Stuff Christians Say...

To preface my thoughts, please watch this video entitled: Stuff Christians Say...

How did you react? I hope you were able to laugh.  It does a remarkable job of showing how culturally conditioned our contemporary version of Christianity really is.  Those with even a little understanding of church history will realized it would not be funny to any generation but their own.  Think of Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Edwards, Billy Graham or even some of your parents finding this funny.  My point?  In our interactions together as Christians, humor is an essential way of communicating ecumenically.  Whether we are on a campus, workplace, or in church, Christian's should recognize their theological differences as partly humorous.  I have seen too many debates over free will/election end poorly.  I need not argue that Christians need to act more seriously about the beliefs they hold-- for this is the default nature of man.  I merely mean to suggest that in our debates with other Christians, a sense of history can go a long ways in alleviating  a heated discussion or church tension.  If we are able to poke fun at ourselves (as I believe was the purpose of the video) and realize the conversation we are talking part in was neither started by us, nor end with us puts a lot of perspective to the smallness of the place we occupy in church history.  Not to be misunderstood, the beliefs we hold about God are the most important part of us, but I believe being able to laugh at your own place in time can be the best starting point for discussing the most serious of beliefs.