Christianisms

  • Ism is an oppressive and especially discriminatory attitude or belief
  • Paul talks about favoritism specifically which is a general ism
  • We all have our preferences and predispositions towards things
  • Typically this is a combination of how we were raised and the environment we live
  • Friends, family and even co-workers may influence our tendencies
  • Sometimes Isms happen without even knowing it
  • But what are our isms:
    • Ableism against people with disabilities,
    • Ageism against young people and children,
    • Classism is against those of particular economic class
    • Ethnocentrism against those that do not speak English as a first language
    • Cisgenderism – against transgender people
    • Heterosexism – against Gay identified people
    • Nativism – against immigrants
    • Racism – against people of other races other than your own
    • Religious imperialism against people who do not practice Christianity
    • Christian intolerance – which puts Christians against each other
    • Sexism – against gender other than your own and attitudes that favor a certain gender
  • As I am reading off how many of you started to get a little knot in your stomach, I hope all of you
  • As Christians we inherently should want to oppose these behaviors
  • But we are also human and can fall into the thralls of social normalcy
  • We have become a species who judges because we deep down feel everyone should fit the same mold of behaviors and attitudes
  • In this process of saying I am right you are wrong we try to presume the role of God as judge, juror, and executioner
  • Subconsciously we equal ourselves to God when we Judge
  • In John ch. 8 Jesus said whoever is without sin should cast the first stone and no one did because everyone knew they had committed sin
  • We are the same we are human we all sin so how can we judge?
  • Paul says by committing favoritism or others that those are sins because it breaks the law that Christ Gave us to Love one another