Dear Christian..

I'd like to take a moment to be real with you for just a moment. I'm gonna say some things in this letter that will most likely hurt your feelings. My intent is not to hurt you, but to write to you as one adult to another.

Grow up.

As one who has grown up a Christian I've been part of a church all of my life. For 25 years I was taught to "turn the other cheek", in other words, roll over and let them beat me senseless and love them anyways. Well, Christian, that's a load of crap. For too long you've been walking around weak, scared, and defenseless against the things that hurt you - all in the name of Christ. Is that the example Christ set for us? Did He just sit idly by while His kids were harmed? Not a chance! He defended us, even to death! You are not supposed to be a pushover! Stand up!

Another issue I think you've fallen into is not taking ownership of your own crap. By that I mean, you feel a certain way on an issue, and rather than take ownership for your position, you pass the buck to God calling it, "the Christian view" or the "biblical stance" or some other nonsense. The fact is, none of the things we fight for are ever a calling on a believers life. Same sex marriage is not a Christian issue. Abortion is not a Christian issue. Animal cruelty is not a Christian issue. Are these moral issues? Absolutely!! But are they issues that Christ has called us to attack or defend? Not at all! I'm not condoning abortion by any means, but it's an issue of my heart not my relationship with God. You need to stop throwing Christ out in the front lines of the battles you start. Battling in the name of Christ is what started the crusades, and I think we'd all agree that was a huge mistake in Christian history. You are an individual, take responsibility for your thoughts and actions. This leads me to my next point.

Grow a pair.

We as Christians are taught never to cause offense. We let the tone deaf guy sing solos every week and encourage him to keep up the work for the Lord. Everybody smiles and keeps letting him do it when the reality is, someone should be this guys friend and tell him it isn’t working. We let people walk all over us and don’t have anything to say. Yet, we gossip about those same people constantly. The best way to get anything out into the open would be to find the nearest choir director and confide our problems in him. Within hours everyone will be “praying” for you. That’s a load of crap! Shut your mouth and get a backbone. If you don’t like something, say something. Stop hiding your feelings behind garbage words and fake prayer requests. Be the adult God allowed you to grow into.

Stop attacking your family.

The body of Christ is huge and diverse. Each of us has a unique understanding of Papa. Unique means different, unique means not the same as yours. God designed us that way. Your answer is not the end all on any particular subject, there will always be someone who disagrees with you and that doesn’t mean they are wrong, or that you are wrong. Stop kicking your brothers and sisters! We have to stop this! The heart of Christ is not one that would attack someone who believes differently than you. It is not our job to defend Christ to our fellow believers. IT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS! You will never have them. If you think you are someone who is able to actively seek out all of the fallacies in the world, let me clue you in, Christ is so much bigger than your piddly crap attacks. Stop it. Get over yourself.

If you’re offended, ask yourself why. It may have something to do with wrong thinking on your part. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I sure as heck don’t want to play the little church games anymore. The church is not a club, it is a family. Treat it like one.

I’m sure I will see a myriad of angry posts about how cruel and rude I have been, but every now and then someone has to call you out on your crap. It isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last. You’re no better than that lesbian at work or the pedofile down the road. God loved you enough to bring you to the revelation of who He is, He loves them that much too, despite your crap way of presenting Him. People aren’t rejecting God, they’re rejecting the god you are presenting them with. Reevaluate your presentation and I bet you’ll see a change in yourself and those around you.

You are the most amazing thing that God has ever created! He loves you more than you could ever know! He also loves those who don’t quite know who He is just the same. Be Christ to the world. They are lost, and they are behaving in that way. Be the reflection of Christ that makes them long to have what you have. I love you, just get your crap together.

The Other Guy