Sarah Pulliam Bailey (who apparently was recently married–congrats!) has an entertaining piece at the Christianity Today blog entitled “Religious Self-Profiling.” It explores how people identify their faith on online social networking sites such as Facebook. Here a few snippets:
San Francisco-based Jesse Rice used to put “follower of Jesus” under “religious views” on his profile. “I didn’t want to put ‘Christian’ because in San Francisco, it meant right-wing gay bashing,” he said. “It was another space to categorize or be divisive.”
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president Al Mohler identifies himself as “Evangelical Christian/Baptist.” Relevant editor Cameron Strang says he’s “Christian–Amish.” Former coordinator of Emergent Village Tony Jones says he’s “emerging.” Mars Hill pastor Mark Driscoll? “Religion Sucks,” he writes.
How do you choose to identify your religious beliefs on Facebook? Or do you opt to leave this blank? One of my friends has opted for the phrase “A Bad Christian, I’m just terrible at it.” I like this a lot and have thought about stealing it for my profile, but that would probably come off as pretty lame. Instead, I just go with the basic “Christian.”
Inititally I was going to put an ironic and witty comment about being a “lunch-menu deistic Catholic,” but when my grandmother friended me I settled for the blander “Roman Catholic.”
it's a wonderful reminder that no matter what you put, it's not original, surprising, or half as clever as you'd like.
that said: “a sinner saved by grace”
I love the religious diversity of my readership!