Changing the Face of Christianity
Reversing negative Christian stereotypes, by helping Christians to be more like Jesus Christ.
Chapter 03: Introduction to the Current Christian Stereotype I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. In 2010’, my organization created a “Christianity Quiz” which can be taken at www.ChristianityQuiz.com. It’s a 10 question self-assessment which intends to gauge how well a given Christian lives the teaching of Jesus Christ. It’s not like a … [Read more...]
Chapter 03: Introduction to the Current Christian Stereotype I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. In a previous book excerpt I listed some words that my last Christian audience shouted out in response to the word “Christian”. Here are some of the other words that have come up when polling people of all faiths and … [Read more...]
Chapter 03: Introduction to the Current Christian Stereotype I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. When I talk with various groups about Christianity and reversing negative Christian stereotypes, I always begin by listening. I like to learn what my audience thinks. In other words, before telling people what I’ve discovered about the Christian stereotype, … [Read more...]
Chapter 02: How are Stereotypes Changed? I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. Let’s end this chapter 2 book excerpt with this crucial reminder. Stereotypes CAN be changed, through one-on-one personal experiences when those experiences defy the stereotype.Even the most extremely deep-rooted stereotypes are malleable over time. We simply must keep our minds open, … [Read more...]
Chapter 02: How are Stereotypes Changed? I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. I mentioned in Chapter 1 about the experience I had driving through a black neighborhood with my grandmother. This is a perfect case in point. I was informally taught through family and culture that “blacks” weren’t to be trusted. They had a negative stereotype.Thankfully, I was a … [Read more...]
Chapter 02: How are Stereotypes Changed? I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published.I’m going to repeat something I mentioned earlier. Stereotypes CAN change over time. Stereotypes are impacted daily by people who reinforce the stereotype or who often unconsciously work to shape it in a different direction.So, here is what I believe about stereotypes and the nature of … [Read more...]
Chapter 02: How are Stereotypes Changed? I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published.Stereotypes are changed one person at a time, through direct personal experience, when that experience is different than the stereotype you are familiar with.When you meet someone within a particular group, you subconsciously compare them to the image you have. Everyone you meet either … [Read more...]
Chapter 02: How are Stereotypes Changed? I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. Stereotypes CAN change over time. Stereotypes are impacted daily by people who reinforce the stereotype or who often unconsciously work to shape it in a different direction. For example, you may have a view of homosexuals that looks like … [Read more...]
Chapter 02: How are Stereotypes Changed? I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. Here is the peculiar thing about stereotypes. Stereotypes evolve. They are fluid-like a slow moving mud slide or lava flow. Ironically, although a stereotype is an attempt to label a group of people into a nice little box, a stereotype itself isn’t something you can precisely define … [Read more...]
Chapter 01: What is a Stereotype? I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. A stereotype is a “generally accepted truth” about a group of people. What do I mean by “generally accepted”? If we took a survey of people’s perceptions of politicians, teens, or other stereotypical groups, those perceptions will be generally agreed upon by those … [Read more...]
Chapter 01: What is a Stereotype? I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. We are also informed of stereotypes through our direct personal experience. As an example, politicians have a pretty negative stereotype. However, I can’t honestly say I’ve ever met a politician face to face. I’ve never sat and had a conversation with one. I’ve never been in a … [Read more...]
Chapter 01: What is a Stereotype? I’ve started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I’ll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. Let’s explore the concept that awareness of a stereotype is passed on or taught. Culture teaches us about particular stereotypes. Have you ever seen a movie about a brilliant, wicked-smart football player? Or are football players portrayed as less intelligent than the average? African … [Read more...]
Chapter 01: What is a Stereotype? I've started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I'll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. How are stereotypes formed in the first place? The group or people being stereotyped exhibit some consistent behavior. Formal and informal leaders within a group exhibit the behavior and either teach or condone the behavior. Such role models make it safe to perpetuate the behavior within the … [Read more...]
Chapter 01: What is a Stereotype? I've started writing a book about Changing the Face of Christianity. I'll post excerpts here as I go in order to get your feedback before the book is published. Stereotypes are all around us. We generalize and group people together, and draw conclusions about people before we really get to know them. In a way, stereotypes help us make sense of this world, by being able to predict people’s behavior based on group affiliation or other common denominator … [Read more...]
