If You Don't Fit In Then There Must be Something Wrong with You (Right?)

At the time, I didn't think anything of it.  I was waiting in the lobby at a church and flipping through one of the Christian magazines out of boredom.  I can't remember the name of the magazine or the article but here's what I remember:

The author was in a fellowship group and this couple were thinking of leaving the church.  They weren't being fed or whatever.   And so the author of the article gave the usual sermon about how we shouldn't be focused on what we get out of church or whether the people there are perfect, etc, but rather we need to think about what we can do.  You know the routine.  The message:  if you leave church it's not because the church is wrong;  it's because there must be something wrong with you.

But I'm reading this article as a Messianic.  And here's my impression:  maybe that couple wasn't being selfish at all!  Maybe they (like all of my friends from Christian school) just got tired of the CULTURE OF CHRISTIANITY.

There are pastors that I like.  There are Christians that I like.  But they can't make up for the fact that cultural Christianity is harmful.

So I'd just like to say to those out there who are dissatisfied (or outright disgusted) with Christian culture.  THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH YOU!

Recently, Gene made fun of Dan for not fitting in with the Messianic movement (in Gene's opinion).  The presupposition seems to be:  if you don't fit in then there must be something wrong with you.  James made the same ad hominem attack against Zion.

But let's think about this for a second!  If that's true--that something is wrong with someone who doesn't fit in--then...

• There's something wrong with each secular Jew who feels like they don't fit in with secular culture and so they decide to return to Judaism or even make aliyah!  Think about it:  if you make aliyah, you're essentially saying that an entire country was so bad for you that you had to leave!  Talk about a misfit!

• There's something wrong with a college co-ed who suddenly realizes that it's not right for men and women to share the same bathrooms/showers and so they decide to take a stand and leave that school.  Prudish misfits.

• There's something wrong with Messianic Jews or Messianics for not wanting to go to church.  Messianic misfits.

See I rather like the misfits.  I like those people who aren't afraid to go up against the system or remove themselves from an unhealthy situation.

And so I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Dan and Zion for being a pair of wonderful misfits!  I love you guys!