Christianity's Image Problem

[jdnation]

It used to be, says David Kinnaman, that Christianity was both big and beloved in the U.S. — even among its non-adherents. Back in 1996, a poll taken by Kinnaman’s organization, the Barna Group, found that 83% of Americans identified themselves as Christians, and that fewer than 20% of non-Christians held an unfavorable view of Christianity. But, as Kinnaman puts it in his new book (co-authored with Gabe Lyons) UnChristian, “That was then.”

time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1667639,00.html

Though I wonder what the poll meant precisely by “too anti-homosexual.” How much is too much?

 

[goofyjim]

Does one ever consider that we treat homosexuals as the number one enemy when there are worse?

 

[Dale_M]

Does one ever consider that we treat homosexuals as the number one enemy when there are worse?

Yes, that is part of the problem. In politics having an enemy is useful and over the past 20 years or so political Christian organizations have loved having an enemy.

But I think this points to another problem - that the word “Christian” has come to be identified as political, instead of religious, in nature.

Edit:
Oh, this thread is about the same study
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=188273

 

[manualman]

Christianity has always had an image problem in cultures that reject its most core teachings. We should be thankful that THIS culture hasn’t gotten so rotten as to want to feed us to lions…yet.

Its not just a slogan, we really do live in a post-christian culture. What has replaced christianity is a pseudo-spirituality of self-actualization. In this worldview, all peoples are basically good and evil is the result of systemic pressures imposed from outside that overwhelm the inherent goodness of the person and drive them to evil actions. Thus, they redefine evil as external to the human person. By this reasoning, no urge that comes from the inside can be considered morally wrong. Thus, if it feels OK, then it IS OK.

This kind of worldview takes umbrage at ours because ours declares that humans are NOT inherently, totally good. Instead, we affirm humanity to be good, but FALLEN and in need of GRACE to be truly and totally good again. As part of our fallenness, we affirm that not all of what we desire, not all or our urges are good. Some have their origin in the broken part of our nature and we need to strive to be conformed to God’s character and pray for the Grace to succeed at it.

 

[edwest2]

This began as a series of beliefs promoted by the Hippie community that spread and became internalized by too many: “Let it all hang out man. If it feels good, do it.” Recently, Xtreme activity and its related mind set have taken hold. An old quote from MTV: “Too much is never enough.”

In 1968, when all this really exploded, too many Christians still had faith in established institutions and a great deal of compassion. So when various groups sprang up, like those who promoted abortion or feminists, we tended to listen and believe. “Feel sorry for us, allow us to abort. Rape, incest and the life of the mother.” But, once that door was opened, abortion on demand.

Supporters of No-Fault Divorce. “Please, have compassion on the women and children who need to get out of abusive relationships.” Now, most divorces are not a mutual decision and neither party needs to provide evidence that something wrong was going on.

The problem is too many Christians met these people halfway in an attempt to help and show compassion but were lied to and taken advantage of.

Young people were told to hate their parents, to get out of the house so they could do what they wanted to do without their parents “interfering.”

The only image problem Christianity has now is that some have strayed so far away from the Church that they feel they don’t know how to come back, They also see too many people around them living just like the rest of the world and they get direct and indirect encouragement from those people to continue in their sinful lifestyle.

Correcting the image problem simply means rejecting the image of life the world gives us and returning to seeing the image of God in Jesus Christ and doing what He wants us to do.

God bless,
Ed

 

[briang72]

We should not be concerned with our image problem and whether or not we are thought of as “too anti-homosexual” or “judgemental”. We have to continue to admonish sinners and expect that our image will suffer just as Jesus told us:

This I command you: love one another.

"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.

Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.

John 15:17-21

 

[goofyjim]

Abortion is the number one cause for alarm. Why do we treat homosexuals as though they are?