Here’s a new photomeme on Flickr, to re:mix what the way many Americans apologized to the world that Bush was reelected (regardless of how you felt about that).
I think most people will agree that Christians have, at various times throughout history and throughout our own lives, been jerks. Time to own up to that and apologize, for what it’s worth. Hopefully it will be worth something to someone.
Here’s what you can do:
1. Check out the photos
2. Download and print the Sorry We Christians Have Been Jerks PDF
3. Write your name or city (or whatever) on the sign and take a picture of yourself holding it
4. Upload your picture to Flickr and tag it with these tags: sorry sorryeverybody sorrychristians (three separate tags - this is essential for the meme to work)
5. Tell all your friends and get them to do the same thing (hint: just write your city on the sign and pass it around when you’re with a bunch of people, and take pictures of each of them holding the sign)
6. Most importantly, mean it, and contribute to a global, lived-out apology to the world for the way Christians have acted (or failed to act)
Code to copy this post to your blog:
To keep up with how this progresses, subscribe to the RSS photo feed for this meme.
bro,
you have done a great thing here.
keep on.
ps- blue like jazz inspiration?
Haven’t read it. I saw the “We’re sorry” thing a lot in Seattle and on blogs, and it occurred to me to do this today for some reason.
Can we expect to see the Nygrens apologizing pictorally?
I’m curious– Justin, have you personally been a “jerk” in your religious life? Or is this some attempt to apologize for say, the Crusades? (and one could question whether these types were ‘Christians’).
I think all of us have been jerks toward non-Christians in some way or another, whether we realize it or not, even if we’re doing our best to be cool with them. And yes, I’m including historical jerkiness like the Crusades, but not limiting it to that.
Heck, I even feel like calling them “non-Christians” is, semantically, a pretty jerky thing to do. It’s almost as kind sounding as calling someone “hellbound”.
Why?
Because if there’s one thing the world believes about Christians it’s that we think all of them and every one of their little children are going to burn in hell forever for not admitting us Christians are the only ones who know everything.
I’d rather just call them people. If God is true to his word, he’s already there working on drawing their hearts to him, just as he is still working in ours.
Or we could call them what Mother Teresa did: “Jesus in a distressing disguise.”
i agree, justin. sometimes we get caught up pretending we do everything right and not owning up to our mistakes. and may i say you look stunning with a gotee?
Humility on the part of everyone in Christ is His command.
As far as who is going to hell…that is in capable and correct Hands. Each of us has been given a conscience to connect to the Holy Spirit according to the instructions we have been so generously given.
I believe it is my job to work on connecting daily and that the chief purpose of the church in Christ globally is to assist ” one another” according to the ample method provided.
Jesus gave us the model of all models for our characters, the church too. We are “emerging” into His image, not “the church”.
uh, a key factor of the “Crusades” was forcing converts ‘by the sword’. Any rational person can agree this behavior is not a reflection of Christ. “…our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but … against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil…” Eph. 6
I’d also say the Bible is pretty “jerky” (as you put it) by affirming non-Christians are in fact, hell-bound: “whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:18
Andy-
There’s a difference between a) believing that someone is destined for hell and b) treating people like they’re worthless because you assume that they are going to hell.
The same goes for moral disapproval. You can disagree with what someone does - and believe all the bad stuff the bible says about such people - and still treat the person with respect.
While I agree with you about the crusades, I don’t think we can simply say that all the good things that supposedly Christian people have done throughout history were in the name of Christ, and all the bad things that any supposedly Christian people have done were a manipulation of religion. People still feel like religion created the justification for the crusades, whether that justification was legitimate or not.
Yes… I agree that treating someone as worthless just because of their religious state isn’t “good”. And I also agree that Christians do in fact do “bad” things.
I guess I question the need-for/value-of what appears to be an apology for Christian living. Like, “Sorry we stepped on anyone’s toes with our crazy Bible! Please forgive our doctrinal stance and beliefs in absolute truth!”
Andy-
Whose toes did Jesus step on? Not those he was trying to reach, but the religious leaders who were so proud of their traditions and teachings that they had stopped caring for people.
In forcing our “absolute truth” on other people, we are, from their perspective, making ourselves out to be absolute, as the sole competent arbiters of what is true and how the scriptures should be interpreted. That’s what I’m apologizing for - shoving Christian beliefs down other people’s throats (literally, in the case of Terri Schiavo).
