Living in a college town, I often see a variety of bumper stickers on the backs of cars. Today two of them caught my attention.
A particular car had several bumper stickers on the back. Some referred to causes and individuals I had never heard of. However, two caught my eye because of their popularity among both Christians and non-Christians. The first simply said, "Coexist", and was spelled used religious symbols. The other was a famous quotation from Mohandas Gandhi: "I like their Christ. I do not like their Christians. They are so unlike Christ."
Let me begin with an admission: Gandhi was correct. Many who call themselves Christians do not act at all like their Lord. From the Inquisition to the recent sex abuse scandal by some Catholic priests; from the military support some Christians gave for Marxist terrorists in Central America to the defense of apartheid in South Africa and the support of Jim Crow laws, the record of Christians being guided by the love of Christ is problematic. Fidel Castro, Daniel Ortega, Adolph Hitler, Hugo Chavez and Joseph Stalin are just a few of the monsters that have enjoyed unqualified worship and adulation from some Christians. Churches have raised uncertain banners in fighting against slavery, abortion, pornography, divorce, and other societal ills.
But despite what Gandhi may have liked to believe, not all Christians engaged in the ill behavior he deplored. Many Christians are in fact very much like their Christ.
I wonder if the owner of the car with the two bumper stickers recognized the incompatibility of the two sentiments being expressed. How can you call for coexistence between religions and also make a demonstrably false charge against one of them? Would the car owner be scandalized if (for example) they saw a bumper sticker saying, "I like their Mohamed. I do not like their Muslims. They are so unlike Mohamed."?
Christians should be aware of the ideas and beliefs behind the two bumper stickers, and be prepared to answer them. Christians will be told that in order to "coexist" with other beliefs they must give up many of their own. They must not publicly challenge the homosexual lifestyle, the disintegration of public education, the pornographic industry, the rise of radical Islam, the sexualization of society, the coarseness of popular culture, and many others. With supreme illogic Christians will be told they must accept other beliefs without question while not defending the Christian faith against challenges. In short, Christians are being told to be quiet.
Do you intend to be quiet?
