Lord, Save Us From Your Followers

        I thought that this video was very interesting.  Some of the ways in which Dan Merchant interacted with just everyone was very good.  I think a big problem that people have against Christianity is that Christians a lot of times force their beliefs upon other people and tell them what they are doing wrong.  This seems like we are judging people, which is the case sometimes, but even if it is not the case, the way we force our beliefs on them seems like it.  We don't seem to loving if we just start throwing our belief at people and then tell them what is wrong with them.  The way to get a meaningful conversation started is by loving them and talking to them lovingly, without rebuking or judging them, even if you don't believe what they believe.  Once you start a loving conversation, eventually you may be able to state your faith and lead others to Christ.  But a good starting point is to talk to them and get their story.

          I really liked how Merchant went to some of the places in the U.S. where evil is most prevalent.  I agree that Jesus would be among the gays and prostitutes, etc.  He would be there loving on them and would have compassion for them. Instead of rebuking the people and looking down on them because they are different, or "wrong," Merchant interacted with these people and had compassion for them.  His confession booth was a pretty good idea.  It was a good way to see what others thought about his faith and to hear why his faith is persecuted.  Most of the time it was simply because they were turned off by Christians not loving them or caring for them at all.  When Merchant apologized for the wrongs The Church and he had done, I think it made people realize there are actually Christians out there who live right and how Christ would want us to.  It's not naturally a good feeling to start confessing what we have done wrong to other people we may think we are way better than or to people who seem "bad."  I really like how he went about doing that.  When we admit we have messed up and have not loved everyone like we should, it opens up people's hearts and makes them want to listen to what else you have to say.  By doing that, they then may feel comfortable to talk to you about their beliefs and that would be a good way to share Christ and see where God would lead you in the conversation.  A lot of times the big problem is that Christians aren't open to everyone like they should and the conversations don't get started.  But if we all started being more open to the non-believers and really everyone, we could engage in conversations where God might open doors to save people. 

        We never know what may be going on in someone's life and may not know what led them to be like they are.  I think we would have a lot more compassion on people if we knew their whole story.  Since we do not know the whole story, we need to have compassion on them anyways and be friends with them.  Like I said, we don't have to agree at all with what they believe, and we shouldn't fight it and say they are going to hell or their belief is wrong, but instead we should be loving and listen to them and their ideas.  I loved the way Merchant reached out to people and loved them and had compassion, no matter what was they were living like. 

       At the beginning of the film, I didn't think starting the Christian rally on those steps was a good idea.  It offended many people and it seemed to the people who were doing "wrong" that they were being attacked.  Instead of doing it there, they should have split up and talked to the people and get to know them, instead of hosting a big rally, that didn't get anything done but instead caused tension.  We can disagree with people and what they do but we should be careful to do it in a way that is loving and Christ-like.  That way we will be able to make a much bigger difference.  Instead of focusing on what is wrong with others, we need to fix what is wrong with us first.  By doing so, I think we can make a much bigger difference and set a good example of how to live Christ-like and truly make a difference in this commercialized and lost country and world.