Christian living does not involve being a jerk, so I don’t see the contradiction. It’s when we are narrowing our definition of Christian living to “bossing other people around for Jesus” that we come across as jerks, and for that, I apologize to the world, both personally and on behalf of those who can’t or won’t apologize.
Is it really our job to label anyone as Heaven or Hell-bound ? Best to invest in shaping ourselves, one day at a time, into the character of Jesus…be lights, candles in the darkness…etc…delve into the word and work in ourselves to clean up our acts…and so important as Justin indicates to always be humble and remarkably repentant and transparent. What an irresistable thing Jesus had in His honesty…open about His Godliness and his humanity.
Can we walk , talk , act…be like Jesus…that is the work, the real work.
Just wanted to let you know I did mine today.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andythegeek/12021124/
Peace,
Andy
[...] on?
In light of my last post, I wanted to highlight an interesting religious meme that?s making its way around the web. From [...]
[...] al, lived-out apology to the world for the way Christians have acted (or failed to act.) (New Flickr meme, via Radical Congruency)
[...]
Lots of people have chimed in now, thanks to Chris T’s post at Polyglut.net. Here is some advice from one blog that picked it up.
But Justin, that advice included
“Learn to make theological choices strategically, with an eye towards harmonious co-existence.”
and
“Consider transforming or leaving Christian denominations with negative theologies about the moral and intellectual qualities or personal salvation of non-Christians.”
I support Christians not being jerks. But shouldn’t theological choices be based on truth, not what promotes omre harmony? Jesus never predicted that his teachings would bring harmony to the earth.
And how (or perhaps why) can we help people find salvation if we don’t have negative theologies of their state without Christ?
I just ask these questions to get your thoughts. Peace
er, that should be “more” harmony, not “omre” harmony.
I type like a jerk!
Bill said:
I agree, Bill. Christ spoke of turning family members against each other with the Truth and I’ve seen it happen. But that shouldn’t make us want to ditch the theology or teaching in question.
But it shouldn’t give us freedom to be jerks, either.
Truth is truth, and it will offend people. Isn’t it more important to stick to the truth rather than simply have a harmonious church? We shouldn’t be jerks, but at the same time, much of what the bible teaches is going to upset alot of people. More and more each day. Im sorry if I come across as a jerk, but Ill be sticking to what I feel to be the truths of the bible.
Hi Jacoby. It’s like a Harbin reunion in here! Kendall-Ball will pop up now and then if we’re real quiet, as will Neil’s brother.
I should qualify the above link - I didn’t say I agreed with the advice, but I think it reflects what others think of us.
I also agree that our theology doesn’t owe anyone any apologies, and doesn’t have to make anyone feel good. I do not apologize for what I believe, nor should anyone else.
What I apologize for is the way that non-Christians have been directly treated, by myself and other Christians. The ways in which Christians have been jerks have nothing to do with theology (in most cases) and everything to do with common courtesy, humility, tact, and consideration. We could do a lot better in those areas, even if our theology were perfect.
[...] s have acted (or failed to act). Here are a few other Christians taking part in the meme: Justin Baeder AndyThompson Chris Tessone Join us.
[...]
Speak for yourself.
I’m sorry you feel the need to classify the jerk actions that have happened in this world as “christian.” Seems they would cancel out to me. Can’t say I appreciate your sign.
Karise-
It’s not the actions that are Christian or non-Christian, but the people, and when the people fall short by their actions, we need to own up to that.
Christians have an explicit responsibility not to be jerks, yet we have failed at this time and again. Worse, we hide behind such catch phrases as “we’re not perfect, just forgiven.”
The world expects better, and rightly so.
wow-
I am amazed at how many people struggle to show an ounce of humility in our faith as Christians.
I too am sorry, deeply sorry for the ways my faith’s moniker and symbol has not only been jerkish, but has also been used to cause the Crusades, help elevate Nazi Germany to power, enslave African Americans, cause imperialism through missionary colonialism, become an American Political party that decrees who is “patriotic,” neglects the poor in pursuit of “personal salvation,” published countless books about the prosperity gospel giving false hope, spewing anger and condemnation in the name of “absolute truth.”
