I gave a group of teenagers 40 hours to write a three page essay that answers the question, “Why am I a Christian?” This is a tall task, indeed. Far be it for me to give such a daunting task and not do the same, myself. Thus, I begin this monster.
Christianity, by definition, is more than a religion. It is a pursuit of an ideal that is impossible for a human being to attain. One who professes to be a Christian has accepted a challenge to become “Christ-like,” a task that we simply cannot perform.
Jesus Christ was a perfect human being born around 3 BC who lived until around 30 AD as a perfect person, having never screwed up. Documents written by multiple individuals (so many that its more numerous than the existence of Julius Caesar) show that this human was assassinated for claiming to be King by an oppressive Roman government worried of insurgency. Further documents show that, somehow, this man rose from the dead, walked amongst humans again for a time, then vanished into the Heavens, only to return later. Soon, His Father, Jehovah the Creator, sent His Spirit to help others.
These are some basic tenants of my faith, though they don’t answer the question, “Why am I a Christian?” Sadly, most people who call themselves “Christians” are not intentionally trying to be “Christ-like.” Instead, they are more apt to seek rules to follow to give order to their lives.
Personally, I’ve considered many of the teachings of Jesus Christ and am compelled to value them. Even Ghandi respects Jesus’ lifestyle and teachings. Looking at planet earth in its desolate present and future, it is difficult to muster much hope for the future. Humans are naturally angry, thirst for power, lust for sensuality, and pursue ventures that will not actually satisfy them.
Suppose that one could muster up the perfect lifestyle. To have unlimited power, unlimited talents, unlimited resources, etc would be available. Somehow, I don’t believe that a human being would still be able to achieve happiness, nor would he/she know how to wield such abilities without harming others. Human nature would eventually kick in and trump others.
In considering the teachings of Christ, I am convinced that human beings truly following them would bring more than bandages to a bruised world. I’d like to illustrate with a few of Christ’s teachings.
In a letter written from a man named Matthew, we find out that Jesus proposes that, as humans, we should look at others differently. For example, human beings should not just show kindness, generosity, and friendship to those who are their friends. Instead, even a person’s enemies should be those whom we show love towards. This approach to human relations is unique in that human nature is typically to find ways to gain revenge or avoid our enemies. However, if human beings truly digested this teaching and applied it to everyday life, many of today’s most challenging issues would be much easier to manage. Family feuds would crumble. School bullying would decrease. Gang violence would decrease, and more.
Jesus spoke often about other symptoms of our world. Humans seem to cherish wealth too much and will use it to abuse others, will crush others to get it, and more. The cliche “the desire for money is the cause of many sorts of evil” can be traced back to these teachings. If people across the globe took this teaching to heart, a wave of generosity would sweep the globe, leading to greater abilities for humans to succeed and rise above poverty. Generosity is the missing ingredient in a world of oppression. Generosity is a key to change.
Human beings are naturally angry at others and will act out in ways against others to express that anger. It is unfortunate that Christ’s teachings about ways to treat others have yet to spread. Imagine if humans focused on treating others in ways that they would want to be treated, themselves. It would be very difficult to imagine a world of murder, terrorism, rape, adultery, and other problems if this planet’s tenants would change the ways in which they deal with others. Life would improve for our six billion fellow humans.
Christians have been taught to be those that believe in impossible things. Many people live lives without hope and no desire for the future to change. This is a tragedy, as life is too precious to allow to simply vanish. Christians experience fantastic miracles through their believing, the likes of which are rarely reproduced by other religions, such as humans being raised from the dead, prayers answered in odd ways, ailments vanishing, and more. I’ve personally experienced this odd phenomenon. It is very hard to tell a person who suddenly no longer has HIV that there isn’t a higher power in existence.
Those who are truly Christians are compelled to believe in the power of forgiveness. The planet is filled with humans who withhold high concentrations of bitterness in their hearts for wrongs done to them and have no intention to free the hostages from within. However, this cycle of bitterness never actually heals humans – it makes them worse. Those who opt to be like Christ are compelled to release their bitterness and offer forgiveness to those who wrong them. This radical teaching would do wonders in divorce courts, racial relations, and more.
