I run into more and more people lately that object to the mean spirited Christian attitude of exclusiveness(ie Jesus is the only way) and they insist on explaining it to me. Christian's "only one way" "know it all" attitude bothers their inclusive tolerance and they are not going to put up with it any longer (don't make me point out the irony). They are finally speaking out (after years of silence?), fueled perhaps by The Messiah Obama's victory. Not to be outdone, Christians are jumping on the band wagon. Certainly they do not want to be viewed in such a negative light. Eckhart Tolle and Oprah appear reasonable and common ground to them.
Is there some common thread to this anti-Christian and improved-Christian thinking? I think so. Most (maybe all) things religious (atheism is a religion of sorts) can be best understood through the Garden of Eden paradigm. The God of the Bible shows man trying to achieve godliness on his own, without God or through other gods. So instead of man possessing "original sin" and needing a redeemer provided by the one and only true God, man to these people is basically good (except George Bush) and if we would only just get along, travel more or be European, then all would be at peace.
Why argue or discuss the extremities. As long as you are being pressed into the conversation or tortured with demagogic rhetoric, why not take opportunity to explain the simple, heart-of-the-matter difference in view point. I'll bet they have never thought of it, many Christians don't see it and end up being dragged into a wiley discussion usually ending with the Iraq war.
You will never convince these people of anything anyway so why not present the Gospel according to the Garden of Eden and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.
I am trying to formulate my customized generic approach (is that an oxymoron?). It would include some of the following:
You believe man is basically good and if we would all just try our hardest to be better everything would work out. Apparently good is not good enough so better is the new good.
The Bible says that man has fallen into sin and needs a redeemer. Man needs to be recreated, reborn by the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ the only son of God.
I am expecting this to be a short conversation so I probably need not plan further.
BigHuge Best Wishes on our new evangelistic thrust!
