What does it mean to call someone, something, or yourself "Christian?" In this appalling article by Rush Limbaugh, he states that the Lords Resistance Army, yes the kidnapping, murdering, pillaging LRA, is "Christian." For those of you who don't know about the LRA, its the group behind the child soldiers, and murders of many innocent children in Uganda and Central/ East Africa. Invisible Children and now Kony 2012, are documentaries made to help educate the world about whats going on in parts of Africa.
So is the LRA Christian, simply because they claim to carry the title? What do you think?
If they believe in the same God then who's to say that they can't be Christian?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the question!
ReplyDeleteI think it goes back to what we mean by "Christian." The name was actually originally very derogatory to a group of Jews and Greeks living in Antioch living in the first century who chose to Follow Jesus and His teachings. The name essentially means "little Christ" and it was meant to describe how these people believed they were to continue on and act like Jesus, often being killed in the same way Jesus was. The first "Christians" called themselves "The Way."
I personally don't think the Bible supports the idea that believing God exists = being a "Little Christ." Its much more holistic than that. If believing in the same God, "YHWH" is what makes someone a "Little Christ" then there are a lot of people in the world who would Un-wantingly be identified with Jesus of Nazareth.
I believe that being a Follower of Jesus isn't based on what God you believe exists, but what God you follow. And since Jesus commands love, I believe you can't not love and follow Jesus.