www.ChristianContrarians. Blogspot.com

A blog about being honest in matters relating to our Christian Journey

Jack C. Getz 

Founder Christian Contrarians 

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONTRARIANS DAY - 2013!

Contrarian? 

Unfortunately, the word Contrarian conjures images of someone we don’t want to be around. You know the kind: they know everything and just love to correct what others say, as if they were the God-ordained arbiters of the truth. But that is not what I mean by contrarian. 

Those are just contrary people who exhibit little to no grace, don’t know the meaning of holding their peace, and usually spend holiday’s arguing politics or religion at the table until everyone in the room hates them, and possibly everyone else in the house. They have no time for sharing ideas, just pounding out the truth. They don’t understand how anyone could disagree with them, because they are correct. They are supremely proud, which means they compare and compete all the time, always assuming they are more insightful, informed and literate than others. AKA Stubborn, pig-headed, obnoxious. 

A Contrarian, on the other hand, is not contrary, but open to the ideas of others, as long as they make sense to them. Okay, there’s a touch of that pride thing here, but it’s motivation is not about making themselves look good, but in elevating the truth. Contrarians value truth more than anything and when they discover it, their must share it.

Contrarian!

A Contrarian is someone who discerns the incongruity of something which most others easily (blindly?) accept. They are not casual thinkers but feel compelled to present truth-based alternative views to the dogma of their day. They are often very nice folks, but they don’t mess around when it comes to the truth. They study before they speak,  and think before they talk. They are more comfortable with objective than subjective reasoning, but they are not crippled with a total disregard for some metaphysical experiences. 

Their worst nightmare is listening to a dogma-steeped majority parroting positions for which they did not fight.   As my brother says, “They spew what they have been told to spew” without thought of reading a book, or trying to learn why they believe what they believe. Their foundation is their historic teachings and their intellectual champions are people who agree with them, or teachers who told the what “WE believe.  Finally, and maybe the worst of all indictments, the masses of dogmatic thinkers use circular logic to prove their point. “The Bible is true because it says it’s true.” It may be true, but there are more reasons than that!

This post is not about celebrating the negative, but encouraging the positive. The true Contrarian doesn’t care about winning the argument, just presenting the truth, honestly, without fear of the labeling or judgement they incur. They ought not be rude or courteous, not haughty but humble, and not weak, but courageous and controversial. 

Who are these Contrarians? Will we recognize their names? The next part of their newsletter will list just a few. Not all are Christian Contrarians, but all were/are driven by truth before anything else. That alone differentiates them from tyrants and tin gods. Most of the famous Contrarians paid dearly for their stances.  These are the folks we honor today on this, the first INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONTRARIANS DAY 2013. 

But, please don’t get stuck in the past, there are many closet Contrariness among us today. As the first unanimously elected President of the ICCD Society, I call on all Contrarians (Christian or not) to use my blog to make yourself known. Coming out of the closet takes courage, but when you do, you will discover the freedom of being part of a family of honest people who think before they talk, and embrace before they judge. 

I will list a short list of Contrarians below, not all are Christians, but all are courageous people. In every case, they stood against the authority or opinion of their, paying some price for doing so.  But, for them, the reward of truth outweighed any personal consequences inflicted upon them for speaking it.

Please notice I am not listing contemporary Contrarians, although I have a few in mind. Unfortunately, they speak against the grain with courage today but it’s too soon to put them on my list.  Apparently, it’s only okay to name names only after they die! Being a Contrarian on my list does not mean I always subscribe to their doctrine, but I honor their courage in standing against the power of the day.  Enjoy today, think the truth, speak the truth and celebrate those who are courageous to stand against the tide. 

Abraham

Moses

Elijah/Elisha/Prophets
Queen Esther

Socrates

John The Baptist

Jesus

Paul

Galileo

 Martin Luther

Christopher Columbus

Charles Finney

Catherine Booth

Mark Twain

Diedrich Bonhoeffer

Martin Luther King Jr. 

Your name here ????