Over the years of dealing with well meaning and generally good natured Christians I've noticed this desire for a small number of them to "spread the love of God and their Saviour." This love takes many forms but it's usually offered in times of crisis: in sickness, death, or despair. I'm not referring to the people who do this for those reasons; I'm referring to the fundamental, conservative Christians who say it to just say it and don't care that they look, well, unhinged. In fact, they're a bit proud of it.
Now the more moderate and more socially aware Christians don't do this. Among my family spreading the love for God and Jesus is stated and restate ad nauseum to the point where it looks like bragging. These are the same people who send email hoaxes without checking their validity and bible verses to everyone without asking them. They also write in all caps and use lots of exclamation marks. The assumption is that everyone feels the same as they do and if they don't then this particular email or verse will surely change their mind. Again, it's a small number of Christians that do this and I seem to be related to everyone of them.
Here's the problem I have with professing in public or around unfamiliar people one's love of God/Jesus and their desire to spread it: it looks arrogant. There, I said it. With no regard to the religious or irreligious feelings of most people, these kinds of statements make a person look as if they are not in touch with the real world. Seriously, most people keep their religious feelings to themselves and are uncomfortable whenever someone is loudly and boastfully proclaiming this "love."
So if you're one of these Christians that feels compelled to share the love, keep in mind that most people will think you're nuts. Also know that very few people will be honest with you and tell you this important bit of information. The reason might be because they know you'll get offended and make a scene. Someday I'll have to tell the story of a fundamentalist Christian relative who made a scene at my father's memorial because I wouldn't accept her flavor of God. The arrogance of her actions was insulting and still haunts me to this day.
3 comments:
I know how you feel. I have a few relatives who act that way. Not saying names though. :)
Fortunately, I don't really have that problem in my family.
On an amusing note, my oldest brother is an alcoholic, and for a short while he was sober and in one of his "born again" phases. One day he said to me "It's to bad I won't see you in heaven bro." He knew I was an atheist, and the implication was that he would go to heaven when he died and I would not. He didn't stay sober much longer after that, and his life has been in a downward spiral ever since.
You're right. Its pure arrogance and one upmanship. I think its a lack of self esteem, amongst a host of other reasons that certain Christians act that way. Somehow, they're better than the rest of us due to God's Love. The few fundy's in my family have pretty much disowned me, espicaly since I got remarried. It no loss.
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