Hug a Lutheran Day

Would you want to hug Martin Luther? Or better yet, would he want you to hug him?

Courtney, of my students and a future Lutheran seminarian, has informed me (via a post she made on Facebook) that it is "Hug a Lutheran" day. I am not much of a hugger, so I am glad that I no longer teach at Valparaiso University.

In honor of this special day, Courtney passes along this comical post:

You might be a Lutheran if...

...when someone mentions red and green (in terms of Christmas), you immediately think of a battle over hymnals.

...the pastor skips the last hymn to make sure church lasts exactly 60 minutes.

...in response to someone jumping up and shouting "Praise the Lord!", you politely remind him or her that we don't do that around here.

...you think a meeting isn't legitimate unless it's at least three hours long.

...you have more than five flavors of Jell-O in your pantry.

...when you were little, you actually thought the Reverend's first name was "Pastor."

...when you're watching "Star Wars" in the theatre and when they say, "May the force be with you," you reply, "and also with you."

...you tap a church visitor on the shoulder and say, "excuse me, but you're in my seat."

...Bach is your favorite composer just because he was Lutheran, too. ...your house is a mess because you're "saved by Grace," not by works.

...your mother reminds you often that she wishes you'd studied the organ.

...you sing "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus" while sitting down. ...you feel guilty about not feeling guilty.

(I took these from http://www.oldlutheran.com) But for real...you know you're a Lutheran if, when someone says "Lord have mercy" you reply by singing "Help, save, comfort, and defend us gracious Lord...Lord have mercy!"

In response to the request of someone in chapel saying "Turn to the people next to you and pray in small groups" you join the group and simply explain, "Sorry, I'm Lutheran, we don't do this."