Who can call themselves a Christian?

Recently, I was talking with an acquaintance of mine. We were talking about the symbol of the fish. She said that it stood for the belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the only way to God. I shared how I saw it very differently. I saw it as a symbol of my belief in Jesus as the spiritual master who fully evolved into the divine being that God created all of us to be. I also believe that all of the spiritual masters demonstrated the universal truth of our sacredness. She was rather insistent that it only had one meaning. I am often saddened when I hear people making God so small and confined. How could this incredible power create such diversity and richness and insist on one way? It is such an incongruency. When I think in those terms, I feel small and cut off.

I dropped the conversation because I could feel myself wanting to convince her otherwise. I know that anytime I want to convince someone, the original point gets lost and it becomes about my need to be right. I am grateful for my personal experience of God and Jesus and that if I so choose, I can display the fish calling myself a Christian. It is OK that I have a very different perspective of Christianity. I no longer have to deny myself my Christian identity simply because my perspective and experience is dramatically different from that of traditional Christianity. I follow what Jesus teaches and demonstrates to the best of my ability. I endeavor to live in a way that glorifies God by honoring the God presence in every person I meet. I usually fall short of his example, nevertheless- he is my compass and wayshower. I heard recently the term, culturally Christian, spiritually unlimited. That seems to say it all.