Recently, I was on facebook and saw a post by one of my friends, who claims to be a Christian. Here's what her wall post read (a censured version):
im seriously tired of all the bulls**. f*** religion, f*** Christians, f*** doctrines. I have God and he is all I need. So go right ahead and think that because i believe things you are too stupid or ignorant to even comprehend im going to hell in a hand basket. f*** you. Jesus and i are just gunna chill out in our little corner and read harry potter and laugh at all you morons. so to those of you who put way to much effort in living "godly" lives and always judge others, look in a f***ing mirror. i hope you see that you look just like those ugly a** pharisees that got nowhere by being religious.
When I saw that post, I was initially repulsed and annoyed with her behavior. I knew from previous experience that she drank, did drugs, and secretly got jailhouse tattoos with another friend of mine who claims to be 'Christian'. I'd seen her be unbelievably rude and sarcastic to the socially awkward kids at school, and literally lie her way out of everything. Her new facebook post was embarrassing, and I really did not need my atheist friends to get another reason to laugh at Christians. Gee girl, thanks for reinforcing the 'passionate-but-dumb hypocrite' stereotype. "Messed up ditz" and "pathetic outburst" would be the kindest phrases the atheists at my school would offer. They'd be followed by raised eyebrows and knowing smiles.
Even while I was still fuming, I started to feel a great sadness. Although her message was, in a way, a call for religious people to stop judging others, by no means was this (writing that facebook post) what I thought Jesus would do. It is not gracious and certainly not loving. I started thinking about how much this girl must have been hurt to have written such a strong public message. The bitterness she harbored in her heart compelled her to an extreme act of desperation, when no other consolation could be found. Looking at her from this perspective, my frustration suddenly vanished.
I wondered if this was a little like the forgiveness Jesus has shown us all along, every time we sin. He ultimately understands us better than we understand ourselves, and when we do something ridiculous, he still loves us. Even if it hurts him to watch us hurt ourselves, he still loves us. He still holds us responsible to our actions, but he is always willing to heal and help us out of our situation.
The ironic thing when I read my troubled friend's post was that instead of praying for her, I was more concerned with the Christian image being tarnished. As if I myself hadn't tarnished it enough already! As if all of us hadn't tarnished it enough already. No human is perfect, and I had mistakenly held this poor girl to a standard that I had no right to hold any Christian to. To recognize a sin is one thing, to judge and criticize is another. Alas, I still struggle with this fatal flaw of mine. But I think, if we are tempted in a similar situation, it's important to think about how Jesus would treat that person. And when we forgive, we really do need to 'forgive': "to give up claim to resentment", and let Jesus be the judge.
