Defending Christianity

I've spent a good part of 2008 being very critical of Evangelicals and the Church. I thought I'd take a moment to defend Christianity, Evangelicals and the Church.

My criticism of my fellow believers has been in their defense of marriage using lies and deceptions and the seduction of power that has taken over many pastors and church leaders.

I came across this article by Skip Press about "Hollywood vs. Jesus" and it reminded me of the contempt that so many have against that which I truly believe in. I'm still grow tired of these attack.

I have been a Born-Again Evangelical Christian for almost 25 years. My relationship with Jesus, as rocky and glorious as it has truly been both personal and life-changing to the point that I hope everyone comes to understand Christ and Christianity as I do.

In the late 80's, a movie came out called "The Last Temptation of Christ" and it claimed to show the humanity of Christ, but by humanity it showed that he struggled with temptation and sin, like lust. I lead a campaign at my church to publically denounce this movie. Almost 20 years later, my opinion about the church and world has changed. I don't want to say I've become more liberal but I'm more forgiving of Hollywood. I still believe I did the right thing with Last Temptation of Christ, even though it makes me look like a sign-carrying censor.

Recently "The DaVinci Code" and now the TV Mini-series "The Last Templar" has really gotten my Pro-Christian activism blood flowing. Both movies set out to reveal that Christ was only a human being, thus effectively taking down Christianity, who core belief is that Jesus Christ was God in human flesh (more than a human).

Honestly, it's never easy to watch anyone mock what you believe in. It's one thing to disagree but it like telling Mother jokes. Sure it's funny to say your mother is great in bed, but she's still your mother.

I work every weekend at a comedy theater in San Diego. I'm probably only one of a few Christians in the group. I put up with Jesus jokes. I've seen Jesus jokes protrayed on stage, and I sit quietly. But at the same time, Jesus is very real to me. He died for me and he is someone that I try to pattern my life after.

It's disheartening to see Jesus protrayed the way he is in the movies or shown as someone he's not, like the husband of Mary (DaVinci Code) or a man rendered useless by overwhelming temptation (Last Temptation) or someone who in vain could not convince the world he was not God (Last Templar).

If anything, I'll let you make fun of the church for the stupid and silly things we do, but please show a little more respect for Jesus Christ.