I don't know if it's called a website, or a blog ...Black, White, and Gray ---not so important what it's called, I believe credit should be given where credit it due. And this one I'm taking excerpts from Bradley Wright's article.

I thought it was interesting to use his scenario of a person who has cancer.  I will try to add a build-up.

The young girl is visibly upset ...and understandably so.  

She had just been told she has cancer ...and she was referred to by her family doctor, to some specialist in this big building.

Cassie looks up at the five-story building, with its annexes sprawling out over the surrounding landscape. It just seems so impersonal.  "Do these rich people really care about me?  They care about peer reviews, prestige, and padded pensions ...but, do they care about me?"

Cassie enters this huge lobby with two sets of elevators.  She pushes the button on the one appearing to be going up.

The elevator is slow, but that's okay ...time seems to be rather in a different perspective during times like this.

As the elevator door opens, she walks down a corridor with many doors to the one she is looking for: Stephenson.

Cassie signs the register, then sits down in an empty lobby.  She stares at the walls ...wondering why the lobby is empty.  Does Dr. Stephenson not have many patients ...is her cancer that unique??  Perhaps this is a good thing ...he won't be in a rush, and she can have his undivided attention.

Cassie is quickly called back.  Her first surprise is that he is not a he, but a she ...why did she assume Dr. Stephenson was a man?

She is invited to sit down, and she sits ...across a desk of an elderly lady, looking over her glasses balanced on her nose.

"Just call me Kim ...so, what brings you here today, Cassie?"

Cassie: "I have cancer."

Kim: "Well, there are several different theories why cancer occurs ..."  

(Kim appears to want to be very thorough on providing information, then segways into the 'you're not alone' aspect of it.)

Kim: "There are many reasons why cancer rates have increased over the decades.  One main reason is environmental ...and that is why our government is always looking seriously at things like air pollution ..."  

(Kim also covers 'lifestyle', inclusive of exercise, diet, and substance abuse ...mostly smoking and drinking, and also the types of cancer correlating with certain abuses or neglect in one's life.  She also covers age, race, class, and gender ...and the myths and associating fears common to each class of people.)

Cassie looks up at the clock on the wall ...seeing that Kim has remarkably been talking for nearly an hour.  And now, Kim has begun to talk about personal experiences within her own family.

Cassie interrupts: "When will I need to start treatments?"

Kim appears surprised by the question, "Oh, you'll need to talk to a physician about that!"

Cassie: "I was told to come to you ...Kim Stephenson."

Kim: "Oh, you're talking about Dr. Kim R. Stephenson ...on the third floor.  Funny how two people in the same building have nearly the same name.  I'm a sociologist ...he's the physician."

The sociologist came up with interesting data ...just like a psychiatrist may help with understanding emotional struggles.

But, when it comes to something as dreaded as cancer ...wouldn't you think that a physician would be more welcomed??

Yes, you'd want all the referrals necessary to get to the actually source of the problem ...to rid yourself of the problem, as soon as possible.

You certainly wouldn't want a politician to decide for you ...and I'm not going to get into a national health care system debate, but I will humor myself at this time with something Dad said: "Politicians are so crooked they can't lie straight in bed."

Not trying to pick on politicians either, but here is one more: "How can you tell if a politician is lying?  His lips are moving."

Obviously, we must think there is some good in some politicians, otherwise what hope would we have in going to the polls.  We have to identify what is important.  Mark Twain said: "A lie can run halfway around the world, while truth is still putting on its shoes."

We should be able to discern somewhat personal character ...and politicians are people.  We can see that some of them lie even when standing up.  But, many of us seem to not care so much about a lie unless it affects us directly, or I should say, offends us directly.

But, in the case of cancer ...we may want to believe the lie, while in denial, because we don't want to face the fact of the cancer. Yet, this concept applies to more than things we fear ...it seems true for some things we simply desire also, or things we desire not to change.

Most problems are created and solved the same way ...by discussing them.

What are some of the things we choose to be in denial over ...things we don't want to accept as true?

Abortion comes to mind.

How many people are in denial ...stating that committing an abortion is not taking a life.

But, the idea is more complex than just a political disagreement.  Why are so many pregnancies considered a problem??

