I heard an evangelical pastor interviewed this week who said, “Antifa means anti-fascist. Don’t be fooled, if you are anti-fascist you are antifa and you are anti-America.” I was stunned, but it brought to mind the many, many things I have heard from pulpits over the years that caused me deep distress and, in some cases, outrage. By working for the United Methodist denomination for fifteen years I had the blessing/curse of hearing messages from all across the theological and theo-illogical spectrum. I understand that there are is a multiverse of understandings of the Word, Will, and Wisdom of God, but there are some things taught in the name of the Christian faith that have caused me powerful consternation. I have always attempted to be more discerning than judging, so I will leave these following quotations I have gathered over the years as “teasers” simply intended to encourage you to reflect on where you agree, disagree, or are indifferent. These are all actual quotations of preachers from a variety of denominations, but primarily United Methodist.

• “The path to wealth leads through the cross of Jesus. We can attain riches by the blood of the Lamb.”
• “Christians are not racist or sexist. By definition, once we are in Christ we are one, therefore racism and sexism are impossible.”
• “The Jesus who told his followers in his day to sell their cloak to buy a sword tells us today to buy a gun.”
• “God hates faggots, therefore true Christians must hate faggots.”
• “God’s grace is free, but if we tolerate sinners we make it cheap grace, not free grace. God’s grace is conditional on our behavior.”
• “Don’t pray for an end to war. War is God’s way for the angels of light to defeat the agents of darkness. Peace can only come through victory.”
• “It is easy to tell if a woman is a Christian or not. Does she obey men?”
• “Discipline your children with an open hand, never a closed fist. When you must strike your children, remember to do it with love.”
• “Baptism makes us ‘better than…’ so pray for the unbaptized that they may become like we are.”
• “Poverty is a judgment. Why should we think we know better than God what others deserve?”
• “God offers unconditional love through Christ to all who warrant, earn, and are entitled to it.”
• “We should not be distracted by the idea of unity. The Bible is clear that God does not want to include everyone, so we shouldn’t either.”
• “Don’t be good to try to impress God. Before you were born your fate was sealed. It is God’s will alone whether you go to glory or perdition.”
• “Don’t worry about what is happening in foreign lands, in other nations, in our country, and other states. Don’t even worry about other cities and towns. We are told to love ourselves, our families, and our immediate neighbors, and most of all God. It is all a faithful person can do simply to get their own house in order.”
• “Don’t think in terms of tithes or offerings. Think in terms of investment. The more you invest today, the greater return you will receive in heaven.”
• “Understand politics in America as a spiritual issue. Pray that God will show you the party that loves families, hates sin, respects the flag, and that obeys God’s commandments. There is only one.”
• “We are how God judges sin. We are how He conquers evil. We are the way God carries out His vengeance. We are the body of Christ casting out the demons that threaten to destroy God’s truth.”

I chose to leave out most of the more offensive things I have heard, not wanting to bias the list too much. I also tried not to be overly redundant, but I have about seven legal pad pages of things I have heard over the years that I, personally, have disagreed with. Confessing that, yes, I am judgmental and reject the thinking and teaching of the statements on this list, it is a reality check for me that raises questions I have wrestled with my entire life: How is it possible that so many conflicting, divisive, provocative, insightful, inspirational, creative, and destructive meanings and interpretations are drawn from the same source material? How can our lenses be so different? How do the plethora of Christian worldviews and the diverse understandings of scripture impact any single definition of the word “Christian?” It does help me understand Paul’s invitation to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

It breaks my heart when I hear the Christian faith interpreted in ways I feel and think are hostile, judgmental, condemnatory, greedy, selfish, divisive, angry, or just plain mean, but I have to be honest that it is simply my thinking versus thinking with which I disagree. What if I am wrong? I don’t think I am, otherwise I wouldn’t believe what I believe. But isn’t this also true of the people who teach and preach radically different interpretations and understandings? Don’t they believe what they believe thinking it is valid and true? Do we know of anyone who holds fast to principles, values and beliefs that they think are stupid, false, or wrong?

I wish everyone believed as I do. That would make things so much simpler. If everyone would simply listen to me, agree with me, marvel at the wisdom and sophisticated insight I possess, it would not be long until we all enjoyed heaven on earth. Oh, humility? What’s that? I forget.