by Susan E:
While I love your post and Gandhi's quote, I see things quite differently. The churches and people who call themselves "Christian" often aren't. It's just a label they like to use. It's their public relations effort to convince themselves and others that they are good and the more troubled they are, the more they need to use this label.
"Christian" simply means Christlike. True Christians often don't bother with the label. I've noticed many Buddhists and Unitarians are more Christian than those who think of themselves as Christian. Christians are out in the world doing God's work; their fannies are not warming pew benches. Pew benches are for those who would like to be Christian, but will probably never get there.
Christians are followers of Christ. Those who are extremely familiar with the Bible, but are judgmental and full of hatred for others are not followers of Christ. They are simply doing their own thing. They are incapable. Meanwhile people like Gandhi, who are aware of Christ's teachings and follow them are Christians. I believe that there are great people in the world who may not be all that familiar with Christ and his teachings who are natural followers of Christ and don't even know it.
