I don't really know why someone thought it was necessary to do a poll to see just who were the most disliked groups in society, but the results are in. While serial killers and IRS agents still come in last, hot on their heels are evangelical Christians. Not Christians in general. Not Roman Catholics. Not all Christians, but evangelical Christians.

I’ve had more exposure to the Evangelical Christian circles of America this year than I have ever had before. I have spent this year on a *** forum. I’ve traded emails with my classmate, the pastor, whose church is being sponsored from the US. And, I’ve taken the Purpose Driven Life class, which means I had to read the whole thing. And… I am unbelievably, extremely disappointed. I find myself wondering if I have anything in common with these people or if I will ever fit in, or should I even try. I just hope I’ve been exposed to all the wrong circles. Right now I’m wondering whether I should in any way adjust myself to be more in line with everyone I’ve met, or forget that these people exist and continue as before. BTW I’ve never had any problems fitting into my own parish which is a Greek Orthodox church. So maybe that’s where I should stay. But, I’ll have to vent at you guys anyway.

I haven’t had much exposure to all this until this year. I mean, I knew that America was a predominantly Christian country, but I thought it was a good thing? What I’m feeling right now, is I guess what you’d feel if you grew up in a happy, loving family and always thought your family was awesome, and then 15 years later, there’s a family reunion and you meet all these distant relatives from Nowheresville, West
Virginia, that you’ve never met before, and they creep you out! And you’re sitting there thinking, How can I be related to these people? Is this even my family? Was I switched at birth? Should I leave and cut all ties with my family? Okay, I’m not gonna cut any ties, but I’m very disappointed.

Disclaimer: I’ve met some fabulous people in this crowd this year. But they are exceptions, or, at least, not as vocal as the rest of the crowd.

We take ourselves far too seriously, and come off as opposed to normal life. Is it such a bid deal that Christians are offended at so many things others consider funny? I'll admit, it is a small thing, but it is one of the reasons ordinary people don't like us.

I read an incident written by a preacher to an internet list I monitor. He told about taking his youth group on an outing, when the students began singing a popular country song about a guy who leaves his wife to pursue his fishing hobby. It's a hilarious song. But this fellow's reaction was predictable. He asked them to not a song about a marriage that breaks up, and to instead sing something that honored God. I
routinely hear students ridiculing a fellow teacher who labels much of what students find funny as "of the devil."

These incidents show something that evangelicals need to admit. We are frequently unable to see humor, absurdity, and the honest reasons for humans to laugh at themselves. What very normal, very healthy people find laughable, we find threatening and often label with the ridiculous label of "the devil."

The message here isn't just that we are humorless or Puritanical. The message is that being human or being real is somehow evil. This is one place I can feel exactly what the unbelievers are talking about. When I see Christians trying to rob young people of the right to be normal, ordinary and human, it angers me. I feel threatened. It's hard to like people who seem to say that God, Jesus and Scripture are the enemies of laughter, sex, growing up and ordinary pleasures. Some Christians sometimes seem to say that everything pleasurable is demonic or to be avoided to show what a good Christian you are. Isn't it odd that unbelievers are so much more aware of the plain teaching of scripture than we are?