Most Christians (at least the ones I know) tend to be very judgmental and are more likely to “get the first part right” while not paying any mind to the second part.

Do you think God is selfish? I’d say he probably isn’t. I’d go so far to say that he’s selfless and cares more about us loving our neighbors than us loving him. Using the thought process that God is in each one of us and by loving each other we’re loving God, I’d say that a non-Christian who just-so-happens to be a decent person and treats everyone with kindness has a better chance at Heaven than a “Christian” looking down their nose at the others around them.

Sure, there are people who do that - not just the Fred Phelps types but an even more insidious kind of judgment where we feel superior to others but are better about disguising it.

While I think it’s human nature to judge others against what we think is right or wrong, but I believe these commandments are the core of Christianity. Love God. Love People. It’s not easy to do either but at least in our journey to to our best, we get a little closer.

What do you mean by “brokenness” (concretely, not in theological euphemisms like “sin”, please) and what would, in your opinion, constitute “truly understanding” it?

Plus I’m not sure that the Hebrews 5 scripture speaks to the question Todd raised and that Steven exacerbates, i.e. are Christians not more likely to take their (imagined?) certainty that they love and are loved by God as an excuse to patronize others (whether that’s feeling free to curse at other drivers or “dealing gently” with “sinners”) rather than grasping that what Christ demands of them isn’t to follow his teachings and pass the test, but rather to love, like Him, God with all one’s being, no matter what that requires (like, maybe, challenging one’s assumptions about others and our own goodness vis-a-vis them… and there, I guess, Heb 5 does tie in).

There has to be a reason that most non-Christians think of Christians as neither particularly godly nor loving, and I have the feeling it has to do with exactly this issue.

This is a good question, Todd. I think we would all do well to struggle more with it.

1 Every high priest selected to represent men and women before God and offer sacrifices for their sins 2 should be able to deal gently with their failings, since he knows what it’s like from his own experience. 3 But that also means that he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the people’s.

When I was about 15 or so (12 years ago) I was at a youth rally and a drama group was performing (not Theatron). Anyway, they did a contemporary retelling of the story of the Good Samaritan. The catch was, it wasn’t the Good Samaritan, it was the Good Gay person. When the audience started realizing what was going on people started walking out in droves. It struck me though. I realized in that instant that my categories of who could be good and who was a sinner were way off. I also still hurt inside everytime I think about all those people walking out of the auditorium, and I hate to think that maybe they walk out of situations like that in real life as well.

So now I’ll confess this: my actions towards the sort of people who walked out of the auditorium, is often to walk out on them and to be angry with them, and to not love them. So I guess I haven’t really learned either. But I think if I could ever grasp what it truly means to love the LORD with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, then loving my neighbors would be easy.

But it’s true what you say. I especially love the last sentence … “I’d also like to think that this would have an impact on the way we share the gospel – starting with affirmation of action rather than condemnation of unbelief.”

Right on, brother!