Lies Christians Tell (Tony Kriz)

By Tony Kriz, from Portland (woohoo), From CT:

I want to encourage an exhale of peace and freedom here. I am going to take a few minutes to simply start the conversation. Here is a short list, in no particular order, of seven of the ways that I am aware that I and others have lied (and still do) when we practice cross-spiritual communication. I hope that you will add your own thoughts in the comments below. Maybe we will get to share a classroom of epiphanies together right here in Leadership Journal.

1. We lie when we claim we are more confident than we really are.
2. We lie when we claim that unexplainable things are in fact explainable.
3. We lie when we don’t acknowledge our doubts within the drama of faith.
4. We lie when we pretend like the Bible doesn’t say some really nasty things when in fact it does.
5. We lie when we claim we understand other beliefs, faiths and world views.
6. We lie when we claim that all of our beliefs are a “10”.
7. Finally, and most importantly, we lie (insidious and barbaric lying) when we pretend like we really, really, really love the other person when in fact we don’t.

I would like to close with a different sort of lie. This is not a way that I lie, but instead a way that I was lied to. I was lied to by religious people. They told me that cross-spiritual communication is dangerous. It is dangerous because when I do it, there is a strong possibility that it will divide and the other person will become my enemy.

Well, in my experience sharing my faith around the world and in my post-Christian city, if we can share honestly, authentically and with humility, division does not happen. Instead, Friendship Happens.