Why This Man Doesn't Make Me Want to Become a Christian

Act #66:  Talk is cheap.

You've seen these memes in social media.  Some of your best, most educated, socially-adept friends post these on their walls.  And Christian or not, you're left speechless.  In case you didn't know, the man in this picture is Si Robertson, one of the brothers in an apparently hit reality show called Duck Dynasty, that chronicles the lives of the Robertsons,who became wealthy from their family-operated business, Duck Commander, which makes products for duck hunters.  Yes, I had to Google that.

Some of my best friends, whom I have the utmost respect for are Christians, and trust me, if they haven't been able to save me yet, this guy sure as heck doesn't have a chance.  What saddens me about people posting these sorts of things on their social networking profile pages is the unintended message they are sending to non-Christians (just another backwards proselytizing attempt) and Christians (insert cringe here) alike.

Exclusive
Whether or not they believe this tenant of Christianity to be true, the message is boastful.  You're not one of us?  Eat my dust.  Sorry about your luck.  See ya!  Well actually I won't see you, but you get the point.

Incentive
This  message implies that a Christian's entire goal in life is not to serve others, promote peace, live a Christ-like life, but rather to do whatever it takes to get to heaven.  It's like playing Shoots and Ladders with your kid.  Move 5 steps, get saved, and take the ladder straight to heaven.  Stay away from the shoot,  you dumb-ass.

Insulting
Since when did a  duck hunter become the spokesperson for Christianity?   If we were going to pick a reality star, you'd probably have better luck converting me if it were Ozzy Osbourne.  I know, he's had his moments (and that cursing, God bless him), but I think he's a big softy underneath it all.  Now if Ozzy told me, "If you ain't saved, you ain't going to heaven!", I'd at least pause for a second.  That would explain that cross he's always wearing around his neck.  

Unkind
The meme is not particularly warm and fuzzy, nor does it invite people to want to get to know Jesus.  In fact it says nothing about Jesus, only about being saved.  From what exactly? Si, how can we be saved like you?  Please don't leave us hanging!

One of the most influential Christians in my life was a quiet soft-spoken secretary from a small town in North Carolina.  She didn't have a college degree.  She ate peanut-butter crackers for lunch.  She was the only white person working in a predominantly minority office (A Human Rights Commission office).  On the weekends she visited incarcerated men and offered them hope.  During her lunch break she delivered meals to the elderly and disabled.  When my stomach growled, she always offered me a pack of her crackers.  She humbly supported the work of everyone in the office because she believed in the work that we were charged to do. 

Although she never once clearly mentioned it, I knew how strong her faith was and I knew that her acts of kindness and service were driven by her faith and her desire to be Christ-like. 

She made me want to be a better person.  She made me want to know more about this intense faith that was so strong that it inspired her to do such great things in her ordinary, everyday life.  She made me want to be more Christ-like.  This guy?  Well, he made me google "duck call".  And clearly, that's not going to get me to heaven.