You’ve probably witnessed it many times, a believer proudly strutting, sanctimoniously proclaiming some odd agenda. What happens when a life doesn’t match the message, when it actually violates common sense and contradicts the claims of the messenger? The scenes are all to familiar. • A preacher prances across a stage, waving a Bible, speaking with an authoritative twang, and promising some untold blessing. Often, the rewards seem to be in proportion to the amount of money you send to the preacher’s organization.
• A zealous believer spends an inordinate amount of time denouncing the behavior of others and threatening them with damnation if they don’t immediately conform to his standards. Many times, these standards appear more an expression of the believer’s practices than of a divine command.
• An overly vocal religious group makes it clear not only that its views are correct but that anyone who disagrees is at least a fool. Opponents are viewed as enemies, and a condescending attitude pervades any attempt at discussion.
• A religious “expert” is interviewed about some current event or controversial issue, and he/she seems unable to have an intelligent conversation with those who disagree. Be “faithful” is construed as verbally stating the facts as loudly and boisterously as possible.
• A man stands on a street corner and harangues those who pass by, warning them of impending danger. “Repent” is repeatedly on his lips, and he is evidently quite confident that his words and accompanying actions are the answer to life’s questions.
• A couple of believers at work are always using Christian speak, taking their religious stand and announcing it in distinct religious language. The lingo, which is only partly understood by others, seems strained and foreign to outsiders.
The intent of the above examples is not to demean those who sincerely desire to live out their religious convictions. Indeed, there are certainly times when speaking out boldly or defending the truth are admirable qualities. The unfortunate point here, however, is that many times the actions and attitudes of believers are anything but admirable. When this happens, the behaviors displayed reinforce long held stereotypes and, as a result, many people–within and especially outside the church–are turned off.
Ghandi once reportedly remarked that, though he admired Jesus, he would not consider becoming a Christian because many are so unlike their Christ. To put it bluntly, one of the great obstacles to faith is the faithlessness and/or hypocrisy of its adherents. Why should anyone take Jesus seriously if his followers live in ways that are, frankly, unattractive and perhaps questionable? These are pertinent issues that we must face with seriousness and honestly.
In thinking through these difficulties, I admit that I’ve often been irritated and repelled by the strange behavior of many religious adherents. The all too predictable air of superiority, the arrogant swagger, the condescending attitude, the “I already have everything figured out” mentality–these and other traits are offensive to me. What I offer here, therefore, is the view of one who is often repulsed by religious stereotypes. However, despite “those damn Christians” and our aversion to some of the things that are done in Jesus’ name, it just might be possible to approach these matters in a way that actually bolsters faith. Let’s take a look.
Handling Hypocrisy and . . . Weirdness
□ While some believers are indeed hypocritical, one wonders what portion of the typical opposition to Christians and Christianity is based on the often repeated caricatures that are so prevalent. It is, frankly, popular to criticize those who make statements pertaining to religion, and some pundits have made a religion out of attacking anything that pertains to values or morality. In at least some cases, therefore, the hype outmatches the facts, and the common religious depiction is exaggerated. Do you know of any religious person who is basically a good and kind individual? Disagreements to the side, how do the believers with whom you’re acquainted fare when compared to, say, the average unbeliever? Is it not possible that at least some of the attacks on religion are cases of persecution? Could it even be that certain religious types are actually models of integrity? More so, is not the impulse to oppose hypocrisy itself a religious or spiritual impulse? Those with a distaste for predictable religiosity (and I am one of them) must honestly face such questions.
□ Let’s face it, none of us escapes some measure of hypocrisy. We are all inconsistent at best. Have you ever made promises that you were unable or unwilling to fulfill? How often have you been insincere or self-centered? Indeed, even when you fall far short of your own ideals, you don’t abandon those ideals, do you? Though we often behave unlovingly, most of us still believe in love. While many of us have told “white lies” (or worse!), we still cherish honesty. However unkind we have acted, we don’t normally depreciate acts of kindness. Inconsistency, you see, is a part of the human fabric. Thus, before we too quickly dismiss Jesus because of the shallowness of some of his followers, we probably ought to take an honest look at ourselves. Maybe, just maybe, there is something to Jesus despite the fickleness and, sometimes, strange behavior of some who utter his name.
□ Of course there is an even better reason to look to Jesus, for he–above others–is critical of those who act with pretentious piety. Even a cursory look at the Gospels reveals that Jesus most often attacked not the average person but those who bragged about being the guardians of truth. Though Jesus hated and opposed arrogance, he was able to distinguish between genuine beliefs (from and about) God and those who sometimes used those beliefs to carry out personal agendas. No one utilized “fire and brimstone” language more than Jesus, and no one was on the receiving end of such judgments more than the proud, self-proclaimed defenders and executors of the faith. Jesus didn’t allow the imperfections of people to stand in the way of genuine faith. Should we? Ironically, it may be that the inconsistency we find in others (and ourselves!) is not a deterrent to faith but an indicator that the truth is “out there.” The fact that hypocrisy and related offenses raise our ire suggests that there is some higher standard that we ought to pursue.
The call to follow Jesus is coupled with danger, for we live in a dangerous world and we all possess deceitful hearts. Perhaps, this is why in choosing to believe certain things about Jesus we must never forget that we are ultimately following him. He alone can enable us to navigate our way through the dangers. It is comforting–at least to me–to observe how radical and, shall we say, anti-traditional Jesus can be. He takes up our cause and mingles with common folk. He criticizes the high and mighty and hangs out with the weak and unstable. He refuses to bend to the status quo when the status quo is contrary to the will of his Father and the good of his people. And, he invites us to go with him–boldly yet humbly, openly yet confidently–on a journey of faith.
Like you, I too am annoyed by so much of what goes by the name “Christian.” The strange beliefs and behaviors, the weird lifestyles, the ostentatiousness of so many are a real “turn off.” To be honest, it occasionally makes me question the whole enterprise. But in my better moments I also realize my own many shortcomings, and I recognize, as well, that Jesus long ago anticipated this sort of thing. Unsteady as we often are, bumbling idiots that we might be, there is still a place for faith in our world. Faith works its way around the obstacles of hypocrisy, pomposity, and wackiness, and finds a way to follow. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. That’s how faith operates.
One ancient sage said it well: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels.” Somehow, in the mystifying ways of God, this is the way he’s chosen for us. We must still oppose hypocrisy, of course, especially in ourselves, and we must do our best to distinguish between perfect truth and our imperfect expressions of it. Along the way, we must learn to embrace the treasure itself. The treasure is worth it all. Skeptical, uncertain, even cynical as we might be, there is still room for the treasure. You can still believe in the treasure.
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