Believers' litmus test

So, I’m wondering if anyone else watched the Freud/Lewis special on PBS Wednesday. And did anyone else realize that they didn’t completely agree with a single one of the panelists? I had the hardest time figuring out who were the “Freud backers” and who where the “Lewis backers”. Just as soon as I found myself thinking, “Yeah, this dude is a Christian”, then they would say something that I consider completely contrary to that. C’mon! Just tell me – who’s thumping their Bible, and who isn’t?

There are parts of me that really like the fact that I couldn’t pinpoint any of the panelists’ beliefs. I mean, faith is not black and white; and there isn’t one concrete mold to be filled in order to be a Christian. Over my more than a decade of following Christ I have certainly taken many different paths and held various different beliefs. But I’m fairly certain there was never any block of time that I ceased being a Christian. I have never found anyone that I completely agree with on every issue of faith; but I’m also fairly certain that I’m not the only Christian in the world – just me and God, the only ones who’ve figured it out. So, there must be many different manifestations of deciding to model your life after Christ.

There are also parts of me that are very uncomfortable with not being able to pinpoint which panelists had it all figured out. Shouldn’t I be able to tell, from listening to someone talk about faith, who is a true believer? Does it mean that I haven’t pinpointed my own beliefs? Everything would be so much easier if there were some sort of litmus test I could apply to every potential person-for-me-to-agree-with. I could apply the test, if they pass, then I agree with everything they say. It would be so easy. Why the heck do I have to listen and think, and all that garbage?

Well, I’m looking forward to part 2 of the special (even though I already went to pbs.org and read through all the transcripts). I applaud PBS for airing this well-done special. And it has inspired me to spend more time thinking about serious issu……hey, look, there’s another story about hurricanes…..