"Are YOU a Christian?"
This was asked of me, of all places, in a job interview! But before you get too angry on my behalf, I should mention that I was the employer, interviewing somebody else for a job [right after the 2004 election] and it was she that asked the question of me, not the other way around. I declined to answer, and simply replied "at my company, that sort of thing doesn't matter."
She proceeded to, in that crafty Wingnut fashion, sort of poke fun at my "inferior secular values." Needless to say, I don't think she really wanted the job, and it made me wonder... do the so-called "Conservative Christians" deploy people on purpose to pull these kinds of stunts? This is CALIFORNIA, for God's sake!
I don't know about you, but I'm so fucking tired of blowhard Conservative "Christians" making dubious assertions about my secular personal beliefs that I'm ready to EXPLODE. So here's what I have to say to all of them: if this is the way you're going to behave, then you aren't Christians at all.... and I'm calling your bluff, fools.
Over the years, I've spent a lot of time developing my spiritual beliefs. My parents named me Christian, and for the entirety of my childhood, there was a sign hanging in my room. This is what it read:
"Christian: follower of Christ."
You see, this is what the word means, literally. Christ (as in Jesus) + ian (as in "follower"). My first name asserts that I am a "follower of Christ."
Notice this does not say "worshipper."
Notice this does not require I go to church.
Notice this does not require I be conservative.
Notice this does not mention YOU at all.
In my view, to be a Christian is a personal choice. If you choose to follow Jesus - or better yet his EXAMPLE - then you must find your own way. You don't do it just on Sundays, you do it EVERY day. By giving a dollar to a homeless person, by looking before you leap, by tolerating diversity of belief as long as those beliefs don't deny you your own.
I submit to you that Jesus Christ did not want to be worshipped, he wanted to be remembered. And we each remember him in our own way. You have yours (perhaps it's worship), I have mine (which is mindfulness). But really, your personal spiritual beliefs are NON OF MY BUSINESS, so stop making mine yours.
And enough of this secular = immoral thing, people. The great thing about a SECULAR society is that each one of us is free to draw religious conclusions and proceed as we may, without interference from the state OR each other. We're free to disagree.
Thank Christ for Thomas Jefferson, et al.
So to all the Conservative "Christians" out there who want to link "secular" to "anti-God" in favor of some sort of vague theocracy, making ridiculous, politically-motivated assertions regarding my morals, I say "knock it off already." The only thing I cannot tolerate is INTOLERANCE, and I can no longer tolerate you.
And inasmuch as you can't permit me my spiritual beliefs without the constant, blowhard commentary, allow me to suggest this: you aren't real Christians at all.