...thoughts from a worn out political junkie

I have avoided blogging about anything politically driven as of late because I have felt so inundated by it all that I don't even know where to begin. I only wish I had the time to write about it all, as only writing about one or two of the hundreds of topics I feel compelled by feels so inconsequentially minor. My inbox is overloaded with emails and forwards and attacks and good and bad points, and of course I allow myself to become emotionally invested - passionate, excited, infuriated - about every one of them. I feel so fully invested in this election, and now it has become just as much about my personal life as it has about my civic commitment. It has been rocking my world, in more than one sense.

And so tonight I won't write about the election directly, but I'll write about something I see as closely linked. Hopefully I can make the connection for you.

In addition to all of the political rhetoric, I was shaken by the sermon last Sunday at church. Our good friend Tim preached about Christ followers in relationship, hitting on the perceptions of Christianity for those outside the church. He started the sermon with some statistics from the book "unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity" by David Kinnaman. Check it out - 24 million 16-29 year olds who describe themselves as "outsiders" to Christianity weighed in on their perceptions of Christians: 91% saw Christians as anti-homosexual, 87% saw them as judgmental, and 85% as hypocritical.

As I sat there listening I started to cry. Why? Because I can see why these numbers exist. It bothers me, in fact it tears me apart, but it doesn't surprise me. I am trying to convince plenty of people in my life that just because I am a Christian does not mean I am automatically anti-homosexual, judgmental and hypocritical. I have dear, dear beloved friends who are homosexuals, and deep deep down I have this quiet fear that after all these years of loving them they still wonder if I am "one of them." Just putting that fear in writing brings tears to my eyes, and yet I wouldn't blame people for asking. I am, after all, linked to a staggering statistic. What has the church as a whole done to make anyone believe otherwise?

Which is where this starts to come full circle. Here I am trying to prove these stereotypes untrue in my own life and relationships, and meanwhile I have received emails and read articles in the past week that have caused my blood to boil - shamelessly hurtful rhetoric that was written in a last ditch effort to convince Christians that voting a certain way in this election is indeed God's will. One such letter went as far to claim that we should be more worried about Obama "pushing for homosexual rights" then we should be concerned about the economy. Such hateful rhetoric, driven by fear, has reminded me again and again of why 85-91% of the "outsiders" to Christianity in my peer group see Christians as hypocritical, judgmental, and anti-homosexual. And I just want to weep.

Do you think this is what Jesus meant by loving the world?

For the benediction, following his sermon, Tim closed with Micah 6:8. I love this verse for many reasons...of course for its infinite wisdom, but also because it makes me think of my little brother (even if you are spelled with a "k") and of the song we used to sing back at camp...

"God has shown you, oh man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee; but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

I am not going to pretend that I am any good at doing the above in my own life, but I believe with all of my heart that the more I strive to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly, the more I can distance myself from the judgmental, hypocritical Christ follower I pray I will never be.