Acting Like A Christian

MAHATMA GHANDI much preferred being addressed as "Mohandas", his given name, but seldom was. "Mahatma" is an ancient Indian term of endearment and reverence, roughly equilalent to "revered one" or "reverend". Like all wise people, Ghandi was humble, and disliked flattering titles. A Hindu, when asked what he thought about Christians, he replied: "I don't know. I have never met one." We all know what he meant by that, we all agree with him, or should, that few if any of us have actuallly met a "Christian", in anything but name only. (CINO) pronounced "sinno". Nobody lives up to the ideal behavior and life espoused by Christ, most folks fall woefully short, (its a high bar, as we like to say today), and many if not most don't even seem to try. (One needn't be Christ-like to be a true Christian, but mustn't one at least try?) Sustained research strongly indicates that being religious, no matter what the religion, has no correlation with morailty, that religious people, no matter the faith or how strong the faith, do not show superior behavior morally, and that atheists generally have higher moral standards and better behavior than do the ultra religious. As Cassy Stengal used to say: "You could look it up". It seems that believing devoutly in an all powerful all seeing god who monitors our every action does less to improve our behavior than believing in our salvation, our entry into heaven with sins forgiven does to enable bad behavior by excusing it and eliminating consequences for it. Atheists, on their own, tend to shape up, having given such matters much thought......One fine day my neighbor came strutting jauntily into my yard, big, muscular, confident, where I was standing, looking around, frowning. His "Christ is my king, my lord and savior" tat was glistening on his powerful bicep, speaking volumes. I was in the process of freaking, since two small but very aggressive dogs had just now come charging into my yard, barking, chasing, and snapping at my cats, who were skidattling in all directions, terrified, out of the yard, and down the busy street, the dogs in hot pursuit, putting all the animlas in dire automotive jeopardy. (In America, we drive fast without concern for others, we text while so doing, and we kill, then we drive away, uncaring. Thus we, and especially animals, are constantly in automotive jeopardy) My proud-to-be-a-Christian neighbor assessed the situation, and began laughing at the scene, and at my horrified reaction to it. Then he said: "I just came over to give you a hard time". He was teasing, of course, but I wasn't in the mood for it. I kept frowning, and tried to impress upon him the severity of the situation, but he remained in good humor, unconcerned, laughing at my apparent concern over nothing. I heard him say something like: "To you dogs and cats are like your children; to me, they're just animals", spoiling for an argument, which I was ready to deliver. It was more than I could take. Just animals, eh? Really. So, I played the cat card, reminded him that about two years ago his own cat was dying in his arms, and he said to it: "You have been so,so good for me. I love you... I will see you again, in heaven". For my big strong trouble making Christian neighbor, I pointed out to him, there had once, if only once, been an aniimal which was more than "just an animal" to him. He didn't seem to like that, my winning the argument by reminding him of his own behavior, and thus proving him wrong. He went hime, thank you lord, sullen and resentful. He didn't spaek to me for a month. With each passing day I had less respect for his behavior. A simple smile, handshake, and acknowlegement of the truth I had told him would have sufficed quite nicely, thank you sir. A little humility and honestly go a long way, after all. Finally when I spoke to him a month later he gave me the cold shoulder, still angry, resentful, humiliated by being proven wrong, or whatever. Proud to be a Christian, willing to let his tatoo proclaim his pride in faith, too proud to concede a valid point and change his viewpoint accordingly, proud enough to hold a grudge against a friend and neighbor who had the decency to tell the truth and teach him something. Just animals, are they? For you, big tough guy, there had been...one little cat...which was more, much more...than just an animal... Well then, dear freind, saved Christian, big tough guy, ultimately, so are we all, just animals, really. We are all in this together, on this tiny spot of a planet in God's great universe, and a little humility and loving compassion for all living creatures might do us all, including you, some good. But how could my friend with the big proud tatootato ever really be "just an animal"? After all, he is among God's chosen, a "saved" Christian, thus above and beyond anyone who isn't. But, so..... somehow, one might almost expect a "true" Christian to be a bit more loving and understanding and kind...or to at least try to be....