The above comment came my way this past week and it made me stop and think. Christianity doesn’t seem all that complicated to me, but then I’ve been around the faith for a long time. What is it that gets in the way of people understanding the faith? Organized religion? Believers themselves? A distorted view of Christianity learned from TV and movies? Or does the questioner really mean “I don’t understand why anyone would be a Christian”?
I welcome any thoughts on these questions.
In the meantime let me toss out a thought or two to anyone reading who might agree with the title statement.
Christianity is complex enough to keep the minds of the world’s scholars busy trying to plumb its depths, yet at the same time it is simple enough to be understood by children. In fact, Jesus said a childlike faith is exactly the kind of faith God looks for, not in the sense of being immature but in the sense of being unsophisticated.
Christianity is a costly faith. Following in the footsteps of Jesus — living as He taught, not as you see the televangelists living — will take all you have to give and then some. He wants it all — life, possessions, imagination, skills, hobbies, career, relationships… It’s not difficult to find something worth dying for, but have you found anything yet worth living for?
It’s impossible to “get” Christianity unless Jesus is the focus. He said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” And yet at the same time he also said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Jesus turns the world’s crass values upside down. He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.”
Who wouldn’t want to follow Him?
Getting Started 
Maybe people find it hard to understand for a number of reasons: They are trying to intellectualize an experience that might not be very tangible intellectually, Christ taught using confusing language to keep people confused (Luke 8:9,10), maybe this is so that people need to meet God, instead of knowing about God (The difference between a friend and a stalker).
Though I’m still not quite sure why people don’t understand it, it is the most simply complex thing (or the most complex simple thing).
Hmm…good questions. Some people I’ve talked to say they’re turned off to Christianity by Christians they’ve encountered (and/or seen in the media) who are judgmental, legalistic, self-righteous, intolerant, etc. One guy told me that several Christians have told him, personally, that he’s going to go to hell when he dies. He said that made him wonder why anyone would want to be associated with a group of people who go around condemning people to hell. This is unfortunate because it is a misrepresentation of what it means to be a follower of Christ.
I also think a lot of people in our culture just don’t “get” some of the aspects and/or ethics of Christianity, such as: chastity (in a culture that thinks waiting until the third date to have sex is the norm); tithing (many are cynical about why anyone would give their money–let alone 10% of their income–to the church, probably because they don’t realize that tithes are not just contained within church walls);believing in a Triune God (three in one? huh?); heaven and hell (They may think something like, “Why would a loving God allow people to go to hell? Or, is there really such a thing as an afterlife…you can’t prove it, can you?”).
Pam – “They are trying to intellectualize an experience that might not be very tangible intellectually”
I think you may be onto something there. While the Christian faith is reasonable, and has enough in it to keep the mind occupied for a lifetime (and more!), the actual living of it is not an intellectual exercise. You can reason your way to the gates of the Kingdom but you can’t reason your way in. I totally agree, it’s the difference between knowing about God and knowing God.
Elizabeth –
“Some people I’ve talked to say they’re turned off to Christianity by Christians they’ve encountered (and/or seen in the media) who are judgmental, legalistic, self-righteous, intolerant, etc.”
I think you’re right, I think this is probably the #1 reason why people don’t like (or don’t think they like) Christianity — because it is misrepresented all too loudly by a self-righteous minority. I wish I knew how to get through to folks like that and get them to see what they’re doing to damage people’s faith. I have tried now and then, but so far I haven’t had any luck. It’s like they get obsessive/compulsive about just one or two doctrines and can’t see anything beyond the ends of their own noses.
On the ethics side, I think the best way to address those issues is to proclaim the gospel more — that is, speaking God’s word directly into situations. I don’t know about you but until recently I have been really shy about quoting scripture in everyday conversation. I don’t mean saying “well, it says here in Romans chapter 8…” (ugh! I hate it when people do that!) but I mean actually speaking God’s word, literally or paraphrased, in everyday conversations. God’s word is alive and it’s powerful stuff — no wonder Old Goonball Down Below doesn’t want us repeating it.
The hell doctrine can get sticky, particularly because people can’t get the image of a guy in a red jumpsuit w/ pitchfork out of their minds… I usually approach it with a quote from CS Lewis: “There are two kinds of people in the world: those who say to God ‘Thy will be done’ and those to whom God eventually says ‘thy will be done’.” After all what could be more hell-like than actually getting everything we think we want?
The hell doctrine can get sticky, particularly because people can’t get the image of a guy in a red jumpsuit w/ pitchfork out of their minds… I usually approach it with a quote from CS Lewis: “There are two kinds of people in the world: those who say to God ‘Thy will be done’ and those to whom God eventually says ‘thy will be done’.” After all what could be more hell-like than actually getting everything we think we want?
CS Lewis was a very wise man. It’s funny–there was a similar conversation about hell and CS Lewis’ view, etc, in the comments section on my blog (under the Theophobia post) just a couple of days ago.
I agree about speaking God’s word and truth more. Yeah, I used to whine and complain a lot about the outspoken minority that made Christians seem intolerant and unkind. But then I realized that for all the whining I was doing, I wasn’t speaking up to offer a counter-perspective to anyone. I don’t think we can change anyone but ourselves, so I realized that I needed to start being more open about what being a Christian means to me. That’s when I started blogging about it, actually (a little over a year ago).