Last week, Kimberly Hyatt of Patheos asked why Christians are mean in “Look at the Christians: See How Mean They Are”. “Perhaps it is past time for us to stop focusing on what others are doing or trying to do and start taking responsibility for our own actions and their consequences.” This is always true and no Christian can really disagree with such a statement. We know or should know that we are responsible for our actions and their consequences because it was the kind of thing Jesus spoke about in parables and elsewhere. It is a essential theme of Christianity that what any person does says has consequences; repentance, forgiveness by God and man, death and judgement, Christ’s death for our sins, these are all about the consequences of what we say and do and how we or God handle them.
For Hyatt, the question came up as a response to the way Christians dealt with the recent Chick-fil-A/gay marriage kerfuffle. Christians who oppose gay marriage are mean. She polled and other religions were not seen as so mean. The accusation of meanness has had other applications. Christians who oppose abortion are mean in that they are not considering the plight of the woman with an unwanted pregnancy, considering only the death of the unborn in our moral equation that sums all up into abortion as sin. Our response to the woman is mean. Perhaps it is conservative Christians who are the most mean. Stressing work over welfare is mean. Calling for smaller government and fewer entitlement programs is mean. Observing a distinction between legal and illegal immigration is mean. The death penalty is mean. Compassionate conservatism was an attempt to divert the accusation of meanness. Consider how well that went.
But what does Hyatt mean by mean? She doesn’t get into it as in offering any clear definition, except to suggest that we ought to accept the perceptions of others. When we say hard things and especially when we say that the Bible contains truth, others perceive that as mean. We had better be careful how we say that God is the way and the truth and the life. That’s mean. If we accept that kind of restriction on what we say and do, then what non-Christians think matters more than what God said. Apparently being mean means that we are wrong to question the world about what it is doing. Doing so implies judgement; what has Christianity got to do with that?
Of course we always need to be careful about how we speak, but if the option is never to speak, then can we ever be salt and light, as we are supposed to be? Christianity is not sweet because it knows there are consequences to human actions and ideas and many of those are not sweet. For Christians, correction is part of love. Forgetting that really helps no one, but it is the better part of the sweetness demanded of Christians by those who don’t want to hear Christian correction. Which can be rudely spoken at times, that’s for sure. Too much salt is tasteless. Too much light is blinding. In addition, there certainly are those claiming the title Christian who do not speak the truth or are without love. Yet, truth is not always kind even when kindly spoken; everyone knows that. We still have to do our best with truth as we see it, as all those other faith or those without faith might do. Hyatt is telling us, “They will know you are Christians because you are so lovable.” I do not see that in scripture, either, but the opposite.
August 30th, 2012 | 12:50 am
The truth isn’t going to change just because some people weren’t brought up know how to deal with disagreement. Four plus four won’t turn into nine to please people who can’t spell eight.
August 31st, 2012 | 9:55 am
When we repeat what the Bible says it is not mean. It is love. The whole book is about Love.
Fools believe when we distort God’s word to please the world It is love. It is not love to
guide people into Hell by encouraging them to sin.
John the elder
August 31st, 2012 | 10:06 am
Serena is right. Besides, few want to think or admit the Bible is authentic – people are trying to discredit the Bible all the time.
Few want to believe it because it will ‘cramp their lifestyles’ and few want that either.
It is sad that people cannot grasp the validity of the scriptures and how Christians want to live, their belief in God and Jesus Christ, or our wish for others to live a life fitting the scriptures and enjoying the rewards and peace they bring.
If people are not exposed to Biblical teachings, they have no clue of what Christians are talking about and think they are ‘mean-spirited’ because it infringes on their way of life.
August 31st, 2012 | 10:28 am
Good comments. Thank you.
Do you suppose Kimberly Hyatt has not been exposed to the Bible or Biblical teaching? Her bio says, “Before this gig, I was immersed in the world of religion – attending Princeton Seminary, serving as a hospital chaplain and then holding pastorates at South Jacksonville Presbyterian and Peace Presbyterian churches here in Jacksonville, Florida, where I moved in 1996. In 2000, I had the privilege of serving as a national commissioner to the 213th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) which gave me a much greater appreciation of my denomination, warts and all.”
August 31st, 2012 | 10:48 am
It’s possible to know all about the Bible and religion and still not have a personal relationship with the Savior. Each one of us has to examine our own hearts for ourselves. Out of the abundance of our heart, our mouth speaks. I do read words by some who are calling themselves Christians that reveal a possible problem with self-righteousness. That isn’t any more pleasing to our God than any other sin and it’s something we need to really watch in ourselves. But that said, we must speak the truth and it isn’t ever going to be popular. It is hard. It’s hard to speak it and it’s hard to hear and accept it. It would be so much easier to just let people do whatever they want to do and ignore the fact that most of them are on their way to Hell. Easier, that is, until we lay our head on the pillow at night after a friend who we never told about the Lord has passed away..gone into eternity without knowing the forgiveness and love of Christ. Then we will wish we had told them about the One Who wanted them to spend eternity with Him. So watch your attitude..but speak the truth. Realize you won’t be popular..but the fear of man is a snare, the Bible says, so count the cost and do it anyway.
August 31st, 2012 | 11:18 am
If we can control our tongues, speak even as we hear our Father speak, we need not apologize to those offended. Simply repeat it, always ‘speaking the truth IN LOVE.’ And NEVER allow offense into our hearts.
Eph 4: 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.’
August 31st, 2012 | 11:43 am
Wow, LouiseCA
Your comment is so well stated! Thanks!
