Ok, without attacking him, what would you do if this guy was your neighbor? Once you swallow your anger, wait until you get to #10 it will be an arrow to your heart. For some reason, I’m no good at putting video into this BLOG so I’ll have to link you to mine. Go here watch this video that is intended to prove how foolish our faith is, then come back and answer how you would handle it if he’s your neighbor.

Issue: The term ‘Christian’ vs. ‘Christ-Follower’.  Today, the mysterious ‘Editor’ has posted a link to an article which links back to some apprising.org articles on a church which created ‘Mac vs. PC’ parody ads which compared a stereotypical ‘Christian’ with a prototypical ‘Christ-follower’. 

Links to the videos in question:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RtfNdg1fQk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYdD-Qc7lbY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRiijctGcAY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIXDLUUn830

CRN/Slice Take: 

Christians, in the world but as aliens of the world – “Christ-Followers”, of the world and represent the world.

So if this is what they want, [removing names of Christians inserted here despite having no relevance to the topic at hand only for the purpose of innuendo] then I say good riddance. Let the world watch them go, their blood be on their own heads…

My Take:

First, I wonder why this has become an issue again.  I blogged on this subject more than three months ago when the videos were already two months old (years ago in internet-time).  It seems to be just a continuation of looking for reasons to be divisive.

As noted previously, I don’t find labels all that useful when they’re used to divide and separate people. 

In the case of these ads, I understand what the filmaker was trying to get across about dress, etc., but I think that these ads failed to hit home for me because BOTH characters were subtly putting the other one down, comparatively.  The underlying criticisms are valid ones, but rather than present them as criticisms, would it not be more helpful and edifying to talk about them from a positive stance (ex. God is not impressed with how you dress for worship, because it is your heart – not your clothes – which He desires).

In the case of CRN/Slice’s outright mockery of those who choose to be called ‘Christ-followers’, I am just thoroughly saddened.  Even if their choice of labels was wrong (and I do not believe it is so),

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (II Peter 3:9)

The thorough nastiness on the part of CRN/Slice is appalling coming from a site which calls itself Christian, but it has become such a regular thing there that I fear I am becoming numb to their spiritually-blind, pharasaical viciousness.

As for the label ‘Christian’ vs. ‘Christ-follower’, I stick by what I wrote previously:

the terms ‘Christian’ and ‘Christ-Follower’ – is there a difference?

First, let’s examine scripture:

Acts 11:26 “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”

1 Peter 4:16 “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

The Acts passage points out where the term ‘Christian’ was first used. Historical record seems to indicate that this was actually a derisive term. Other titles that have been found are ‘believers’ (used by early Christians as a term that did not differentiate between Jew and Gentile followers of Christ) and ‘Followers of the Way’. In neither of the passages does it appear that ‘Christian’ is a mandatory term (in fact, ‘Messianist’ would be a Hebraic equivalent just as acceptable as ‘Christian’, were we being purely legalistic here).

The key in the 1 Peter passage is to not be ashamed to be named as a follower of Christ. The term ‘Christian’ is not the focus, but the suffering in the name of Christ.

So, to choose a parallel name that still identifies one as a follower of Jesus would not be opposed by scripture. However, what is the point?

If the point is to distance yourself from the perceived message of Christ or to escape persecution, I would not see any validity in choosing that seperate label.

However

I see something very appealing about ‘Christ-follower’:

The term ‘Christian’ has become a label that can be applied to a whole slew of things, from music to plummers to internet providers to toilet paper. As Rob Bell commented in Velvet Elvis, ‘Christian is a great noun and a poor adjective.’ When applied to people, it works well. However, when used as an adjective, it gives an endorsement to certain things as being “spiritual” and others as “secular” (a modern gnostic misconception). It also denigrates Christ when ‘Christian’ is added to things that are morally or artistically deficient.

In this light, I find ‘Christ-follower’ appealing. Personally, I would accept either, but ‘Christ-follower’ seems more accurate.

That said, though, if ‘Christ-follower’ comes to take on some sort of fully liberal overtone which views Christ as a misunderstood peacenik, I wouldn’t see much usefulness in it.

Is it really so difficult for the ‘fighting fundies’ to be encouraging to their ‘emerging’ brothers in Christ?  Is it really so difficult for those brothers who are ‘emerging’ to seek God without feeling the need to harp about Christians from previous generations?