Ever since college, a large number of my interactions with people who label themselves as Christians have been utterly disappointing. I don’t expect Christians to be perfect (after all, who is?), but they’ve tended to put themselves above others because of their belief system. After all Jesus was, among other things, a shining example of morality, so maybe it’s not a surprise that some Christians have given into the temptation to see themselves as morally superior.
The problem is that these people don’t seem to apply a higher moral standard to themselves. Instead, their superiority is directed at others through dismissiveness, hurtful words and excluding others.
My time at a Christian college made this clear. I was told that the gay church down the street was sad because their members actually believed they could be saved. I was told I was the whitest Black girl some classmates ever knew, and that I “disgusted” them for not voting for George Bush. And I remember the visceral anger from many when the school hired its first female pastor. I recall the gossip, the hypocrisy and the deep micro-aggressions.
This type of Christianity misunderstands the teachings of Jesus. And it takes so much more energy to condemn people instead of love them. As someone who does her absolute best to follow the teachings of Christ, I want to change that narrative. Striving to be a good person shouldn’t take so much effort.
Choosing to love people is also easier because there’s no need to put conditions on our love. Working to live like Christ means advocating for everyone, but not in an “All Lives Matter” way which is still motivated by the impulse to exclude.
Being a Christian is a choice, but so is choosing what type of Christian you want to be. You could be one that lives for yourself and your group and that views your actions as above others, or you could be the Christian that lives for others and recognizes that selfless love is closer to the teachings of Jesus.
If you aren’t choosing to love everyone, then what is it you believe in exactly? And what are you doing to be a better person?
#WeNeedToTalk is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit malyndahale.substack.com/subscribe
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.