Pre-thanksgiving thoughts pt. II

I feel stereotyped but defiant.

Labels mean a lot these days, even as we attempt constantly to cast them off. They're powerful enough that entire judgments are made about a person based off of a simple adjective. I'm thinking, of course, of the adjective 'Christian' used to denote a person, event, organization, etc. that seeks to identify itself with Christianity... whatever that means. Things that are 'Christian' have a bad reputation, it seems.

Wes has likened our problem to that of the fraternities on campus. A lot of the recent comment war on the Daily Gazette articles stemmed from what seemed to be inherent prejudice against Greek life. Coming into play was this mental association of frat brothers with drinking, partying, slacking off, white male privilege, discrimination, and lots of other negative things. We at SCF don't have the same reputation, of course, but people are wary around us, too. Christians today and in history have been exclusive, oppressive, intolerant, unreasonable, stingy, hypocritical, and downright unattractive.

So it comes as no surprise to me when people who come from Christian backgrounds reach the point where they don't want to have anything to do with Christianity. They turn their backs on Christian churches, because they're too politically involved and too self-involved and too filled with unnecessary drama. They shun Christian music, because it's been polluted with consumerism and hype and doesn't glorify God the way it's supposed to. Christian books are too caught up in pleasing the demographic. Christian films and media are just an excuse. And Christian dating sites are... pathetic. Okay, you get what I mean, right? 'Christian' is equated with a certain population of our nation that anyone outside of it despises for a plethora of reasons.

As the Swarthmore Christian Fellowship, I think we've inherited these prejudices. They're rooted in our name. But some organizations have a different response. I spoke with Jesse Murphy, the founder and president of MyFight, on Saturday evening about his business. Specifically, I wondered why, if he was so honest and open to talk about how God played a huge role in the success of MyFight (that is, literally provided two miracles for the start-up in times of need), then how come MyFight was not an explicitly 'Christian' company?

Jesse's response ran straight along the tracks set up above: he wanted to distance his company from the hypocrisy of American Christianity, and preferred to let the light within him shine through him personally. He mentioned several times that it was personal witness that brought several of his company's non-Christian employees or volunteers to Christ, people who would not have shown any interest at all in the company had it had the Christian affiliation. He didn't want to use Christianity as a banner to hide under, because it would be a better witness for his company to simply do what it does in a Christ-like manner, and lead by action and not by words.

I do respect this. It makes sense. With the state of Christianity in the U.S. today, why not drop the label altogether and bring Jesus to people "through the back door"? It's still Christ we follow, only in action instead of in name. Yet for all the good that is being done in Jesus' hidden name, I lament the loss of the label. I believe that there is power in the name of Christ, and that as followers of Christ and Christ's teachings (that's what 'Christian' literally means!), we ought to take pride in it.

Jesse was intrigued that I felt so strongly about this, and said that he sometimes wondered if his decision not to affiliate MyFight with Christianity might be "denying Christ" in some way. I don't think it would go as far as that, but isn't it clear that there's some sort of shame involved when a Christian doesn't want some part of their life to be associated with a cause that they are supposed to give their life to follow? Even if the cause is distinctly Christian in everything it does besides name.

I really don't have a problem with MyFight defining itself the way it wants. (Even one of my favorite bands, Switchfoot, refuses to call itself a Christian rock band.) But Jesse's decision is only indicative a larger trend, a more widespread shame. Why back off from the label? Rather than reject it because of its bad reputation, can we try instead to rehabilitate it?

The gay community is taking back 'homo'. Feminists are taking back 'slut'. Swarthmore's fraternities are trying to take back 'frat brother' (I think). Let's take back 'Christian'. Don't let the word speak for itself. Claim it, then fight for it with love and pride, with deeds that defy our society's stereotypes of Christians or "Christian groups/causes/events".

As a Christian, I believe it is of utmost importance that we spread the truth of the gospel and live as peacemakers in our world. But when the world fights back against a movement it recognizes as dangerous, I will not to back off from its accusations and pocket my faith until a more opportune moment; I choose instead to defend the legacy of Jesus Christ.