christians spreading around?
Does it seem inviting or frightening?
Refreshing or Repulsive?
Compassionate or constipated?
Frantic of Freeing?
Does it produce a countenance of peace or pressure?
Something someone would want to pass on Or...pass on?
3 comments:
"After being in California for awhile, and striking up conversations with lots of random people, I began to remember how I felt before I met Jesus. I didn't like Christians either. They appeared to be narrow minded, judgmental, and worst of all, lacking in true compassion. Their answers to life seemed trite and unrealistic. Their theology, prehistoric. Their pie in the sky philosophy quite frankly turned me off. In the days when I was looking for "the truth" I was positive Christians didn't have it." - Melody Green
(excerpt from Why Aren't More People Getting Saved?)
-Dan
http://www.lastdaysministries.org/streets/peoplegettingsaved.html
Maybe if Christians as a whole (and I'm guilty of this) would stop bickering among themselves over silly doctrinal issues. Becuase really, who wants to join a "religion" that can't even agree with itself? Would you take your car to a repair shop that has fifteen diffrent lead mechanics who can't agree how on how the car turns on?
His analogy wasn't far off. After some discussions on Christian theology I do have a headache.
I agree, but at the same time I would like to add that life, religious or not, is a headache. And when you realize where you're at, it's a long road forward, especially for me. Some people are inclined to walk that road more joyous than others. You can not expect everyone to carry their situation the same way, some carry burdens differently than others. And we are all burdened, that is the nature of our living. Helping each other carry those burdens is what distinguishes ones faith to others, not acting like burdens don't exist. I'm not interested in the comfortable truth, I want truth and freedom, headache and all. Better to be in the house of mourning... ~Matt
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