I'm Right and You're Wrong

I apologize if this turns into a rant, but this subject is near and dear to me. When it comes to a discussion about the differences among Christian faiths (sadly, it is plural), I feel compelled to share my story and strong feelings.

I met Whitney over four years ago. At that time, the chemistry was phenomenal, and our love grew like an unstoppable force. The only thing that ever troubled us was the fact that I was brought up Catholic and she was raised in the United Methodist Church. Now, we could have chosen to take the easy way out and could have just been good friends, but a wise man once told me that everything happens for a reason (thanks Matt). With this in mind, we became determined to learn about one another's faith. One of the best resources we have found is a book titled United in Heart Divided in Faith: A Guide for Catholic-Protestant Couples. It is written by a woman in such a relationship, and she uses numerous facts, experiences, and scripture to help couples work out there differences. The main idea that I want to point out is simply this: The things that we have in common as Christians (by this I mean Catholics and Protestants) greatly outnumber those which divide us.

My experiences with Whitney have caused me to become quite passionate about this issue. The issue is NOT about who is right or wrong. It is not about who reads the correct version of the bible or practices the more important traditions or does the most good works. The problem is that Christians are divided over petty issues which are not part of the foundation of OUR faith. That's right. Yours and mine.

This past weekend, Whitney and I read an online article that troubled us. It talked about a statement by the pope reinforcing the belief behind Jesus' establishment of one church. In a nutshell, he was saying that the Catholic church is the one true church, and all others are merely factions which are in need of salvation. Do not get me wrong. I am not speaking out against anyone. Rather than become angry at such a mindset, we need to become active in uniting Christians. Do not hate those who believe you are not saved. Do not be angry with the pope. I challenge you to be more accepting of all Christian faiths. A Christian would not stand up and say "I am right and you are wrong." He or she would work for the salvation of those whom they believe are in trouble. We are all on the same side.

The next time this issue comes up, take a step back and look at the real problem. Pray about it.