Christians Are Undermining Christianity

I have noted a number of times that the best reason/argument for one NOT to a Christian is those who profess themselves to be "godly Christians." Rather than living according to the Gospel message of Christ, hate, bigotry, intolerance, hypocrisy, frequent racism and general unloving behavior too often seem to be the principal hallmarks of Christianity based on the conduct of its supposed adherence. As I noted recently, individuals are leaving Christianity (often to adopt a "no religion" label) at four times the rate that others are converting to it - and it's no wonder, in my view. Yes, a number of mainline denominations increasingly do not fall into this nasty model of Christianity, but sadly, their message is overwhelmed by that of the hateful Christians. Michael Gerson has a piece in the Washington Post that looks at this phenomenon. Here are some highlights:
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A church in Florida is poised to commemorate an act of violence committed in the name of Islam, the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, with an act of stupidity committed in the name of Christianity, the public burning of the Koran.
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[T]he Manhattan mosque controversy has exposed a broader, conservative Christian suspicion of mosques and Muslims. Protests against the construction of mosques in California, Tennessee and Wisconsin have often included Christian pastors. Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association, a conservative Christian group, recently wrote: "Permits should not be granted to build even one more mosque in the United States of America, let alone the monstrosity planned for Ground Zero.
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The Christian fundamentalist view of Islam bears a striking resemblance to the New York Times' view of Christian fundamentalism -- a simplistic emphasis on the worst elements of a complex religious tradition.
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Many Christian fundamentalists seem oblivious to the similarity of their own legal and cultural peril. In portions of America -- say San Francisco or Vermont -- conservative Christians are sometimes also viewed as suspicious, illiberal outsiders. Their opinions on gender roles, homosexuality and public morality are viewed as an attack on constitutional values -- much as fundamentalists view the threat from Islam.
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Christian fundamentalists who undermine religious liberty in order to target Muslims are playing a game of intolerance roulette. That First Amendment might come in handy someday.
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Freedom of religious worship and expression is essential to human dignity -- which makes blocking the construction of a mosque for religious reasons a violation of Christian belief. And laws preventing the building of churches in Mecca or Riyadh do not make this principle less important here.
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Religious tribalism -- dividing the children of light from the children of darkness -- is a problem in many traditions. But a reaction in kind from conservative Christians would manage to undermine their interests and their convictions at the same time.