"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."
It is a phase we hear often, but how often do we sit and contemplate that message. How often are we forgiving and how often are we empathetic towards others when they sin? Are we critical of them or do we attempt to listen to their problems, and understand where they are at in their journey in life?
We all sin in some way, shape, or form. Is it fair to throw stones at people for being sinners when in reality we are no better than they are? People would obviously say yes. But I think we all do it. We are critical of what others do. I am the first to admit that I have a difficult time with this notion. This notion that we are all sinners and idea of, "judge not, lest ye be judged."
I think the thing that I have come to realize over the months, despite how much I think conservative Christians are not all that Christ-like, it is not my place to say whether or not they are authentic Christians. I have also come to realize that they are not any less Christian than liberal Christians are. The same goes in the opposite direction. We may not be as religious as conservatives but that does not make us any less Christian. Roman Catholics are no more or less Christian than Protestants. All Christian communities are made through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this. We are all apart of the Body of Christ. Is it that when Paul was rebuking Christians with different messages, did he evey say, "You are not Christian because your message is wrong." By no means. He would rebuke but he would never say, you are not Christian.
I think it is time that Christians learned this.