The Jesus People See

For a lot of folks, Christianity is a religion based on a book written a very long time ago, which does nothing more than give people the right to judge, criticize and ostracize other people. Many automatically distrust Bible-thumpers, as they've become known, probably because they figuratively thump other folks on the head underneath oppressive scripture that amounts to a laundry list of what is and mostly is not acceptable.

Their life is so full of rigid rules and dire consequences it just sucks the joy right out of them and makes them nothing more than militant sourpusses.

I was walking at the park several weeks back with my tattooed, rock t-shirt wearing son and we happened to pass a couple of these people. The older gentleman wore his faith proudly on a camouflage t-shirt (red flag) that proclaimed JESUS in big bold letters. Problem was, the guy looked like he just sucked down about five gallons of lemonade without the benefit of sugar.

Perhaps he was threatened or offended by my son, which might have been why my son's cheery, "How's it going?" went unanswered as they walked briskly by.

I gotta tell ya... it's poor advertising.

A preacher I used to listen to put it thusly: The only Jesus people see, is the Jesus in you and the Jesus in me.

When we tack on "Christian" to ourselves, we're literally representing Christ.

The problem is, however, most people aren't representing Jesus the man as much as they're representing Jesus the Corporation.

There is nothing in the packaging of corporate religion that would appeal to someone who isn't at the end of their rope. Sure we can feed you for free thanks to missions and church food drives, but what about the guy who is just meandering through life searching for a deeper meaning?

He's gonna take one look at the exclusive club of Christianity, especially in its current American condition, and bolt.

All are welcome!

As long as you pray like we do, look like we do, think like we do, vote like we do, talk like we do and judge like we do.

This creates this atmosphere of fear and distrust between the two parties, and Jesus is no where to be found in the equation.

Picture if you will a young man in his faded jeans and his rock n roll t-shirt. Imagine his long, flowing hair and scattered piercings or tattoos. This guy goes into a nice, middle America church and tries to give this Christianity thing a chance. Only after many awkward moments as the congregation files by him dressed in their Sunday best, the deacons in their three piece suits come over to gently take this fellow aside.

"You're going to have to leave. You're scaring the congregation."

Dejected the man departs. As he lumbers down the steps of the church he runs into another long haired fellow devoid of a suit or even shoes on his feet. When our guy looks into the face of this other dark skinned man with radiant eyes, he realizes that it is Jesus.

"Jesus!" he says. "I tried to go to your church but they kicked me out."

"That's okay," Jesus replies with a knowing smile. "They don't let me in there either."

I kinda think at this point of our story Jesus would hug this man - this outsider that religion had rejected. He just always had that way.

Which brings us to the most beautiful story I've read in quite a long while. As someone who has sort of taken on the mantle of fighting conservative Christianity and their iron fist on Jesus, this was a tale that restored my hope that power of the Jesus that I know was still working wonders in today's world.

You see, some people find a religion to be right. Others find a religion to be transformed.

For all the protests and megaphones and signs and chanting that religious folks do at things like strip clubs and Gay Pride events, they only reach a few self flagellating souls who were already at the end of their rope.

But for those people just searching for a place to belong, to be loved and accepted, it takes brave things like this to reach them. You only need to read the comments to know just how transformational it really was.

I present: I Hugged a Man in His Underwear. And I am Proud.