Alysa+E’s+2016+OpEd+Article

“I would never do that, I’m a good Christian.” So…? Good for you that you’re Christian, but how does it excuse your wrongdoing? Are there bad Christians? Non-Christians who are still good? Sure, you believe strongly in God and want to inform others about your beliefs, but it’s not necessary to hide behind the excuse of being a “good Christian”. Stating your religious beliefs does not simply excuse your misbehavior.

I can’t stand it when people use the term “good Christian”. What does it mean to be a “good Christian”? What does it say about an individual? Yeah, being Christian can define your specific religious beliefs, but what more does it say about your individuality? I hear the phrase being used to describe people, as if the phrase automatically makes them pure, or like it is supposed to change others outlook on them. I don’t go to church, nor did I grow up going to church every Sunday, but I do believe in God, I have been to church before, and I am an active member in Ventura Young Life.

Saying you’re a Christian because you go to church is like saying you’re a surfer because you own a surfboard. Yes, you might go to church because your parents do or because you were raised to believe in God, but it doesn’t say much if you’re selling your body on social media, or spending your weekends partying and getting drunk. Being a “good Christian” doesn’t mitigate this behavior.

I have come across numerous people, specifically high schoolers my age that are regarded as “good Christians”. Teenagers my age with bible verses written on their Instagram profile or that attend church every Sunday- yet half of their Instagram feed consists of them posing half-nude, or Snapchats of these so-called “good Christians” getting drunk out of their minds on the weekends (besides Sunday- because that would be sinful, right?). It’s like they live a dual life balancing between their desired image reflected towards their peers, and their image reflected towards their fellow churchgoers. If somebody feels the need to advertise their faith and religious beliefs, they must be hiding something.

At what point does sinning become a question of integrity? Sinning is an aspect of religion, but to a certain extent. It’s one thing to sin, recognize what you’ve done wrong, and learn from a faulty action; but to repeatedly commit misbehavior and never learn from it becomes a question of virtue. It makes me question how much self-respect one has for themselves if they never learn from their sins, yet regard themselves as “good Christians” when in doubt.

If you party and get drunk every weekend, it’s your choice- but it’s wrong to think that those actions can be defended by using religious beliefs. Please, stick to your morals and stay true to yourself, but don’t go pulling the “good Christian” card when you’re desperate for justification of misbehavior.