What is Christianity?

My drive home from work is a time of reflection for me.  Recently, I started pondering the question:  "How would I respond, if someone asked me what Christianity is?"  Almost immediately I dismissed phrases like, "a religion" or "a set of beliefs."  Though it took a bit longer, I even decided the popular evangelical definition of the last 30 years that it's "a personal relationship with Jesus Christ" is insufficient.  After all, it seems to me that everyone has a relationship with Jesus...it's just that for some of us that relationship is one of hate, of dismissal, etc.

Then it hit me.     

Christianity is the original alternative lifestyle 

Fletcher's Illustration of Christian martyrs burned at the stake by Ranavalona I in Madagascar