It goes back to much promiscuity in a society ...children out of wedlock.  And the sad dilemma of going it alone, leaves abortion as the prime promotion ...as a simple remedy.  It is promoted as a permanent fix to the current dilemma, when really it is a deceptive temporary solution provided. It creates regret and agony in many who fall for the deception ...and many of those who don't seem to regret, often go to extreme lengths to cover those feelings.  They often become vicious with their accusations, and rally the cause of rights, while so blindly denying the rights of the most defenseless ...that which is within them.  And by getting rid of what's within them, they are changing much more within them that they don't realize.

I must note here, that I know many women who've had abortions ...who have Jesus within them, and they have replaced the regret with accepting His forgiveness.  And that is the only way to fill those empty spaces.

That brings this discussion to the next point. Though abortion is only one example, there are many other firm beliefs that are often adopted by those termed 'Christians'.

We can say Christians are misunderstood, but really the great misunderstanding is with God, and how He is perceived.  And since Christians are as diverse as politicians ...it can be assumed that many of them lie also. But, since most Christians are not seeking public office ...they usually limited it to lying to themselves.

So, since many are so confused about God ...the representatives who claim to also believe in Jesus, are often confused representatives.  Therefore, those who look to Christians and what they believe, or may be perceived to believe ...are often confused also.

I'm going to take a conversation of a gentleman who has passed away over 15 years ago.  Though highly respected, and respected also by me, I will respectfully not use his name. Let me say that he was traveling from place to place ...and some of the places in between were rather barren.  He picked up a hitchhiker at a remote diner ...after a brief conversation that revealed that they had plans to go in the same direction.

The conversation began with simple talk for several miles ...and part of that simple talk revealed that the driver was a Christain.

Passenger: "I'm sorry, but if you want to stop and let me out, you can."

Driver: "Here??  We are 15 miles from nowhere ...why would I let you out in this barren area??  I thought you wanted a lift to the next town?"

Passenger: "Well, I was dishonest with you."

Driver: "How's that?"

Passenger: "Well, you're a Christian ...and I'm gay."

Driver: "You weren't dishonest with me."

Passenger: "Well, I could have been more honest ...and tell you I'm gay."

Driver: "I didn't tell you that I'm a Christian ...before I agreed to give you a lift."

Passenger: "But, would you have agreed to give me a lift if I had told you I was gay?"

Driver: "You are a person who needs a ride."

Passenger: "I thought Christians hated gays."

Driver: "That's kind of different ...I thought Christians were supposed to love, not hate.  I thought to love your neighbor as yourself was an important commandment ...secondary only to loving God."

Passenger: "Well, I thought God hates gays."

Driver: "And I thought God was love."

Passenger: "Do you think I will go to hell for being gay?"

Driver: "No, of course not, you won't go to hell for being gay anymore than I'd go to hell for allowing you to ride in my truck.  You feel being gay is inside you ...and you are inside my truck.  I feel this truck is a part of me ...so, I guess someone could say that I have some gay inside me.  Nobody goes to hell for what they do ...we go to hell because we reject the grace that God so longs to give to us, regardless of what we do during any particular time in our life."

Passenger: "But, this has been a long time."

Drive: "Well, I've been struggling for a long time with resentment towards my dad ...and though any of us may not have had victory over a certain struggle, does not qualify as not struggling.  Sounds to me like you are struggling, so perhaps you should look to a God who loves you, instead of towards One whom you think hates you.  I've found victory over a struggle comes much easier that way."

Passenger: "But, it seems that being gay is the only way for me. Wait, what are you doing ...you're going off the road!  Are you okay, are you having a heart attack!  Speak to me!"

Driver (turns towards him and smiles):  "If you speak to God with such urgency, I'm sure He will show you another way ...one that you've not tried before. I tried not having resentment towards my dad ...and it didn't work.  I needed to try not having unbelief, and that's what I really needed.  After that, the feelings towards my dad seemed to come so easy."

This confusion that I mentioned, has been labeled also among the list of fears. Yet, I must add, that many of the recently contrived fears that have been added to the list are often poking fun at a particular group of people, not an actual fear. It's almost like a dare, or a 'how dare you' attitude.

It becomes like a defense, or even a coaxing ...to belittle and poke fun at the beliefs of others.

"Oh, so you are afraid!"

"I bet you are afraid because your Mommy won't let you."

Added to the list of phobias in recent years has been Homophobes ...and even more recently, Christianophobia.

I am so thankful that for whatever reason, whether for health concerns or whatever it was, that restaurants in Michigan have for a few years now disallowed smoking in restaurants.  It all happened in stages, with at one time designating smoking and non-smoking sections ...though the smoking section was often located over a short partition, with the smoke easily trailing over some decorative vegetation.

