welcome to the story.

Somehow, another talking head as tried to represent my Christianity to everyone by misrepresentating. Pat Robertson had some really dumb comments to make. How unusal? And I go to this one site a couple of times a week to laugh and remind myself how serious this "thing" and I see where they are belittling the loss of Kyle Lake because he was a part of the emerging movement. They even hint that his friendship with them is what possibly lead to his death. And somehow, these are the people that represent God? Don Miller makes a great point. One time he was in this conversation with this guy who hated Christians and God. And the guy asked him to defend Christianity. Don Miller said he wouldn't do it. He said Christianity means so many different things to so many different people. And that he couldn't and wouldn't support those ideas. Don Miller said he wouldn't defend the "Christianity" that many people equated with standing on tv and begging for money. Don Miller said he wouldn't defend the "Christianity" that many people equated with sex scandals and sexual abuse of children in the church. Don Miller said he wouldn't defend the "Christianity" that many people equated with white-suburban males and their political and economic interests. Don Miller said he wouldn't defend the "Christianity" that is so upside down in the lives of so many Christians that they turn out fake, bigotted, arrogant, and cold and calloused. I agree. I know there are good places out there. Good people who are a part of the solution and not the problem. But as a whole, I think Christians are doing more harm than good. That's a really huge statement and I've been thinking about it for a few months now and for the time being, I'll stand by it. Go ask 99% of the people who have a problem with God and they'll tell you their problem is not with God or the spiritual but with Christians and churches. And I agree. That's my problem. Why is it that we continually let the voices of Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and countless other zealots of all persuasions, whose names I will not mention at this time, be the voice for God and our faith? I don't know if I want to be called a Christian anymore. The word does not mean what it used to mean. The word means republican, anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-anybody whose different than me. And since most people aren't religious, pharisetical zealots, that means they hate almost everybody. So I'm not a Christian anymore. I don't like the term. I won't defend it. I won't use it. I am a God-follower. Not just any god. But the God who creates, rescues, and inspires. The God of Israel. The God of the whole world. The God of grace. The God of love. The God who can not be tacked on to us. Some people used to call him, YHWH. It's an old Hebrew word that basically means "IT". Tecnically, it means "The Lord". But if you're a lord over something, you're IT. There is nothing else. You're it. I believe in the God whose IT. And for all of my friends who have trouble believing in God. In whatever variance that belief takes. Don't look to Christians who mess it up. Don't look to churches who mess it up. And if you can't see God clearly because of all the junk that has been added and tacked on and stuck on the idea of God . . . and this is a really bold statement . . . if you can't see God clearly . . . just look at me. Follow me. Live like I live. I'll mimic what a God-follower looks like. What kind of hope and joy that brings with it. How much easier and fun it makes life. How it helps your perspective when things go wrong and when things go good. I'm not saying I'm going to get it right. I'll mess up. I'll let you down. I'll distort the picture of God for you too. But look to me. Keep looking to me. Stay with me long enough so that you can begin to hear the faint rhythym of what I hear. Stay with me long enough so that you can begin to move to that rhythm. Don't buy into the lies. Don't buy into the Christianity that misrepresents God. Buy into people who do represent God and remind you of what life and love could and should be. I don't blame you for feeling the way you do. I don't blame you for being hurt or burned or let down. It happened to me. But I found another way that is different than the old way. I found an older way. The original way. Before we jacked it up and hijacked it for our own agenda. It may not mean much. But I really need to say that and let you all know that. If you're really bored, go and download Coldplay's song, A Message off their latest album and read these lyrics from the song. But don't read it until you download the song. I really think God feels that. I do think He means that. My song is love Love to the loveless shown And it goes on You don't have to be alone Your heavy heart Is made of stone And it's so hard to see you, clearly You don't have to be on your own You don't have to be on your own And I'm not gonna take it back And I'm not gonna say I don't mean that You're the target that I'm aiming at Can i get that message home? My song is love My song is love unknown, But I'm on fire for you, clearly You don't have to be alone You don't have to be on your own And I'm not gonna take it back And I'm not gonna say I don't mean that You're the target that I'm aiming at And I'm nothing on my own Got to get that message home And I'm not gonna stand and wait I'm not gonna leave it until it's much too late On a platform, I'm gonna stand and say That I'm nothing on my own And I love you, please come home My song is love, is love unknown? And I've got to get that message home.