UNchristian (Entry 1)

Today (during jury duty), I've started the book, UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity... And Why it Matters, by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons.

I've found some of it quite interesting, not because it's really new or shocking information but because it has confirmed much of what I've already assumed or deeply considered.

Something interesting:

"One of the surprising insights from our research is that the growing hostility toward Christians is verys,uch a reflections of what outsiders feel they receive from believer. They say their aggression simply matched the oversized opinions and egos of Christians. One outsider put it this way: 'Most people I meet assume that Christian means very conservative, entrenched in their thinking, antigay, antichoice, angry, violent, illogical, empire builders; they want to convert everyone and they generally cannot live peacefully with anyone who doesn't believe what they believe.'"

Kinnaman says in the next paragraph, "We have become famous for what we oppose, rather than who we are for."

I find this interesting and poignant because I have observed this during my transition from CBU to "the secular world" (i.e. Barnes and Nobles workplace). People shy away from the homosexuality topic or leave out part of "last night" stories. If they don't shy away from it, they earmark the conversation with, "I know you don't agree with this, but..." and continue to share their opinion or story with a pride of individuality or arrogance of rebellion (these attitudes, although phrased differently, are also addressed in the first few chapters). It takes some time to establish a relationship with "outsiders" (as the author calls them) and express to them that I care deeply for them, and love them because they live and breath and are made in the image of God. And having come into the workplace with the Christian reputation trailing my steps, I was often excluded and/or treated as though I were too naive to understand or relate. It has taken the time I've been there to establish a trust with my co-workers, a trust that they seemed to give each other quite freely. I absolutely feel the pangs of being known for what I supposedly oppose rather than being know for the one whom I strive to follow.