One day not long ago, my somewhat agnostic mother posted on Facebook that she was tired of people who touted that they are super-religious and holy sharing pictures and memes of Jesus and religious things and then turning around and sharing pictures and memes filled with swearing, sex, and general nastiness on their Facebook pages.
It was amazing what a response she received. From the non-Christians and non-practicing Christians like my mother, there was full support against these hypocrites who were holier than thou on Sundays and sinning on Monday through Saturday. The Christians, on the other hand, were hollering like hurt dogs. They defended themselves saying that they can be Christian and still have fun by laughing at crude jokes and sharing sexual humor with others.
Who is right?
The problem is certainly not a new one. There are several Bible verses that address this problem quite explicitly. One of the best examples is in the book of Matthew. Matthew 15:7-11 says:
“Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines human precepts.’” He summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand. It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”
This is a perfect example of Jesus telling us that we should be careful of what comes from our mouths. In modern times, we Christians should be careful of what we post on the internet because others can see these things and perceive this as our true thoughts as Christians. This is what can really get us into trouble when we are trying to evangelize.
In more modern times, Ghandi, born in 1869, is quoted as saying,
“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Once again, our Christian title is being defiled by our non-Christian actions. Yes, we are sinful humans, and are expected to have some wrinkles that need to be smoothed throughout our Christian journey here on Earth. But is there a point where we are putting ourselves before Jesus so much that we are pushing others away from Him instead of toward Him? I think this is the question we must all ask ourselves. I am certainly more careful about what I share on my Facebook page since the incident with my mother and her friends.
Copyright © 2013, Alicia Hart
Alicia Hart
Alicia Hart is the crafty Catholic multicultural mom of three boys. She became Catholic in 2007 after a life of longing for the faith. To see her crafty ideas and reviews written from a Catholic viewpoint, visit her at her blog, Through My “I”s. Her Catholic crafts can also be found on the first Monday of every month at CatholicMom.com. Alicia can be contacted for questions and comments at [email protected]
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