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Are you a Radical Christian?
What will people think
When they hear that I'm a Jesus freak
What will people do when they find that it's true
I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak
There ain't no disguising the truth
DC Talk asked this question a few years ago. Seems appropriate to bring this song back up now.
Recently there has been a move among some secular elitists to begin referring to evangelical Christianity as "radical Christianity". I am sure they do not mean it as a compliment. The voice I heard using the phrase lives a lifestyle that is dramatically out-of-step with the teachings of the Bible, and sees herself as a "victim" of those who believe the Bible is what it says it is, God is Who He says He is, and there is an absolute standard of truth we can measure our lives by.
For this person, or anyone for that matter, to use the term "radical Christianity" is an attempt to paint those of us who believe as was stated above with the same brush as those who willingly murder mass numbers of people in an (vain) attempt to reach heaven. They appear to think we will be so offended by the phrase that we will somehow decide to "change our evil ways".
Of course, these are the same people who resist using terms like "evil" to describe the mass murderers who strap bombs to themselves and wade onto crowded busses and the like. These are the same people who will try to keep those such as James Dobson from speaking at the National Cathedral (November 1996) because of his religious and political views, but a decade later invite a Muslim political leader of a country openly hostile to the interests of the US (Mohammed Katami, former President of Iran) to speak, despite his religious and political views.
So, while I am sure they do not mean the term "radical Christian" as a compliment, I will take it as such and wear it proudly. Why? Well, look at Matthew 5:11-12 in the New International Readers Version, Blessed are you when people make fun of you and hurt you because of Me. You are also blessed when they tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of Me. Be joyful and glad. Your reward in heaven is great. In the same way, people hurt the prophets who lived long ago.
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