clibanarius

I’ll keep this blunt since that’s how I prefer to write. I have nothing against eloquence, mind you.

I’ve been reading a book by John Eldridge called Beautiful Outlaw, it’s an excellent read about Jesus’ personality, irreverence, sense of humor and love and how religion has blocked that part of him from us and I have a confession to make:

I am a Christian and yet I swear (‘shit’ and ‘piss’ are in the Bible, people), make smart-ass comments, think that Guns  ‘N Roses was one of the greatest bands in the universe, don’t generally care about other’s think of me and I believe that you shouldn’t look for trouble but when you’re pushed you need to push back. Hard. But that there is a time and a place for that.

On another site I was reading a news article where someone done did someone wrong and I expressed an urge to slap the living hell out of said wrongdoer (Come on, I suppose you’ve never felt that way).

To which someone responded: “Now where did Jesus say anything about kicking peoples asses?”

Later on a guy in the Military quoted the part where Jesus rampaged through the Temple and said: “So to my mind, not only did he kick their asses, he whipped them as well.”

Some would call this the American version of Christianity. I would call it plain old Christianity. Jesus said a lot things like ‘let he who is without sin cast the first stone,’ and ‘love one another,’ or ‘forgive as I have forgiven you.’  (That’s very hard for me, forgiveness and pity don’t come very easily, especially when we’re talking about someone I don’t like)

But he never said that I was supposed to become some kind of docile castrated little punchbag, that’s not healthy and if that were possible human nature and our genetic makeup wouldn’t be what it is. Last time I read the New Testament I don’t recall any instances of Jesus every backing down. From anything or anyone. Period.

Does that mean I’m some sort of hardass bible-belt loudmouth?

No, no and hell no. As much as I and like to jokingly live up to the stereotype of being loudmouthed gun-waving rednecks from time to time, that’s not me.

Kindness, love and tolerance are things that I believe in. One small act of kindness can change a person’s life and since I have friends that are  non-christian, don’t believe the same things that I do, or a combination of some or all of those, how I can truly be their friend if I’m going to give them hell for what they believe? It’s their life and as their friend I need to respect and love them. Not to try and fix them, that’s not what Jesus had in mind and I have enough flaws as it is without adding minder-of-0thers’-business to the list.

Have I failed in that? As much as I hate to admit it. . . Yes, yes I have. I could put some howevers here but I won’t. Because I feel that it’s pointless, you’ve probably heard that before and I’m not going to try and explain myself.

And I guess that’s all I have to say.