August 31st, 2012 | 4:13 pm
We as Christians need pray for Kimberly Hyatt. So that Kimberly would blinded by the world’s standards how a person should be and missed God’s commandments for us, humans.
Kimberly is thinking that Christianity is mean. She is missing God’s Love for us, humans. She is thinking that us, humans should accept any kind of behavior from a person because we do not know a person has gone through. Not knowing what God wants for her life. God wants the best situation for her entire whole life or anybody else’s life. That Jesus Christ did died upon the Cross to take our sins from us so that we can be acceptable before God as we enter in Heaven. Otherwise we will be separated from God’s present for eternally.
August 31st, 2012 | 5:35 pm
Those pesky Christians are so mean. But killing fetuses right up until moment of birth is not so mean to those who don’t want to be bothered by a child and Islamists do not think they are mean by beheading infidels who don’t submit to them. Come to think about it Christians are not so mean after all.
August 31st, 2012 | 10:37 pm
I have always taken the word mean to indicate a persons unwillingness to give of their material benefits to others in contrast to a willingness to do so. To that end it would be a good thing to reveal the giving attributes of citizens and how much individuals and groups such as churches give to those less fortunate than themselves. Perhaps that might reveal who is really mean in society. This might aid those who, have a truly giving spirit and are part of the christian community to be defended when others might try to label them as mean.
We live in a world where those that epitomise the expression, ‘empty vessels make the most noise’, are given more validation and respect as voicepieces than the Mother Theresa types.
There are those within christian community who, pretending to represent Christianity do more damage by the ignorant, uninformed and ungodly manner in which they communicate their ‘point’s’ of interest. These people probably are mean but are in the minority.
Many are not. They are considerate, caring and giving but they hold to their position as their faith dictates. If we really wish to define mean in its extreme sense, perhaps we should use the example of a 14 year old child facing the very real chance of the death penalty for simply being caught with a couple of pages of what some consider to be a holy book.
Those who attack Christians would never have the courage to ‘really take it up to’ those who would uphold that type of meanness.
September 1st, 2012 | 9:09 am
Well Kimberly does have a point. I have been an Independent Fundamental Baptist almost all of my life…better known now as “fundies”. And let me tell you they can be mean spirited. I remember as a little girl that if someone in the church was hurting or lost their job, we would just pray for them and never give them any material help. When IFB go soul winning, it is always…if you don’t get saved now, you are going to hell. And if people don’t get saved or accept Christ as their personal Savior, they are going to hell. But I think there is a nicer way of gong about this, and it is called building a relationship with someone and let them see
Christ shine in you. Then just then they might want what you have. But strong arming someone is not the correct way to bring them to salvation. Also, as for being mean about gays. The Bible states clearly what will happen to gays. But as a Christian, should we shun them or be mean to them NO…stand your ground on what the Bible says on any sin, but do not be ugly in actons or speach for the sinner. If you were a non Christian, wouldn’t you respent someone pushing God or Salvation down our throat. Again, we need to love what God loves and hate the things He hates. But again, she is right to some extent…there are some mean spirited Christians out there!!! I have worked with a few!!!!
September 1st, 2012 | 9:27 am
Dave, that is a definition of mean that is easier to deal with. A Christian gives or doesn’t give and that is more nearly measurable and for a Christian sacrifice comes into it.
In America these days mean has nothing to do with means or what one does with means. Reading Hyatt, that is clearly not what she is talking about, although one could be mean in her sense by having an abundance for every good work and then ignoring the good work that could be done. That would be unkind and it is unkindness shaped by petty cruelty that she is discussing. There might be reconciliation of the terms in the person who has much but does not give to the poor and needy because they are undeserving by his judgement and he gets some pleasure out of not giving because of self-righteousness.
This story of the child accused of desecrating the Koran does contain a kind of meanness against Christians that transcends anything Hyatt referenced as examples of the meanness of Christians in taking political and social stands based on morality and Biblical faith.
September 1st, 2012 | 10:07 am
Donna, yes, there are Christians who do not behave in a Christian manner and that does reflect badly on us all. How far do we go to be loved? When faced with sin in the world, does the Christian take a mild stance? Is that Christian’s stance meekness or is it fear of man?
Here’s the problem; if you would hate what God hates, then people will take that as judgement, which it is. Try telling a gay person that God loves him but hates what he does. Try it. The response is this: “God cannot love me if he hates what I do because I am what I do, therefore God hates me. I hate you and I hate your God.” I have had this conversation with people I love. It is painful because of love. Discussing what God hates, even in love, is considered being mean.
September 1st, 2012 | 10:16 am
The discussion that if we love someone we will not mention that their death style will result in an eternity of death, is not describing love. God is love and He clearly states that sinful man is in a deathstyle not a lifestyle. If we love our offspring we train them up in the way they should go not let them shuffle down the broad path of some “deathstyle” because everyone esle is doing it. (Which isn’t true. Not everyone else is doing that deathstyle shuffling thing.)
September 1st, 2012 | 1:37 pm
When the fire of truth burns in your belly, if you are a sinner who is convicted by that truth – you often feel it is “mean”. When I had an alchohol addiction that I did not want to give up, I thought that all those Christian folks who told me how it would destroy my life were just being mean and not trying to understand MY feelings. This label of meanness is just the badge of selfishness in a sinner. We pray for them and continue to speak truth, no matter what they call it.
September 1st, 2012 | 5:28 pm
People who see ” mean ” Christians do not understand the phrase ” tough love ” , but are fully involved in ” self pity or just lie , even to themselves .
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