Mark, you put it just right: what matters is moving past the label to what is really important. And yes, when it comes down to it, people of all beliefs fall into the category of being imperfect, weak humans. I do hope that my own stories and experiences end up saying what needs to be said—showing, rather than telling. Sometimes, though, I feel like I need to get people to do a double-take and stick around long enough to hear the stories, even if they initially think this blog isn't for them.

Blackwasp19, it's true—Christians do a lot for the world. I even know quite a few of them personally (including you!). My church's commitment to mercy and justice issues was THE reason I decided to visit in the first place (and one of the main reasons I have stayed). I want to tell these stories and just go about showing who I am by how I live, but I don't want to just preach to the choir here. My fear, particularly on my blog, is that people who have had bad experiences and strongly rooted stereotypes will catch a whiff of religion and go running off, never to return and hear the stories I want to tell. As I said in my response to Mark, I want them to know I might offer an approach to God that's different from what they know and expect. Fighting the stereotypes isn't my ultimate, final goal, it's just the first step in encouraging a variety of people to stick around and hear a bit more.

Nate, thanks for jumping into the conversation! "Tolerance" is an interesting idea to introduce. It's funny, I went through the same sort of response to the word that you did. At first it seems "tepid" and sort of fake. But then I really like what you pointed out—to some extent, we all tolerate one another until we get to know each other better and can form real affinities (or be sure there aren't any). The thing I'm not OK with, though, is the aspect of tolerance that generally seems to require silence. If I had been at Calvin the day Bush spoke, I would not have wanted to practice that type of tolerance. I guess by showing up, I would have been demonstrating tolerance to some extent, but I only would have been OK doing that if there was a way for me to first clearly express how I felt about Bush being there.