Editor's Note: Cassie Jones, the writer of the following article, is 14 years old and is a member of Ramah First Baptist Church in Fairburn Association. Jones wrote the article as part of an assignment for a ninth grade English class at Landmark Christian School in Fairburn. The Index is printing the article, which deals with "modern Christianity as how Christians are wrongly perceived," as part of that class assignment.

"Christians are so 'high and mighty,' they always think down on everyone who is not like themselves, and they never think they do anything wrong." "They make society sick. Every time they are near they just want to talk about their God and how if everyone refuses to accept Him that they will go to Hell."

"That is absolutely ridiculous because works are what matters, not praying with some Bible-hugging hypocrite about their God and 'asking Him into the heart.' They're so out of touch with the real world."

These statements are what people usually say about Christians, and while parts of them are true they are totally used out of context. For instance, being "high and mighty" and looking down on everyone who is not like them is definitely not what Christianity is all about, and not the way all Christians view themselves and others.

Modern Christianity has been totally skewed by society today. Movies like Saved portray Christians as goody-goodys. Do not take this as saying that that movie is bad because it is not, it is really quite funny and entertaining, but it is not the truth. Not all Christians judge those who are not Christians. In reality they just go to school or work, hang out with friends, go out on weekends and have fun like everyone else, the only difference is their personal relationship with Jesus.

Hypocritical is one of the most commonly used words to describe them, and yes they are but you know what, everyone is a hypocrite because no one is perfect. People like those "sidewalk preachers" yelling about hell and damnation with their megaphones give Christians a bad reputation, and what happens is all Christians get lumped into one category with a bad reputation. Believe it or not, but they are not all like that; as a matter of fact it is so annoying to even Christians when they hear those same "sidewalk preachers."

Give Christians a chance because they are just normal people, and who knows - you might even become friends with them.