Christians Tick Me Off!

For the past 5 weeks I've become very aware of the snobbery of Christians. Christians think they have "the" one and only answer." If you don't believe the way they do, you are just plain wrong. I've known that that is part of Christian belief. Most religions promote the idea that theirs is the ultimate truth and others are wrong. I think, but I could be wrong, that Buddhism is the only religion which doesn't believe that. My experience lately has put me on the receiving end of this attitude of Christians. They assume that everyone around them is Christian. (That part comes from the "Bible belt" mentality.) They impose their terminology and their agenda on the world around them. I've experienced this in line at the coffee counter; As I drive down the road and read bumper stickers; As I talk with my friends; As I talk with strangers in stores. What I have heard through these experiences is that if I don't believe like they do, it's really a matter of my ignorance, and if I just knew what they know, I would believe the same. Of course these people don't know with whom they speak. They don't know that I can talk circles around their Christian jargon and tell them what those words actually mean, and still not believe. They don't know that they are the ignorant ones in the conversation. (Sorry, as I've said, I'm a bit ticked off!)

I've also had the uncomfortable experience of having my Christian friends try to coerce me to believe. I know they mean well. They like me and they want me to regain the faith I've lost. I can't blame them for that. At the same time, I've noticed that when I explain one of my experiences, they will "translate" my words into "Christian," words. They get a twinkle in the eye and lean forward like they have just solved this mystery of my lack of faith and they want to share those magic words which will give it back to me. When I talk about this experience of going down into the fire and rising as the phoenix from the ashes, I get, "Oh! It's your resurrection! You're going to be great in ministry once you figure this out, because you'll be able to talk to people about their real struggles." If I wanted to use Jesus imagery, I'd use Jesus imagery. I don't need it translated for me. It makes me feel like a child whose just been patted on the head. "You'll be okay once you grow up and get the real perspective." I've always told people that if their faith doesn't match their experience in life, then it doesn't mean anything. It is worthless. Here I am, finding my faith doesn't match life and so...... Don't sugar coat it. "Once life is less painful, then you'll believe again." If it doesn't mean anything "in the trenches," then it doesn't mean anything.

I don't know what I will believe eventually. Just don't assume or patronize. And please don't do that to other people around you! It insults and hurts them.