I sometimes get offended by christians.More often than not, they are well meaning christians who thinks they are "helping" me.I remember attending a charismatic church when I was 16. At first, the people at church were very friendly and made me feel very welcomed and I really appreciated that. But after that, it soon became really pressuring and I sometimes felt condemned for not being on their same level of enthusiasm. If I missed a Sunday at church, I would get 20 calls about why I missed church and a lecture on why I shouldn't miss a weekend at church. Often they would make me feel bad and guilty for not giving enough money, not attending enough church activities etc. I felt really uncomfortable and left that church after 2 years (which by the way, all my church friends stopped contacting me after that).Then there was this church that I visited in Japan. They asked me why I wasn't baptized yet and that it is important that I get baptized right now because I might die today. I told them I do have a relationship with Jesus and that I will be getting baptized at KUC the next month. They seemed really upset and said I should really pray to God because I still don't seem to know Jesus (which I got really offended about by the way).Then there is the occassional Christian who comes and lecture me about what I SHOULD be doing with Jesus. They tell me I SHOULD trust in God even if everything goes wrong, they tell me I SHOULD(insert words here).....(which isn't wrong btw, just the way they said it)More recently someone told me that I should read this verse because "it is for my own good".I think I got really offended, because:They didn't even bother to listen about what I felt about God, or what past experiences I had or what is going on in my life right now, but just began to bombard me with their own ideas about what I should do.I don't think anyone has the right to bombard their ideas upon anyone, and that anyone should be made to feel bad or condemned about themselves.From my experience with Jesus, He never ever condemns me or feel bad!And what do you mean that I SHOULD trust in God? How do you know that I'm not doing that right now?I wonder if that is why people are so turned off by christians.Instead of listening to them, we try to bombard them with our own ideas and faith.I think it's true that God told us to go make disciples of all nations, but the God I know never forced me to be a christian.He gave me love, not condemnation.He waits patiently.He listens.And I think that's the most important thing we really need to do- shut up and listen to what other people have to say first.If they believe in Allah, listen to why he believes in Allah.We respect their beliefs just as they respect ours.We can share with boldness, if they are willing to listen, after we listen to them.And we don't condemn other people and tell them what they should do.If they do something, it has to come from their heart, and that is what Jesus wants as well.Minzy Tan*The author blogs at http://minzy88.livejournal.com/