Faking Christianity
The Freakonomics blog posted a fascinating email from someone who finds social situations to be much easier when they fake Christianity. Here’s an excerpt from the post We Pretend We Are Christians:
We are agnostics living deep in the heart of Texas and our family fakes Christianity for social reasons. It’s not so much for the sake of my husband or myself but for our young children. We found by experience that if we were truthful about not being regular church attenders, the play dates suddenly ended. Thus started the faking of the religious funk.
It seemed silly but it’s all very serious business down here. We don’t go to church or teach or children one belief is “right” over another. We expose them to every kind of belief and trust that they will one day settle in to their very own spirituality. However, for the sake of friends and neighbors, we pretend we are Christians. We try not to lie but rather not to disclose unnecessary information. As the children are getting older, this isn’t so easy for them and an outing is probably eminent.
We are not the only ones. We have found a few other fakers out there.
Read the entire Freakonomics post. The comments after the post are filled with other people sharing their experiences faking religion or political leanings in order to smooth over social situations.
I’ve spent much of my life around Christians and in work environments steeped in Christianity. But recently I moved to a city with a very diverse religious landscape. It’s interesting to see how differently religion is discussed here. When religion is mentioned, it’s broached very carefully and tentatively so as to not offend anyone.
In some ways I miss the more direct openness of other places, but observing these extremely cautious conversations about religion has shown me how quickly Christians can create a situation in which it’s easier for other people to hide their convictions than to boldly state their opposing viewpoint.
Have you ever found yourself faking or omitting your own perspective when a touchy theological or cultural issue comes up in conversation? How do you make sure that people who don’t share your beliefs still feel comfortable around you?
[HT: Experimental Theology.]
No, I do not,our christian duty is to profess Christ. That people lie to gain acceptence does not suprise me. Peter denied knowing Christ so he would “fit in” with the persecutors. We are not responsible for how other people “feel” if they do not share our beilves. As christians we must always profess the truth. If people are angered by this and condem you that is there choice. That they persecute you or speak evil about you for the sake of Jesus is to be expected because the Lord foretold it. matthew 5:11 Blessed are those that are persecuted and hated by men for my names sake 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. I am not offended by Jews, muslims, hindus, non catholic christians, athiest, wiccns or anyone. I know in whom I belive, and I speak truth out of love and I pray for those who hate me for the sake of the lord and wish that all may come to know him. I have a special love for my seperated christian brethren, and pray that the entire body of belivers in Christ may one day be united, one flock, one shepard, one lord ,one baptism. John 17: 7 23
7Sanctify[b] them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24″Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25″Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
Thank you, Mark. I am a fairly new Christian and I just learned this year while studying the Bible, that my responsibility as a faithful follower of Christ, is to share the gospel of salvation, the truth of God’s word, NOT to convince anyone to believe what I believe. I was relieved to learn that I am not expected to convince anyone to agree with my belief, but that the Holy Spirit will work in them to create belief. Like you, I am not offended by people of other faiths or spiritualities. I now have the Holy Spirit within me to help me discern what is true and from God, and what is not. The more I study the Bible and know for myself what it contains and provides for me, the less I have to worry about what other people are doing. Jesus told Peter in John 21, “Follow me,” but he also told Peter that it wasn’t Peter’s business how He would deal with anyone else. That is between them and God. I have family and friends that are not saved, and I pray that somehow they will hear me and be saved; however, it is not my responsibility to convince them that I am right and they are wrong. I am glad I am not responsible for how others “feel” about what I believe. I only pray that they will come to see and feel, for themselves,the peace of a close personal relationship with God.
I completely agree with you! I don’t think we christians should ever hide the truth and the truth is our Lord Jesus Christ. For ppl 2 fake christianity is obscene and very low. God will deal with those type of ppl in the end of time. I pray also that they will one day come 2 know God and truly give their life to him. Being a christian is not a joke. Ppl r making remarkable changes 2 their lives everyday.
Those who try to fake christianity will find them self in side it.u cant joke with God and eascape.
Faking Christianity and ignorance of the Word of God is the biggest pitfall of Christianity. Faking being a Christian and ignorance of the Word can sometimes go hand in hand. They seem to fit togather.
