THE UNPOPULAR ABSOLUTENESS OF CHRISTIANITY
The unpopular absoluteness of Christianity is back in the news, with Army Lt. Gen. William Boykin's comments that Muslims worship an idol and not a "real God." President Bush quickly distanced himself from such an incendiary comment, saying it didn't reflect his personal opinion or that of the US government. Closer to home for me, I co-led a workshop in which a newcomer to South Carolina lamented that his new neighbors were so close-minded as to think that Christianity is the only true religion and that all other religions are false.
I'm vehemently opposed to enflaming the war on terror with religious overgeneralizations -- America is not a Christian nation, Islam in the Middle East is much too complex to turn into an archetype, and those that are doing the best to dress the conflict in religious terms are the terrorists themselves. And I believe it is the responsibility of the enlightened Christian to be as open-minded, gracious, and humble as possible when it comes to the deeply-held beliefs of other people.
That being said, we who sign on to the Christian faith follow a savior who was so divisive that he roused an entire religious establishment to condemn and kill him. Jesus Himself said "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me." We must either take Him at His word, fall at His feet and call Him Lord, and then live according to such a radical statement. Or we must dismiss him as a liar (he knew he wasn't the only way to God, but deceived others into thinking so) or a lunatic (he deluded himself into thinking he was the only way to God).
It is C.S. Lewis' classic "lord, liar, or lunatic" argument. The central figure in the faith of the Christian person is not a sterile, non-threatening moral man who would be aghast at division and absolutism. No, Jesus Himself knew that His message and His very existence would be a stumbling block for many, including and especially the religious establishment of the day. He was so counter-cultural that while the pious people of the day practically tripped over themselves in an attempt to condemn him, the outcasted sinners of the day practically tripped over themselves in an attempt to be near him.
It is easy to practice the aspects of Christianity that will win you popularity -- loving your neighbor, advocating for the poor, living a good moral life -- and conveniently skirt those aspects that will win you condemnation -- taking Jesus at His word when He said He was the only way to God, believing that man is inherently sinful and that sin grieves a holy God, and arguing that there is an absolute moral code than men will be judged by.
And yet, clearly, for Boykin to say what he said was not helpful to the cause of foreign relations or the war on terror. So do I regret what he said? Painfully so. But do I disagree with what he said? Absolutely not. And if that puts me in a vilified minority, that people scorn for being so close-minded as to think we have the one true religion, then that is a consequence to my faith journey.
It is a challenge, indeed, to know how to hold true to certain beliefs that are societally unpopular while at the same time fighting vigorously for cultural sensitivity, repentance for prideful manifestations of religious colonialism, and respect for people of differing religious beliefs. But ultimately, whether or not society agrees, the Christian believes that there is a Higher Judge whose opinion matters most. May we who associate with Jesus represent Him appropriately, as He Himself represented God the Father when He was on this earth: with humility, purpose, love, and single-minded obedience.
The unpopular absoluteness of Christianity is back in the news, with Army Lt. Gen. William Boykin's comments that Muslims worship an idol and not a "real God." President Bush quickly distanced himself from such an incendiary comment, saying it didn't reflect his personal opinion or that of the US government. Closer to home for me, I co-led a workshop in which a newcomer to South Carolina lamented that his new neighbors were so close-minded as to think that Christianity is the only true religion and that all other religions are false.
I'm vehemently opposed to enflaming the war on terror with religious overgeneralizations -- America is not a Christian nation, Islam in the Middle East is much too complex to turn into an archetype, and those that are doing the best to dress the conflict in religious terms are the terrorists themselves. And I believe it is the responsibility of the enlightened Christian to be as open-minded, gracious, and humble as possible when it comes to the deeply-held beliefs of other people.
That being said, we who sign on to the Christian faith follow a savior who was so divisive that he roused an entire religious establishment to condemn and kill him. Jesus Himself said "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me." We must either take Him at His word, fall at His feet and call Him Lord, and then live according to such a radical statement. Or we must dismiss him as a liar (he knew he wasn't the only way to God, but deceived others into thinking so) or a lunatic (he deluded himself into thinking he was the only way to God).
It is C.S. Lewis' classic "lord, liar, or lunatic" argument. The central figure in the faith of the Christian person is not a sterile, non-threatening moral man who would be aghast at division and absolutism. No, Jesus Himself knew that His message and His very existence would be a stumbling block for many, including and especially the religious establishment of the day. He was so counter-cultural that while the pious people of the day practically tripped over themselves in an attempt to condemn him, the outcasted sinners of the day practically tripped over themselves in an attempt to be near him.
It is easy to practice the aspects of Christianity that will win you popularity -- loving your neighbor, advocating for the poor, living a good moral life -- and conveniently skirt those aspects that will win you condemnation -- taking Jesus at His word when He said He was the only way to God, believing that man is inherently sinful and that sin grieves a holy God, and arguing that there is an absolute moral code than men will be judged by.
And yet, clearly, for Boykin to say what he said was not helpful to the cause of foreign relations or the war on terror. So do I regret what he said? Painfully so. But do I disagree with what he said? Absolutely not. And if that puts me in a vilified minority, that people scorn for being so close-minded as to think we have the one true religion, then that is a consequence to my faith journey.
It is a challenge, indeed, to know how to hold true to certain beliefs that are societally unpopular while at the same time fighting vigorously for cultural sensitivity, repentance for prideful manifestations of religious colonialism, and respect for people of differing religious beliefs. But ultimately, whether or not society agrees, the Christian believes that there is a Higher Judge whose opinion matters most. May we who associate with Jesus represent Him appropriately, as He Himself represented God the Father when He was on this earth: with humility, purpose, love, and single-minded obedience.
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