I thought that this was sad, funny, informative, and hard to read all at once. It is from “Friendly Atheist.” It lists 20 things that Christians do that annoy him. I thought that the insights from an outsider was helpful and interesting. I even found myself agreeing with some of them.

I thought that it might be interesting to add to the list. What type of things do Christians do that annoy you? Write them out in a response. Come on . . . you know you have them.

I am going to give a few here:

11. Devotionals: Sometimes these become just a 5 minute way to get our spirituality out of the way for the day. If we miss, oh the guilt.

10. Praying before meals: Nothing wrong with this, but sometimes this can be annoying, especially when it is the only time we talk with God. Some people absolutely will not eat a bite until the prayer is said. Doesn’t the Bible say to “pray without ceasing”? Or does it say, “Don’t forget to thank God for each meal.”

9. Hiding our struggles: Christians have questions and struggles too. Many just think that when you become a believer, all your struggles just disappear. This is not true. They will come out sometime. Let’s be honest from the beginning.

8. Reading only books that agree with what we already believe: Why would we do that? If you are only going to read and study with those who agree with you, just write your own book. Are you working for change, or are you already perfect in your beliefs?

7. Proof-texting: I can find a single Scripture that will support just about anything. Scripture is only good when it is understood. Memorizing Scripture is good, but it does not mean that we understand it.

6. “Christian” jargon: Our Christian sub-culture has an entirely different language that even Christians don’t really understand. Why the sub-culture language? Are we not to be priests to the world. We already know what it is like when priests preach in a different language.

5. Thinking we must have an answer for every question: Search hard, but if you don’t know, admit it. Admit it to yourselves, God, and others.

4. Making friends with only those who think the same way we do: Make friends and respect those who don’t think exactly the same as you. They have their reasons for being the way they are and you need to understand and love them. Christ went to the bars to seek the lost. How many of us would be willing to do the same?

3. Getting so offended when people curse: Hey, that is just the way that people speak. If you leave the room every time someone curses, you will not be able to fulfill the great commission. You tell me, which commission is greater: “Go into all the world…making disciples” or “Leave the world with thine fingers in thine ears when people put syllables together that offendeth thee?” As Wayne Grudem says cursing can be compared to the sin of body odor. It is just offensive, nothing more. Don’t get so bent out of shape on this one.

2. Saying “I will pray for you about that” as another way of saying “I am right, you are wrong; only the supernatural power of God can make you see things my way.”

1. Saying “I will pray for you about that” and have no intention of praying at all.

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