There is nothing wrong with getting on our knees, or printing out a pdf, and saying, “I am sorry for the damage my faith heritage has done in the name of Christ”
Whether or not that aligns with your perspective of Christianity, these things have been done under the banner of Christianity, and simply saying “well that is not what I mean by Christianity” ignores the larger problem.
Remember in grade school when the entire class would be held responsible for one person’s actions? Or when the sports team had to run extra laps after practice because one person messed up. Well it is the same thing—it may not be “fair” but the mature thing to do is not to point the finger elsewhere, but to show some humility and apologize for the atrocities (and that is not too harsh of word) have been done in the name of Jesus Christ.
PS-
Not to only list heated, debatable historical jerkyisms of the Christian faith, but also to remind you about the time you cut some dude off in traffic with that metallic fish emblazed on the back of your car.
Is one’s faith in God so fragile that it cannot withstand Christians humbly asking others for forgiveness for our selfish and self-righteous acts?
I think a nerve got touched at blog I don’t frequent often- so I am sorry for my jerkish behavior (sincerely).
-wb-
Any person of any group or persuasion could stand before a camera with a sign of this type.
I’m sorry we white boys have been such jerks…
I’m sorry we feminists have been such jerks…
I’m sorry we Muslims have been such jerks…
I’m sorry we teenagers have been such jerks…
I’m sorry we web programmers have been such jerks…
I’m sorry we NFL pros have been such jerks…
I’m sorry we firemen have been such jerks…
I’m sorry we grocery clerks have been such … well, you get the idea.
I don’t feel any need or compulsion to appologize for sins that were forigen yesterday or yestercentury. When it is confessed and forgiven, it is removed as far as the East is from the West. Got a tape measure?
I’m getting in on this way late but it’s never to late to apologize. I think we Christians need to apologize to we Christians.
Christians, I’m sorry we Christians have burned each other at the stake over theological spats. I’m sorry we have judgmentally looked down on one another for sometimes emphasizing personal salvation over the social gospel. I’m sorry some of us have advocated taking money from others of us to pay for universal health care for Americans who could pay their own way if they wanted to, when the money would have been better spent building hospitals in poor countries.
I’m sorry we’ve had the arrogance to apologize for each other when it would have been more humble and patient to let God lead each one of us to the understanding of what we need to apologize for.
I’d apologize more but I’m starting to confuse myself…
I’m sorry we Northeastern left-wing intellectuals have been such jerks, too.
[...] Happy Black Friday to all our OA readers. Helen Mildenhall sent me the idea for this link. Check out the apology from Justin B. and let us know what you think. Justin gives the instructions below. Here’s a new photomeme on Flickr, to re:mix the way many Americans apologized to the world that Bush was reelected (regardless of how you felt about that). [...]
Sad to see so many Christians with such an un-Christian fear of being humble and apologetic.
I linked over here from the Chrisitan evangelical website OFF THE MAP, which is THE most thoughtful and thought provoking site I’ve ever seen. No fear of humility to be found there.
I’m an atheist. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize, personally and in a more general sense as well, for the lack of:
* kindness
* consideration
* common human courtesy
* decency towards my(our) fellow man
* tolerance and acceptance
* respect for religious differences
* humility
* brotherly love
shown by atheists towards those with strongly held beliefs which are dear to their hearts, beliefs in a creator deity.
Even if, of course, they believe their god will banish myself and my family to hell for all eternity.
Hi LM,
Thanks for saying so. I think kindness can go a long way in our world today.
I’d also like to offer an alternate view of the afterlife, if I may - that people who do not believe in God are simply dead when they die, end of story. That’s much more consistent with what I’ve read about the fate of humankind (apart from God) in scripture.
Justin,
Thank you for your kind words,here and in your e-mail. I wanted you to know that I was very touched ,on a personal level, when I first read your apology. I realize my comment here probably comes across as sarcastic. I’m sorry about that.
I agree with your understanding of scripture, but I realize many people do not. I just wanted to let those Christians of, shall we say a less ‘progressive’ persuasion, know that they were included in my apology . They deserve to be treated respectfully even if I can’t quite say that I respect their beliefs.
We can all learn from humility, and benefit from kindness. I know I have from yours. You have a good thing going here, I hope for the best for you.