Every now and then I have encounters with judgmental Christians which leave me traumatized and at a loss to explain the visceral hatred they display. Sometimes the encounters are less traumatic and simply baffling. I marvel at the capacity for misdirected believers to contradict themselves and the faith they claim to be promoting.

Every now and then I am embarrassed on behalf of Christendom to the point of wanting to run as far away as I can, as fast as I can. I am currently preparing myself and girding my loins for another certain encounter.

For the last couple of years I’ve journeyed to South Africa to compete in what is billed as ‘The ultimate Human Race’. The Comrades Marathon has historically been held on a public holiday, but due to pressure from government to preserve the honour of Freedom Day, the race organizers have been forced to move it to a Sunday. The disruption caused by the 90km run rules out Saturday, which leaves Sunday.

As South Africa is beset with many conservative churches who have a legalistic approach to the Sabbath day, the battle lines have been drawn. During last years run I remember the first encounter with a Sabbath-protestor. He was a portly man with a long ZZ-Top beard standing on the back of a utility vehicle with a large bullhorn. I ran past him at 5:45am in the morning, through a residential area. He was berating the 15 000 or so runners who swept passed him like a human river.

In the time that it took me to get within, and then past earshot of this thunderous Pharisee I experienced an intense embarrassment and deep shock. I was incredulous that this singularly destructive act against the faith was being perpetrated. I shudder to think how many thousand attitudes against the Gospel and Christians were reinforced by this drive-by-jurist. Who attends church at 5:45am in the morning in anycase? What about the poor people living in the suburban street that this man filled with his caustic caterwauling?

Further on down the road a more nuanced bunch of Pharisees had planned an altogether more gentle form of judgement. They had commissioned a large banner proclaiming our judgement. Underneath the banner they stood in a tight bunch, led by a man with a guitar. They were singing soporific praise songs which juxtaposed the proclamation of judgement above their heads. I was not traumatized by them, just annoyed and bemused. I wanted to engage in conversation with them about whether or not they protest every Sunday of year seen as the majority of the population do not attend church. Or was their self-appointed role of pronouncing judgement reserved for this special day.

Thankfully further down the road the message of grace had won the day with all the other churches I encountered. Some had set up unofficial aid stations outside the church property and were encouraging and supporting runners by providing refreshments and warm support. Other churches had signed up to run official aid stations and their identity was proclaimed by large banners.

Their support and presence helped me deal with the Pharisees I had encountered earlier on, but the shock still remained. In a few weeks time, God willing, I will join the human river running uphill from Durban to Pietermaritzburg and truly hope that once again, the champions of grace will outnumber of the fickle Pharisees.

Galatians 5 [The Message]

1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9″A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 10I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. 11Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!