Why are people so shocked to find I am a Christian?

Admittedly, I don’t actually talk about religion much on my blog – when I do, the Religion category to the right brings it up – but why is my Christian faith so shocking to so many of my friends?  Yes I’m cynical, sceptical, and swear occasionally though not much at all in “real life” — but what do people expect from a Christian nowadays? After all, I have dedicated three years of my life to discussing Christianity, and in particular the historical issues and Bible pretty frankly and openly on the James Randi forum and the Richard Dawkins forum.  The folks there seem to envisage me as some aging tweedy vicar, a full time Christian apologist – and I guess they might be right in the latter, in that I cheerfully proclaim and discuss my faith – but why the incredulity?

Maybe it was my post in response to Keith Hitchman’s blog on Family Nights confused people?I knew Keith when he was uni chaplain, good bloke as i recall – my disagreement was over the University of Gloucestershire’s control over this thing. Maybe my passing comments about Holy Trinity? Nice enough folks – a vibrant charismatic church, attended by a good few of my friends. Or is it my interest in ghosts and psychical research? I see that as the frontline in the discussion with the Materialists and New Atheists — where science and religion meet: parapsychology.  Or maybe I’m just a baby eating monster who everyone assumes is really a satanist? Is it because I don’t try and convert people to thinking like me and ram my personal beliefs down their throats till they choke?

Bah, in future I shall dress like this –

Kenny Everett preaches!

That should do the trick!

“Hey – didily-ho neighbours!”

cj x