LAURA JANE KENNY | staff writer

60 percent of America's youth does not want to be labeled as Christian.

What do you think when you hear the word “Mormon?” I usually think of nice and pleasant individuals constantly inviting people to their church. Now think of the term “Jehovah’s Witness.” Besides a solicitor at your doorstep, you will probably think of a person who is also generally nice. What about when you hear the word “Christian”? Ah, I hit a sore spot.

Even as a Christian, my mind tends to gravitate to the negative connotation: the nutty activist, the bigot, and most of all, the hypocrite.

A recent survey by the Barna Group, a nonpartisan group that studies America’s religious beliefs and attitudes, reveals there has been a decrease in Americans who label themselves as Christians. Seventy-seven percent of Americans over the age of 60 label themselves as Christians, whereas only 60 percent of Christians between the ages of 16 and 29 do. The survey explained that the young adults who did not label themselves as Christians saw the church negatively and were quick to disassociate from it.

I have met people like this. I knew a girl in high school who did not want to be known as a Christian because she saw them as close-minded hypocrites. She preferred to be called a follower of Christ so that people would be able to mentally separate her from all those nasty Christians they have met in the past.

So, she is running. We, as Christians, are running away.

I admit that there have been a lot of bad things that have been done in the name of Christ by “Christians:” the Crusades, the history of a nation’s colonization, racism, hate crimes and situations where someone gets cut-off on the highway by a driver with a Jesus sticker on his bumper.

When I was younger I had a similar experience. I was 14 years old when I witnessed Fred Phelps at a church protesting at the entrance of the military base I lived on. All of a sudden, signs that my father told me never to read surrounded our car. Not only was I subjected to those fanatic people, but every unsaved soul that drove onto base that day was as well.

They saw the big, loud, nasty “Christians.” Our neighbors, our friends and people we had been trying to witness too were now witnessing the loud and vulgar actions of these activists.

Which do you think they will remember—us or them?

This is unfortunate considering there were many individuals who have claimed the title proudly and have been examples to it. Paul was a man who actively pursued God and pushed the church to be shameless before the world. Peter prayed for all who were baptized in water so they could also be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Peter wanted people to have the character of the Holy Spirit. He wanted us to be loving, joyous, peaceful, patient, kind, good and exercise self-control. What Christians do you know like that?

Pretend you have regularly visited a restaurant in your town. You generally have a positive experience but one time you get this waiter who is inattentive and forgets your soda. Not only that, but he makes fun of the piece of spinach stuck in between your teeth. Now, every time you think of that restaurant you will not remember the good times you had, your mind will immediately revert back to the rude waiter. The same holds true to Christianity. Our challenge as Christians is not to run away from a title others have tainted, but return to it with the determination to change it.

To be a Christians means to be “Christ-like.” Even though the title brings some of us to think of people like Fred Phelps, we must return to it with an eager hope that we can maintain the image of Christ to all of those who watch us.

We are in the bracket of 16 to 29 year olds, throwing away the title of Christians. We should not throw in the towel and let the label that upholds our savior’s name wash down the drain of history leaving everyone with a bad taste in his or her mouth. We have the challenge of changing minds, setting images and affecting lives. Strive to make the future good outweigh the bad. Label yourself.