“I’m a Christian – but fun loving…”

So began the headline of a Personals Ad that I happened to read in the back of a newspaper many years ago; before the age of Internet dating and scientific matchmaking came to replace that quaint method of searching for love. Something about the phrase stayed with me through the years because it made me think about the way Christians are perceived by the general population. The woman searching for love obviously felt it necessary to proclaim in her Personals ad that unlike most Christians, she was fun-loving.

I think it’s easy to understand why most people do not typically view Christians as a fun loving group. People who do not practice Christianity or who do not typically interact with Christians in their social circles form their opinions about Christians by the way they are portrayed in the media; examples of which include holier-than-thou Fundamental Televangelists preaching on Sunday mornings and the Church Lady berating her guests on Saturday night about doing the work of Satan:

Dana Carvey as Church Lady (Saturday Night Live)

I’m not saying there isn’t some truth to the stereotypes because too many Christians are guilty of being judgmental, angry, dour and prideful. They see things as black and white resulting in an attitude of arrogance and superiority and the tendency to look down on all those who they perceive to be lost souls. It’s no wonder that my daughter once pointed out to me – “You know Dad, some Christians give Christ a bad name“.

The truth is that the negative qualities listed above are in direct contrast with the positive messages of mercy, grace, and charity that were taught by Jesus – and the Christians I most admire live abundant  lives that are filled with joy. Their faith gives them a strong  foundation and an inner peace that allows them to live with joy even during their times of sorrow. They believe that Jesus has won for them a great prize and in gratitude for that gift they try to live lives that are worthy of the promises of Christ.

Jesus taught that we must each humbly work out our own salvation and we should not be judging others by noticing the “spec in our brother’s eye”  knowing that there is a “log” in our own eye that needs to be rooted out (Matthew 7:3).  So lighten up all you Christians, practice kindness, tolerance and charity towards others, spread the good news with a smile and do your part to change the old stereotypes – so that maybe in the future when people think of Christians one of the first things that come to their mind is fun-loving.