Why would you care about Christ?

How sad is it that Christianity has effectively failed everyone so absolutely that on the whole it is no longer seen as a viable option for anyone to be a Christian for the 35 and younger crowd. That we have created an other that is no longer a minority and ostracized ourselves is a travesty. It is not a matter of being different than society. It is a matter of trying to force our agenda onto others, legislating a morality while claiming that we will not hold up everyone else to the same standards as us.

Something that I read recently about pacifism came from (of course) Stanley Hauerwas. It is, perhaps, the most compelling argument for a pacifistic Christian ethos.
"We are pledged to extend God's peace through the care and protection of his creation. We resist one who is evil, not because life is inherently sacred, but simply because life belongs to God."

He goes on to quote John Howard Yoder in that "the gospel itself the message that Christ died for His enemies, is our reason for being ultimately responsibly for the neighbor's-and especially the enemy's- life."

I think that is what is interesting about this discussion, many times people attempt to argue one perspective or another by means of pointing out specific scripture that would support their position. However, what many people dismiss (or perhaps simply leave out and not think about) is the narrative aesthetic of our community. We say "Christ said this" or "Christ did this" but dismiss the whole of his lifestyle. We forget his message is largely eschatological in that he calls us to live in consistency with the Kingdom of God. Christ himself seemed to be radically different from the state in which he lived. Perhaps, more than anything, that is our calling. To show that being different is a viable life choice, one whose point is not to command all people acclimate to our sensibilities but that people choose to live a life that is wholly different from the one presented to them by the profane culture that we live in. That our intent is kindness, love and non-violence to the point of absurdity. That people once again see in us the joy of Christ. How else can Christianity be attractive? Certainly it will not be through a demand of moral virtue for those who dismiss our claims of legitimacy. It will be a demand of moral virtue for our own community and a commitment to right living that will garner the interest of the other.



ps. When did this become a blog on theology? Oh well.