An Experiment

Twice in the last 15 years I have tried a social experiment of sorts. Wondering if I can get an idea of what the true and honest climate is within Christianity in my area.

The first experiment took place just about 15 years ago when I was in the thick of the homeschooling community. Very fundamental folks in this group and at this time, many were starting to have problems with their teenagers. Most of the parents tried hard to keep their problems well hidden and they tried to maintain this "keeping up appearances" mode. I decided to see just what my closest of friends in that community would do if I just changed one thing in my home, sounds silly doesn't it ? How could one "thing" make a difference when I remained the very same. I put up a table in the living room with candles on it and a bird feather. Nothing else. No other changes made in the home and certainly none in my words, deeds or beliefs. One by one these very fundamental Christian women came to the house for one reason or another, having to do with our children's schooling or some event we were all involved in. Each person without exception, sat and glared at the colored candles. They did not mean anything more to me than some colored candles on a table with a bird feather we had found at one time laying in front of them. No one asked me about them, asked me if something was changing in my beliefs or anything. But without exception, each and every single woman got on the bee line of gossip and called everyone they had chance to and said I was becoming a "new ager" and surely no longer a Christian. Soon, within a months time, no one would even come to my house. Objects are objects, and meaningless unless we assign them some meaning. My candles were meaningless to me, nothing more than 4 or 5 candles on a table. Not one person asked about my spiritual state of being, asked if I was heading in a different direction, asked to pray with me or pray for me. Out of the dozen or so folks that came to my house, they represented a wide range of denominations and levels of professed fundamental Christianity.

They simply, one by one, said nothing to me, but gossiped to others about what they assumed was going on. The solution to their suspicions was one thing only, gossip.

I wondered how many times I did the very same thing in the past, was I guilty of such unloving behavior at some point in time too ? I looked deep to find that answer. I was not without fault.

I questioned, how so many followers of Jesus could be so unlike him. I wondered how many really knew what He believed, what He taught, what He stood for. I wondered if the lives of many have become so full of judgement and a kind of religious superiority complex that they lost sight of His very commands to love one another and to follow his teachings regarding judging others. This little experiment woke me up to watch how I see and feel about others. Living a life that reflects the pure teachings of Jesus seems like what Christians should strive for, doesn't it ? Is love, compassion, caring and kindness so hard for people to hold in their hearts and determine their actions ?

To read about my other social experiment that I conducted in 2007, click here for a blog post written in 2007