No More Apologies

We just started school here this week; and at the kickoff meeting for all of the teachers, one of my teaching friends was asked to speak to all the teachers in the district. This is no easy task, and she did it quite well. One statement that I really liked inside the speech is when she said she was getting really tired for having to apologize for being a teacher. We seem to be under constant attack, especially from state and federal government. Education is an easy kicking post, and one that's driven constant "reform" efforts for the last century.

Later in the week I was reading the American Literature textbook that I'll be teaching from this year. In some background reading about the Puritans, it was clear that the editors of the text took great offense to any group of people who dared to take religion seriously. Mocked by this "unbiased" and "historical" article, the Puritans were taken to task for their irrational belief that the Bible should be a basis for daily life. It was a bit frustrating to see, but not entirely shocking. Full of half-truths and an air of superiority from the writers, the article exposed the Puritanical sin of religious thinking as opposed to "rational" thinking.

Eventually I connected these two events in my head, and a thought came to mind: I'm also quite tired of feeling a need to apologize for Christian thought in our society today. Now, I'm under no illusion that Christians are somehow oppressed in today's America. However, I do feel an increasing majority demanding that if Christians are going be be open about their faith, they had better simply share it in a "faith-lite" can with great taste and a less "filling" theology. I'm done being okay with that.

Look at the political environment. While I don't support much of his politics, Rick Perry should not have to apologize for organizing a prayer summit. I will never vote for Michele Bachman, but she shouldn't have to explain why she "submits" to her husband and how she could ever run a country with the backwards view of marital mutual respect. And President Obama should never have had to answer to critics who had a problem with him inviting Rick Warren to pray at his inauguration. This is foolishness. Frankly, Mitt Romney should also not spend one minute explaining away his Mormon faith, either.

So I'm done. I will be proud of my faith instead of quietly rationalizing it. I am a zealot. I am "too religious." I'm not going to apologize for the fact that I'm not sure about evolution, but I'm certain there is a Creator. I won't say I'm sorry for having a belief system that I strictly adhere to and respect; not out of intolerance and bigotry, but out of faith in God's promises. I won't rationalize and explain the fact that I believe the whole Bible is the written word of God, not just the parts of it that are convenient and safe.

I understand that I spend a great deal of words on this blog challenging myself and others to be better. I point out weaknesses, and I also am not sorry about that. We must be better. We must hold ourselves to a higher standard and reflect on our weaknesses. Christians individually and as a group have made significant mistakes. But following Christ too well is not one of them. I can no longer apologize for loving Christ and trusting that He is who he says He is. I'm just not sorry.