Faith

‘Christians’ Don’t Act Christian-like in Cross Lawsuit Aftermath

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Last Updated on February 1, 2022

The fallout of a cross lawsuit should prove to the victorious attorney some Christians just don’t know how to behave.

The attorney who won a Pensacola, Florida, cross lawsuit became the target of harassment from Christians who aren’t acting like they worship Jesus Christ.

The attorney successfully fought a giant white cross said to be government-sponsored, and, therefore, in violation of the establishment clause. The judge acknowledged the strong public support for the cross, which has stood in Bayview Park for 75 years:

“I am aware that there is a lot of support in Pensacola to keep the cross as is, and I understand and respect that point of view. But, the law is the law.”

But shortly after a judge ruled the cross would have to come down, the attorney, from American Humanist Associationâ’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center, began receiving negative attention from people who are presumably on the side of the Lord.

“Negative attention” is, of course, an understatement.

One of the more polite things said on social media was a suggestion to “run her out of town.” One of the less polite things involved calling her a “f****** c***,” with the word following the F-bomb being a vulgarity for a woman’s privates.

Doesn’t sound very Christian-like to me.

For one thing, there is the notion of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from establishing a specific religion by promoting one over another. A giant Christian cross in a public park certainly seems as if the local government is promoting a specific religion on public property.

What does the Bible say about man’s laws?

Obviously, there are going to be times at which the Bible and our government’s laws are going to clash. But that was the whole point of the Constitution: our Founding Fathers did not want to establish laws that favored one particular religion.

In the Bible, Peter makes it clear that you are to respect both God’s law and man’s law:

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.

Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

The attorney being vilified, it could be argued, is following the Bible more than those who are being so rude and unkind to her: she’s the one trying to uphold the laws the Bible says we are to respect.

Ironic, isn’t it?

What does the Bible say about dealing with someone who offends you?

The judge’s ruling may well seem like a defeat for the religious community, even if it’s absolutely within the law. Still, because of this, there are people who see the attorney’s work as offensive because it “attacks” their beliefs.

Proverbs 19:11 reminds us that good sense makes one slow to anger and “it is his glory to overlook an offense.”

These folks don’t seem all that interested in overlooking anything.

The Bible also goes into detail about how to deal with conflicts inside the church, commanding that you should first go to the person who offended you privately. In now way can that be interpreted as posting to social media for all to see.

It seems, from the way some people are acting, they’ve already assumed this attorney is outside the church, so it could be argued those regulations don’t apply in this case.

Still, if we’re called to share our faith, the folks using this level of vitriol certainly aren’t sharing their faith in a manner that would make someone who isn’t part of their faith want to be part of it themselves, are they?

If folks want to assume this attorney isn’t a Christian — and it appears that’s the assumption, whether it’s correct or not — they have the option of lashing out or following God’s Word about how to deal with such situations.

It’s a shame they’re choosing the former rather than the latter.

the authorPatrick
Patrick is a Christian with more than 30 years experience in professional writing, producing and marketing. His professional background also includes social media, reporting for broadcast television and the web, directing, videography and photography. He enjoys getting to know people over coffee and spending time with his dog.