Why I Hate Saying I'm a Christian Part 1

I hate saying I'm a Christian.

Please don't quote that overly used verse about "if you deny Me before men I will deny you before My Father in heaven," because it doesn't apply here. I hope you're not going to judge me and say that I lack faith when you don't know the condition of my heart. I wouldn't be surprised if you look at all of the good Christian things I've done according to my Facebook page-spending time as a Christian summer camp worker, the summers I served as a missionary in Houston, Texas and in a tiny village in Peru, the years I was a youth Bible study leader/mentor, or my ministry of helping international students and think "What a hypocrite. She's done so many churchy things and she's ashamed of saying she's a Christian!"

You see, it's not saying that I follow Christ is what I'm ashamed of. I give everything to follow Jesus and will eagerly tell you what He did in my life when I was a teenager. Rather, I hate saying I'm a Christian.. because of what my fellow Christians have done.

Write off gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders as inferior freaks of nature that are destined for hell when we also forget that the Bible also condemns in the same way the man who looks at a 16-year old in a bikini and lusts after her? Yeah, that's us, the Christians. Posting hateful propaganda about Obama and anyone who voted for him without being informed and judging people we don't even know? Freaking out because no one knows about our beliefs yet not being willing to listen to the beliefs of others? That would be the followers of Jesus Christ. And frankly, I'm usually ashamed to admit I'm one of them.

I'm writing all of these things after spending time both in the "Christian Bubble" of Baker County, Florida and in a major secular university, Florida State University. I've seen how true followers of Christ act and how cultural Christians live. I've seen how the Christian Bubble views the mainstream and how the mainstream views us. I've found that no one knows what we're for, only what we're against. Until the Body of Christ has some serious reform, I'm ashamed to admit I'm a Christian.

If you aren't a Christian, I'm sorry for any bad impression we have left on you. Our God isn't like we are. But if you are my fellow follower of Jesus, keep reading what I'm going to say these next few weeks. We've got some serious work to do.