I never liked cigarette smoke ...and am thankful I didn't have allergies like some people, nor like some with severe cases of asthma.  But, I never considered it a phobia.

And in our home we are very comfortable having pots and pans, pot holders, flower pots, and even one we sit on ...but, never an inclination to smoke it.  And personally, I don't think it's healthy ...and I feel it's my prerogative to feel that way.  Again, I don't feel I have a potheadphobia.

Likewise, I kind of disagree with those who've penned the term Christianophobia.  Who would be afraid of a Christian??  If anything, people seem to feel safe to say anything they want about Christians.

Now, there are other groups of people whom most people regard unsafe to talk about ...and I don't know if it's an outright fear of personal safety, like someone stepping up and challenging a gang member.   Or it could just be a fear of not being accepted, perhaps cringing at the possibility of being laughed at.

But, with Christians, I believe there is less fear towards them than there is animosity.  Could we say those who are anti-Christian, are also anti-Christ??

A study was done ...and the results may be surprising to some. The group of people whom the study listed as having the most hostile feelings towards Christians were:

WWW ...not world-wide web, yet perhaps equally influential. 

• White
• Well-educated
• Wealthy

And when you have the wealth to attend a progressively liberal college, you can also afford to promote your ideas more massively ...or to the masses.

I was reading these demographic stats referenced from George Yancey's article on Christianophobia, and the book co-authored with David Williamson.

Yet, beyond trying to figure out who, or why they seem to have such a negative impression of Christians ...

There is a generation who believed in Jesus ...yet, they also believed that their children needed a better chance here on earth. They sent their children to what they believed were the best colleges. Best often meaning most expensive and prestigious.

And those children, who were no longer children, were following the confidence of their new leaders ...not their family values and traditions.

Many of those young adults left the faith, having faith in new ways, new discoveries, and new understandings.  They began to focus on the created instead of the Creator.

Why??  

Was it only their totally faith and commitment to their professors??  

Of course not.

What then??

Here are some perceptions:

• They believe that God failed them ...some then viewing God as uncaring, and not answering prayer.  Expectations were not met, and life was riddled with disappointments ...not the promised pedigree of being a Christian.  The rewarding life they felt was ahead of them as a result of them being a Christian ...seemed to be nothing short of empty. Many of them also had to face the death of someone close to them ...someone they cared about, or felt they loved.  This is always difficult to deal with, yet especially so if the death was by suicide.
• Evolution was very well-documented, and though seemingly rather impersonal ...it did not carry with it the empty promises and expectations.  As people evolved, things would get better.
• The old cliches of: "Just have faith!" seemed insincere answers to questions they were interested in having answered.
• They felt cut by a double-edged sword ...with alleged legalism pushing a deception with its misconception of having to be perfect, while at the same time seeing that actions often speak louder than words and there are many professed Christians who are hypocrites ---being equally immoral, rude, and judgmental.
• The focus switched from our Creator to a feeling that if we didn't protect the planet God gave us ...God would be unable to do anything to save us.  But, really God would not often even enter the conversation ...and we become the caretakers of our planet, having to cure world hunger, curb war, and bring about world peace.
• Our present world that we live in, with those around us whom we live with ...seem more real to us than an invisible God.

The fact is, when people think we have an impersonal God ...they are ignoring the simple truth that God sent His Son. How much more personal can it get??

And Jesus walked this this earth as a humble man ...born in a manger, having to escape Herod's wrath as a child, then traveling about with His parents while learning a trade.  As He became to a respected adult age, He traveled about attempting to help change everyone's bleak outlook on life, providing a hope, then suffering a cruel horrendous death for what He believed in ...which is eternal life for us in paradise, with Him.

Today, not much in academia will give much time or emphasis to what Jesus did.  They ignore what accepting Jesus would entitle them to ...but, instead allow a bitter disparity to grow. And a society which has been given false hopes will readily attach onto a government entitlement mentality with a philosophy of, "It is better to receive than give."

That appears backwards to me ...though very common in practice. One time I'm sure it's not backwards is when we receive Jesus ...and give ourselves a break.  

Yet, it could be argued that we must first give Him our heart ...and then give to others without having to receive anything in return.  In truth, if we have the greatest gift and we don't lose it by giving to others ...then forget the semantics, Jesus gave His life, and wants to receive us as His followers.

It is rather simply ...yet, we cannot afford to simply miss it!!