I wish that people would stop judging Jesus because of what some Christians do.
Even though I don’t live in Pakistan, where Christianity is outlawed, or in China, where the only theism accepted is atheism, I often feel targeted and stereotyped for believing in God during a postmodern era of thought and education.
In our master’s program, we are taught to be sensitive of trigger words such as “fag,” “retard,” and “bitch.” My classmates and I spend a good bit of time in our classes talking about how we can best respect one another during class by listening and responding with only the best intentions. None of my classmates would ever call someone a “fag” or “bitch;” none of my classmates would ever describe something as “retarded.” But several of them swear with Jesus’s name. If they hear something on the news that disturbs them deeply, suddenly it’s okay to exclaim “JESUS CHRIST!!!” loudly in public. When given a thick chapter of reading to accomplish by the following week, suddenly it’s okay to mutter “Jeeeeesuuuuuus….!!!” under your breath. It’s also okay to say “Goddamnit!” and laugh at yourself because you just realized that you forgot your wallet at home or locked your keys in your car.
No. No, it’s NOT okay, I think in my head, my heart hurting because Jesus is someone I love. But I stay silent, because I am not strong enough to speak up, because I am not sure I want to be ridiculed for my belief in something someone else considers “Catholic school crap.” But it hurts. It really does.
Grace, I appreciate you posting this entry in your blog. I apologize if I have ever offended you in this way. However, I think it would be a teachable moment in class or even in life if you mentioned to those around you that using the Lord’s name in vain made you feel uncomfortable. I know I would be very open to knowing that something I was doing made you upset. If you would like to talk about this further, in person, I would be enjoy that as well. Have a great Sunday!
Posted by Vanessa | September 19, 2010, 4:59 pm(This is Tony)
Grace, thank you for posting this. I definitely know what you mean. I hear these things and connect it to my trying hard to be PC (which is often a huge struggle for me) and get frustrated.
I used to feel that it’s not okay for anyone to do this. If you’re a Christian, you should know better, if you don’t believe Jesus was anyone special, then why are you using His name? I guess I still kinda feel that way, but maybe I’ve been desensitized. I think it should hurt more when I hear it.
Posted by undiagnosedadd | September 23, 2010, 10:57 amThank you for posting this, Grace. It hurts my heart & my ears to hear so much use of God’s & Jesus’ name in such flippant and unthoughtful ways. I know most people who do this have no idea of what their words mean nor that these words a very hurtful to those who love God & His Son, Jesus. For many, no offense is meant. If you find a good way to let others know that what they are saying is hurtful, please pass it on to all the rest of us who also remain sadly silent.
Posted by nkw1218 | December 6, 2011, 3:00 pm