The “Those Christians” Test

No, this isn’t a test to see if you’re me. And it’s not even a test to see if you’re a Christian, exactly. It’s a way to tell if maybe – just maybe – you’re one of “those Christians” who so many that have walked away from the faith say had something to do with their departure.

As Gandhi famously said, “I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.” See, that’s a problem. And it’s not that I expect Christians to be perfect. Far from it. But if we’re ever going to be justified in claiming Jesus as the model for our lives, it might help first if there was more of a resemblance.

So with that, I give you ten ways to tell if you are possibly one of “those Christians:”

You might be one of “Those Christians” if…

1. Your God hates all the same people you do (thank you, Anne Lamott).

2. You think Christianity is about fire insurance, rather than about care for others.

3. You think that going to church on Sunday gives you a license to preach at people who don’t.

4. You talk about what you believe more than you listen to others about what they believe, or don’t believe.

5. You think Jesus was white, or even Christian (hint: he was Jewish).

6. You tell others what they are and aren’t allowed to do in church because of their gender, sexual orientation, political leanings or income bracket.

7. You think that becoming a Christian somehow automatically makes you less of an a-hole.

8. You actually get some sadistic thrill in finding reasons why other people are going to hell.

9. You use words like “repent,” “obey,” “abomination,” “rapture,” “end-times” or “hell” in sharing your beliefs with others.

10. You think none of these apply to you.

And no, there’s no scoring key. This is not a pass/fail kind of thing. That, of course, would be a telltale “those Christians” move.

Coming up tomorrow: The Jesus Test.