Alienated from the world...

[majestic_21]

This question is kind of difficult to phrase, but do any of you guys "feel" different being a Christian in public? In public, you see other people (mostly non-Christians) doing things and making decisions that they feel are right but are against the will of God... does your place in society kind of alienate you from the rest of the world?

I know that we must fellowship and spread the word of God to non-believers, but it seems that everyday we have to live in a completely different reality than those who live without Christ (the 'real world' in that sense). And sometimes it's hard to live in such a reality.

I hope this post made any sense to you guys and that it isn't treading any common grounds on what's been already been discussed. It's something that I've always thought about since I became a Christian.

[Slater]

I understand what you're saying. Yes, I definitly feel like a sore-thumb in non-Christian groups... it's so easy to see non-Christian influence in the world around us today, especially for me living like right next to San Francisco California. My friend who I've known for 13 year now (we been going to school together since we were in Kindergarten) says that such places are so against God that he wouldn't be surprised if SF became like Sodom, burning in brimstone and covered by the waters of the ocean, and I agree.

We as Christians are called to be light in darkness. That in itself is an accurate picture. We are the exact opposite of the world and it's messages, and the Darkness will never understand or be able to overpower us. While we may be outnumbered, we do have that promise, and that's what matters most. That's why shining is so important. Light trying to blend with darkness doesn't work.

[Ingemar]

It certainly feels different for me. I attend a public university, after attending private school for more than 7 years. It seems that the modern intellectual and educational world has been specifically and deliberately defined itself against Christianity. The university (in a greater, rather than specific sense) celebrates people like Richard Dawkins who calls religion a disease, Freud who calls it an infantile delusion and many others like Sartre who believed, even if God existed, that He was no guiding force for human conduct.

The last course in my writing sequence specially deals with the topics of Nihilism and Atheism. When the floor is opened up, often other students tend to compare Christianity to an enslaving force (we ARE doing Marx, after all) or an institution meant to inflict undue harm to the human race. At least one person who I know believes in God even contributes to this public laceration and slander of Christianity. There are some Christians there too (like me) but they make no effort to call on this... I don't know what to call it. My "excuse" is respect for the primacy of the class and the professors goals over any one student's opinion or belief; but in reality, what is stopping me is cowardice. I know well enough not to voice my opinions loudly, but in this climate, I fear even a slight objections may lead to the dreaded "fundie" bomb.

Yet fundamentalist is a word I carry not with any shame or pride, but as a matter of fact.

[Debitt]

I feel "different" at school all the time. I constantly feel my morals and beliefs at odds with the morals and beliefs of a lot of other high school students, a fact that never ceases to irritate me. It's hard seeing people being so inconsiderate and amoral, especially when I feel we're called to behave exactly opposite of those traits.

It really isn't embarassing for me, being a Christian in a public school, but I suppose that comes along with my personality. I don't compromise my beliefs, and I defend them when they're being attacked, but I'm not a stick in the mud about it either. I don't make my religion a secret, but I see no reason to repel people from the faith by being accusatory. ^^; And people really don't seem to be repelled when I tell them I'm a Christian - so I hope I give people a good impression.

[Fsiphskilm]

Every s

[K. Ayato]

Right with you, Volt. As a Christian, I see a ton of things almost every day that make me shake my head.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

alll the time... alll the time, you're not alone ^^

[CobaltAngel]

I feel this way often too. Even some of my 'Christian' friends say and do things that make me feel uncomfortable because of my beliefs. Sometimes they make fun of people and even though I never join in, its hard when to know when to say something and when to keep my mouth shut. Being the kid that used to be picked on all the time in elementary school, I really have a soft spot for people who get teased. Yet, it my hurt my witness if I yelled at my friends everytime they picked on someone.

It makes sense, though, doesn't it? As Christians, our home is in Heaven, not here. Naturally, the people around us find it hard to except that we are not interested in things of this world, but that we seemed to be looking towards something bigger and more beautiful.

Even though they don't admit it, I think alot of non-Christians look up to us. They act like they see little self rightous goody-goodies that suck up and never break the rules, but I think alot of them really see true Christians as authentically nice people who they wish they could be like. I found over time that they're always watching us, which is way we need to be careful to always make our choices based on what we think Jesus would do.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Even though they don't admit it, I think alot of non-Christians look up to us. They act like they see little self rightous goody-goodies that suck up and never break the rules, but I think alot of them really see true Christians as authentically nice people who they wish they could be like. I found over time that they're always watching us, which is way we need to be careful to always make our choices based on what we think Jesus would do.

i dont know... not to bash you or anything... but ive heard different... you could tell somebody you go to church and love God... and heck... they won't care... they aren't impressed if you do

[Sakura15]

i dont know... not to bash you or anything... but ive heard different... you could tell somebody you go to church and love God... and heck... they won't care... they aren't impressed if you do

*nods* yep. Our actions speak louder than our words. Even then...they may not care, but..it does make them think more than when you simply tell them that you love God and go to church etc.

[majestic_21]

I ask myself everyday, what is wrong with these people... random sex, sick jokes, porn libraries equaling that of an online library, the most vulgar curse words against god... and they see nothing wrong with it.

I've had to suffer hearing these things from middle school right up to my senior year of high school. It seems like in a classroom (such as the one you mentioned), I am the only one who see's the wrong that some of my peers are doing and it really surprises me that I'm always the quiet one. And as much as I want to tell them that they're wrong, I know that if I confronted them in a group that it would be impossible to change their minds. And I agree that Christians exist in the world and not of the world. Sometimes I've had to think about this since I have friends that think like the sheep but still have some moral convictions.

I guess faith is a big part of letting such things like amorality and the selfishness from other people to not bother you.

[EireWolf]

you could tell somebody you go to church and love God... and heck... they won't care... they aren't impressed if you do

Why should they be impressed that you go to church and say that you love God? We will only make an impact in the world if people SEE the evidence of God's love in our lives.

Plenty of people go to church, claim to be Christians, and are still no different from the rest of the world, morally or otherwise. A true follower of Christ will be apart from the world. Jesus said, "When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you. The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don't. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you." (John 15:18-19)

Following Christ is not easy. There will always be the pull from the world to be like everybody else. But Christ has set us apart for Himself.

[CobaltAngel]

dont know... not to bash you or anything... but ive heard different... you could tell somebody you go to church and love God... and heck... they won't care... they aren't impressed if you do

Some people. Trust, people look up to Christians more than we think.

[haru_bay_nay]

I definitely feel this way a lot... Probably because I have lots of friends, many of which belong to different cliques/groups, and it's hard to not be too overbearing with my beliefs while still being a good influence. It's especially difficult when Christian friends are doing things that everyone, including themselves, know they shouldn't be.

I even feel out of place in my own home. Most of my family's morals and sense of right and wrong seem very off to me.

Still, as mentioned before, we are in the world, but not of it. This was the theme of Falls Creek (a huge Christian summer camp here in Oklahoma) a couple years ago, that we are aliens in this world. We just have to do our best to resist the temptations of sin and let our actions speak louder than our words.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Why should they be impressed that you go to church and say that you love God? We will only make an impact in the world if people SEE the evidence of God's love in our lives.

fo sho eiredizzle!