In a related concept, Christians believe in the concept of grace – unmerited favor given to others. Or, in other words, being given something you really don’t deserve. Christians are odd beings in that they will offer things to others to make them better people, to restore them, to forgive them, and more. This teaching is quite unique in the arena of world religions because most consider your deeds to be the measure of your merit. I believe that going the extra mile and just offering favor without merit is a far superior offering.
Speaking of deeds, one of Jesus favorite words was to “go.” While many Christians fail miserably in this, the concept of doing good to others and serving those less fortunate such as the poor, widows, the crippled, and more is fantastically part of Christianity. Imagine a world where billions of people have radars up at all times – trying to find someone to help who needs it. This is a far cry from today’s cut-throat, ladder of success societies that humans have strived to build. Christianity is more about others than status.
Christians have a hope for the future that is unique to all the world’s religions. Yet, its the most promising of any. Christians believe that one day, all those who have opted to try to live their lives like Christ will be raised from the dead and will live on a new Earth that is merged with Heaven. Our foundation text, the Bible, also records that on that day, truly, we will be “like Him.” The great pursuit of our lives will be achieved, and for the rest of time, we will live on Earth with Jesus as emperor of Earth. He will rule the planet with justice, fairness, and integrity – all the things politicians claim but never achieve. As supreme potentate of Earth, Jesus will undo the wrongs and establish lives of meaning, excitement, and a journey that will never end. I cannot imagine a better afterlife.
I am, however, not naive. All these teachings are as ideal as it gets. Sadly, most Christians are not intentionally following these ideals. It is my belief that Christians will slowly gain insights into the power of these teachings and will unlock the mystery of their potential slowly with a key that only individual hearts can turn.
Most Christians gather in communities called “churches,” where the intent is to thank Jesus for what He has done and learn ways to deal with our everyday battle of becoming more like Him. While some churches do a miserable job of this, it is my belief that those who truly see the power of Christianity find ways to grow. They pursue love, or peace, or gentleness instead of anger, hatred, and betrayal. Churches are organizations that are filled with individuals who, like me, are not yet truly “like Christ.” As a result, Christians do things that are far from the teachings of Christ. It is my hope that this will change as time progresses and churches will be comprised of people who are better examples of why this lifestyle is preferable to any other option.
Christians pattern their lives after the world’s number one selling book, a collection of documents, poems, letters, and more we call “The Good News,” or “The Bible.” We consider this news to be good because, in light of these ideals I have outlined, there is hope for this planet that is in such disarray. Christians have the solution and have had it for 1900 years, nestled in a book of a few thousand pages. Our foundational text, the Good News, is full of stories so unbelievable, its almost embarrassing! We see prostitutes nearly stoned, but set free. Men raised from the dead by mere mortals praying. The sun standing still in the midst of a war. A planet engulfed with liquid for over a month with the hope for humanity and thousands of species of animals not becoming extinct in a little boat. While its stories are fascinatingly odd, what’s more odd is that it is difficult to dispute their contents when they are reliably backed up in many ways. Science aside, the ability of the contents of the Bible to predict its own miracles hundreds or thousands of years later is a mystery – a mystery that could only be spiritual.
Human beings are worth more than lives that desperately pursue power, sex, greed, and comfort. There is a lifestyle I have lived for nine years that has proven a trifle challenging, but bountifully rewarding. Christ never promised an easy pattern to follow, but He did promise that great effort would bring a better existence and a better world. Despite all the challenges, potential doubts, and stench of others not doing the same, I have opted to try to be a Christian because I believe it is the only hope for a screwed up world. I have no faith in the other religions I have explored, or in humanity’s ability to govern itself into a better world. Only the raw, flavorful teachings of Christianity appear to be the med kit for a world gone sour.
Christianity is hope for a dying world, good news to those who have heard it all, and life to those who feel like dying. I want to be like Christ.
