I grew up in a Baptist church, and while I haven't been a regular church-goer in years and have doubts about many of the things I was taught, I still respect the moral teachings of Jesus and my own morality is largely shaped by Christian values. In particular, I've always viewed the commands to "love one another" and "love your neighbor as yourself" to be fundamental to Christian morality, and love is a word I strongly associate with the people of the church I grew up in. That's why I really, truly cannot understand when I see something like this:
http://www.allfacebook.com/fox...eath-threats-2011-08
To summarize, an atheist group objects to a proposed crucifix at the World Trade Center Memorial and is filing a lawsuit to stop it and any other religious symbols from being erected at the site. I can understand both sides to the argument, but what I can't understand is the reaction I see there from so-called "Christians": 8,000 death threats. I'm a bit annoyed at this group and hope the cross goes up anyway, but seriously, we're talking about a single religious symbol, not restricting anyone's freedom to worship or threatening Christianity in any way. To threaten someone with death who objects to a single crucifix in a public place is just deeply un-Christian, or at least un-Christian as I've always understood Christianity. I mean, 8,000 death threats. We're almost in Mohammed cartoon territory here.
My point is that while I have always associated Christianity with love, when I look at many Christians today I see hate, and it saddens me.