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A recent facebook post written by Ann Rice caught my attention as well as several others. This is the direct quote as seen:

Rice wrote, “For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian ... It's simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.”

Rice then added another post explaining her decision on Thursday:

“My faith in Christ is central to my life. My conversion from a pessimistic atheist lost in a world I didn't understand, to an optimistic believer in a universe created and sustained by a loving God is crucial to me," Rice wrote. "But following Christ does not mean following His followers. Christ is infinitely more important than Christianity and always will be, no matter what Christianity is, has been or might
become."

The saddest part of this commentary is the fact that this individual, as well as countless others, are seeing how un-Christlike Christians can be. It is a heartbreaking fact and one that we as individuals need to pray we can start changing. Being a Christian just doesnt make us perfect but oh how I wish I could be!!
If you've studied the word at all, why would we model ourselves after another human being? Especially knowing the only perfect person is Jesus Christ? God commands that He come first, the first Commandment sums that up as does the following: (btw, I dont recall a scripture that tells us to be like each other...)

Deuteronomy 6:4-8
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

As for separating ourselves from other Christians it's apparent the author didnt study or understand the book of Acts which points to none other than community, unity, forgiveness and love. We are all fallible!! With out Christ we become as nothing. I think the only point I agree on is that Christ indeed is central to my faith, and who can help but mentally quote John 3:16? As unperfect as we are we are still to commune with one another, we're still to be accountable to one another....

Hebrews 10:25 states:

Let us not give up meeting together, (emphasis mine) as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Meeting together is vital to the walk, meeting together is praying together, praying together is staying together. I thank God for the spiritual mentors in my life and for the Church families I've had the privilege to know here in TN, in KY and NC. I simply cant imagine trying to do this on my own.....
As a Christian I can only apologize and ask forgiveness for the times I've let those down who watch me. Keep you eyes only on Jesus brothers and sisters, commune with all fellow believers, pray to do your very best. I dare say we all have our crosses to bear.

In Him
PDH