Be a little different

In high school I thought lowly of non-conformity. There were always those other kids that were “different” or rebellious or whatever, but none of it really seemed genuine to me. It appeared that they dressed or acted the way they did either to belong to a group (not really non-conformity) or they did it just for the sake of being different. The latter bothered me more. Take music for example. People that like music just because it is “Indie” and not well known are just as bad as people that like music because it is popular. Both make their decision based on someone else’s opinion. One says, “Oh, other people like that music, so I should like it too.” The other says, “Too many people like that music, I can’t like it.” Neither say, “Screw what other people think, what kind of music do I like?” (Speaking of music, the new Bright Eyes album is incredible).

So lately I’ve been thinking a lot about being different. I have a friend who is starting to believe that pacifism fits in best with Christian tradition and Biblical teachings. He recognizes that this is a minority position within the current church, but he’s becoming more convinced that it is true. I’ve been reading some Ralph Waldo Emerson who says, “Whoso would be a man must be a non-conformist.” And then there’s Thoreau who says, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” I’ve become fascinated reading about Ron Paul and how different he is from the other candidates. On many issues he seems way different than the others, yet his messages ring true to me. Looking back at my experiences in high school, I think even if my feelings were correct, they lead to an irrational fear of non-conformity. This is starting to change.

Looking at history, it seems to me that the greatest leaders and the most inspiring writers were a little different. They did not conform, they did not fit in. They wrote and said things that pushed people and made them uncomfortable. They weren’t afraid of what other people thought of them. Often, the world rejected them or their ideas, they gave the world the one finger salute and continued writing, continued pushing people. Now we recognize them as amazing thinkers- “beyond their times” is a common phrase. It’s inspiring to me, but I can’t help but wonder how many non-conformists existed who were just screwed up people with bad ideas, who people rejected and then forgot about. We don’t hear about them.

One thing I know for sure- the Christian worldview is much different than any set of dominant values in any culture on this planet. No matter where you go in the world, Christian ideals will conflict with the most common values of that culture. So no matter where Christians go, they should be different. As always, Jesus is the best example. I want to be like him. I want to be different. I’m not sure what that looks like, but I know I will not live in fear of other people’s opinions.
So screw you world, I’m doing my own thing- and oh yeah- Jesus loves you.

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