Anderson Cooper recently posed the question "What is a Christian" on his 360 Blog on CNN. I have only scanned them but there seem to be a lot of very interesting responses. Some seem to show really bad theology but at least the folks writing them are on some sort of track toward something good. However, some of the comments are very "anti-Christian" and at the root of most of them sees to be that the author just doesn't really see any differences in the actions and words of believers and non-believers. In fact, they even see believers as being more judgmental and less grace-filled than non-believers in some cases. I am sure we all have seen some evidence of that ourselves. Okay, maybe a lot of evidence of it. The onus is on us, folks, to truly invite and have God living in our hearts that shows His love to non-believers in ways so powerful that they want to know more.

Here's a link to Anderson Cooper's bit ... http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/2006/12/what-is-christian.html

This all brings up a subject I have been thinking a lot of the last couple of days. We recently learned that a convicted sexual predator has moved into our neighborhood. Just 20 or so houses away from us. Already, the neighborhood seems to be taking on an unhealthy mindset that reminds me of a couple of recent episodes of "Desperate Housewives." There hasn't been any picketing in this person's yard yet but it may not be an impossible thought that that could happen. And I can't blame people. Fear creeps in. We want to protect our families. We may know that abuse of children very rarely is a random act by a stranger but instead a planned thing carried out by a trusted friend or relative. But still, this person is in our neighborhood. If I reach out to this person and welcome them to the neighborhood, as I feel we really are called as Christians to do, what will the other neighbors think?