The biggest deception in the Church has always been the lack of repentance. One beleiving that forgiveness comes without repentance is the problem the Church does not dwell on enough. We all need to be tought that repentance must come prior to foregiveness.
i agree with Greg, true repentance is needed… people try to grow a plant without planting the seed first… The plan of salvation is Acts 2:38… 1)Repent… 2)Baptized in Jesus Name… 3)Accept & Let the Holy Spirit into your heart…. Praise Jesus!!! 😉
It is sad that many people in the world would fake Christianity for the sake of acceptance. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that one doesn’t sin but that I have my sins have been forgiven by God through faith in Jesus Christ. As Joyce Meyer repeatedly says going to church or acting like a Christian surely don’t make one a Christian just as it is for one to sleep in a garage in order to be a car.
I agree with Greg. Repentance must precede forgiveness. And that is not the end of the road but the beginning of a life long relationship with God.
My issue with this Fake Christianity is that there is even a need. Christians should be warm and welcoming to those who are not so that their very way of life can testify and win them over. The Message should not be withheld. Of course, one needs to be careful of your associations in today’s world but, with wisdom from the Holy Spirit, we should all strive to be inclusive and to make a positive difference to the lives of others. The word ostracising may be too strong but this is something that we should not do to non-christians. I think it is just wrong. I just think that Christians should be easier to live with.
Thank you, Sandi. I too believe that Christians should be easier to live with. Not by denying what they believe, but by dropping the self-righteousness and critical spirit that sometimes comes when we forget that we, too, are sinners. We are forgiven, we are cleansed, but we are not sinless. We have a duty as “fishers of men” to reach out to those who may not know the good news of the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. Be inclusive, YES! Make a positive difference in the life of a non-believer, YES! Depend on the Holy Spirit to help you deliver the message, YES!
1. Have you ever found yourself faking or omitting your own perspective when a touchy theological or cultural issue comes up in conversation?
No I have never faked being a Christian or held my tongue when it was necessary to speak up. Sometimes it is necessary to remain quiet and not “throw your pearls before swine” so to speak. If what you say isn’t going to be heard because they don’t have any interest on hearing but only being heard, then it is of no gain to God to enter into an argument over what is holy and true.
2. How do you make sure that people who don’t share your beliefs still feel comfortable around you?
I try to please God and let the Holy Spirit guide me. My focus isn’t their comfort level but if I am pleasing God. I know that if it is pleasing to Him, then I will not be doing anything that is out of line.
It saddens me that someone would fake Christianity and be so open and seemingly proud about it. I pray for the children that during the faking they will begin to open their hearts and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
I also think that it’s very sad for the children because they don’t know any better. I think if the parents really cared about their future and supposedly want them to make their own decisions then they shouldn’t encourage faking anyting!
See people now a days believe that being a Christian just requires saying that they believe. What most do not realize is that Christianity is not just faith, but a way of life. Every time one acts, think if it is correct in Gods eyes. These poor people will soon realize the mistake they are making. If there children become true Christians, they would have to live with the fact that there parents are not in presence of God.
When I know people who go to church and then don’t show it, it upsets me. When you choose to take God as your Savior you can’t hide it. Even if things get really tough you can’t fake anything. You choose to follow his word don’t fake it just because your uncomfortable.
Talk about missing the point of the article. You’re answer to someone who was shunned for not being Christian is to complain about the persecution of Christians? You should be chastising the people who wouldn’t socialize with them for not being Christian.
And win them over? What you don’t seem to realize is most “non christians” don’t want to be won over. These people wanted their children to have a happy childhood, with friends they could play with. They didn’t want to find God. You should welcome them into your community and homes because it is the right thing to do and even Christian thing to do… not so you can convert them. You should re-read Jesus’ parable of The Good Samaritan and pray about it.
How do you make sure that people who don’t share your beliefs still feel comfortable around you?
I try to please God and let the Holy Spirit guide me. My focus isn’t their comfort level but if I am pleasing God. I know that if it is pleasing to Him, then I will not be doing anything that is out of line.
It saddens me that someone would fake Christianity and be so open and seemingly proud about it. I pray for the children that during the faking they will begin to open their hearts and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
also think that it’s very sad for the children because they don’t know any better. I think if the parents really cared about their future and supposedly want them to make their own decisions then they shouldn’t encourage faking anyting