The West Wing

I recently saw a clip from "The West Wing" that showed Christians in a very poor light.  I have never watched this television show (I actually haven't watched television for over a decade!) so I cannot speak to the entire series.  However, this one episode was infuriating to me!

The "President" (Martin Sheen) was talking to a room of media leaders during the final hours of his re-election campaign (from what I could gather from the single scene I saw) and he singled out a woman who was a Christian radio talk show host.  He interupted his speech to single her out and confront her on what he thought was a discrepancy in Christian belief.  Because the Old Testament says that homosexuality is illegal and it also says that what we consider minor infractions (or just weird requirements) should have fatal consequences - the character was insinuating that this Christian radio talk show host was an ignorant, backward, disrespectful, judgemental miscreant.  I won't speak about how poor it showed on his character that the most powerful man in the world would roast a young woman in front of a room of her colleagues and competitors.  Or that Stockard Channing plays a First Lady (I just can't quite imagine that!!!)  Let's just stick with the issue of import: He thought that ancient Jewish law somehow proved Christianity to be in error.

I wondered how many real people have those same misconceptions about Christianity?

My first response was anger at his pious, ignorant, and rude attitude.  Once my sense kicked in and I remembered that he was a fictional character (granted - he was giving voice to someone else's misconceptions and prejudices though) and it was silly to be frustrated and infuriated by a television character I calmed down significantly and began to wonder how many people out there have these same incorrect ideas about Christianity and the Bible.

And more importantly, what am I doing to educate people about my beliefs?

A year or so ago, a new governor was elected to a southern state (Mississippi or something, I can't remember exactly) and the Sunday after he won the election he spoke at a church.  During that church service he called the Christians there "Brothers and Sisters."  This caused a scandal in the media and there were all sorts of journalists and anchors claiming that this man would only appoint "Born Again Christians" to his administration.  The story was blown out of proportion and I am sure the poor governor-to-be was astonished at the complete lack of knowledge the media showed regarding Christian culture.  They thought this man was over-the-top in his commitment to other Christians when he was just addressing them in an age old salutation.

The average American doesn't know much at all about Christianity, real Christianity.  Everyone has an opinion based on hearsay, misunderstanding or a solitary experience but few people have real knowledge about what being a Christian really means, about who a Christian really is.

I would love to see us just educate people about our beliefs.  Show people who Christ calls us to be.  Who, seeing Jesus, could resist?