i ignore emotion.

i just finished reading one of my new books!

unchristian:
what a new generation really things about christianity
...and why it matters

hm. i never noticed the ridiculously long subtitle.

i liked it a lot. (is that how a 4th grader writes a book report?)

this company did some marketing research over a period of 3 years. they conducted surveys, and interviews, and all kinds of neato stuff. this book is the data they collected.

DATA.

it was so interesting to read. this was not a book of what some author thinks. it wasn't a self-help guide to being a good Christian. they asked people questions, and told us what people think of Christians.

people don't like Christians.

and the first "Christian" response to this finding, in my opinion, is probably...

"that's just because they don't want to admit they're sinners in need of a Savior. if you aren't being persecuted, you're doing something wrong!"

"we" tend to feel kind of good about the fact that people hate us sometimes. because we know we're right, or something. because we know God wins.

but there's a difference between being persecuted or mocked because people are just being ignorant, and won't own up to the fact that they're sinners...and people rejecting Christ, because Christians are jerks. even if they're wrong about us, even if deep down inside we are loving...that's not what they see. their first response to the question "what words would you use to describe Christians?" is...hypocritical and judgmental. even if they're being dramatic because they just don't want to be a Christian...the fact that a significant number of people respond that way...matters. they aren't saying "Christians are stupid to believe that. Christians are naive." they're saying "i don't feel loved by Christians." that's a problem.

and that's what the book is about.

read it.