Sunday, April 30, 2006

The Big C

Not cancer, as often the phrase is used to describe.......

The word is Christian.......let me google it and see the definition according to dictionary.com

Chris·tian ( P ) Pronunciation Key (krschn)adj.
Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
Relating to or derived from Jesus or Jesus's teachings.
Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike.
Relating to or characteristic of Christianity or its adherents.
Showing a loving concern for others; humane. n.
One who professes belief in Jesus as Christ or follows the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
One who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.


And

christian
the name given by the Greeks or Romans, probably in reproach, to the followersof Jesus. It was first used at Antioch. The names by which the disciples wereknown among themselves were "brethren," "the faithful," "elect," "saints,""believers." But as distinguishing them from the multitude without, the name"Christian" came into use, and was universally accepted. This name occurs butthree times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16).



Now, the definiation according to the dictionary of bigjohn, a fatlad in a thin place........

A bandwagon often jumped on, hijacked even, by humans who see the term as something that justifies their own (often selfish) belief that they are right, even when they are wrong, and their beliefs and prejudices should be forced upon any other human that is not one of them.
It is a word that frankly, scares me.
It has become a word that seems to be exactly the opposite of what it really started out to be.
I am probably over-generalising I know, because some of the most beautiful people I know are openly and unashamedly professed 'Christian'.
And at the same time, some of the least beautiful people in the world (in this I mean spiritually, not physically), do the same - justify their actions and power-loving behaviour, in Jesus' name.

Who is the true 'christian'?

To many quarters of the world, it is nothing more than the worst 4 letter word imaginable.

I work, in a voluntary capacity, for an organisation, Greenbelt, that describes itself as;

'an independent Christian charity working to express love, creativity and justice in the arts and contemporary culture in the light of the Christian gospel.'

Twice the word appears in the top lines of the mission statement

A few years ago, in my first year of volunteering, helping out at the festival, working one afternoon in a busy portacabin with a number of others, I was asked 'are you a christian, bigjohn?
All I could answer, truthfully, was that the word made me cringe, and feel embarrassed.
There was a short silence, everyone seemed to pause their actions.
'Do you believe in Jesus, God even, and that he died to save you?' was the follow up
That was easier to answer.
'Oh yes.......of that I have no doubts whatsoever'

The tension was eased, and laughter followed........and I knew i was in a place where I belonged, as much as I belong anywhere else in this world.

So, i dont know how to behave in a 'christian' enviroment, and I am at once uncomfortable and uneasy, but at the same time 'placed'. There. Belonged.

All I can be is myself, and let that true self grow and learn, challenge. Blossom.

I heard the proclaimers sing this song and was challenged, and loved it, have a listen and help me out here.

Lord I want to be a Christian
In my heart
In my heart
Lord I want to be a Christian
In my heart

Lord I want to love everybody
In my heart
In my heart
Lord I want to love everybody
In my heart
In my heart
In my heart
Lord I want to be a Christian
In my heart

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