August 9, 2001
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Christians, Part I
I know there are people here of all different faiths and beliefs, so I think this is probably a great place to ask this question. It'll probably lead into more blogs, but it seems like a good place to start. Here's the question:
What's Your Problem With Christianity?
My own personal answer is: Christians that make up long lists of rules, try to get society to act like them, and run about doing just about everything Jesus wasn't interested in, all the while claiming to be a follower of Jesus... THAT'S what pisses me off.
(Disclaimer: I'm a Christian. I'm not one of those Christmas & Easter Christians. I'm pretty serious about my faith, and it's an everyday part of my life. I don't, however, belong to a denomination, go to a big building with a steeple, etc.)
Comments (26)
The whole Jesus-in-a-box, pre-packaged faith, let-us-do-the-thinking-for-you and you-give-US-ten-percent, and then you're SAVED mentality.
The Duchess
the notion that Jesus Christ died for my sins & that I was already a sinner when I was born...so since you asked, Christians can have their religion...I want no part...
Here here! I agree with you, and The Duchess, and marlowe. That pretty much sums it up! It's not that I don't like rules, I think they are necessary. But I prefer to make my own decisions on something that affects my life as much as religion. And I don't like people who don't know me telling me that I am evil, and wrong, and I am going to hell because I don't get all dressed up and hang out with them on Sunday...
You have a lot of very thought provoking topics, I like that a whole whole lot.
the hypocrits are a real problem. and i can't stand the door-to-door thing. i am not about to discuss my eternal soul with some stranger on my doorstep!
I'm with you sister!
Mitch
I will say that I think there is a huge difference between religion and spirituality. I can hear God speaking to me just as well out on my balcony in the mornings as the man who spews fire and brimstone from the pulpit.
i am bothered by the closed-mindedness and duality of it. christians also bug me with their presumptuous claims to know "the truth" when it is an impossibility for us to comprehend even a toenail of god.
What problem?
Do I have a problem?
Do I want a problem?
rock-n-roll
Then you have some what of an idea how Jesus himself feels, My dear.
One of the funniest things I find about some people is what I call the "Intolerant Liberal". Everything is cool unless their hotspots are poked, then they turn into rabid Right-Wing Loonies...for their cause.
Same with religion. No one has the answers, it's silly to think that someone who can't even balance their own checkbook has figured out spirituality.
Let people do their own thing. As long as it isn't sleeping with politics or roasting babies on a spit, I could care less what others believe. Have fun! Guess we'll see whats up when we all buy the farm.
I am a Christian and I work at my church... I stopped attending this church because I realized that many of the people are hypocrites... My heart is a Christian heart... that is where my "church" is... I cannot stand "christians" who are all show and no faith.. Sadly I see it daily... if I didn't have such a strong faith before I got here this would be the place to lose it.
My problem? Not necessarily with Christianity,but how about Christians who think they're higher than what they claim to worship? Who think they are above you because they are saved? Who think they are untouchable and can judge everyone by their own standards?
I'm Christian. I'm happy being a non vocal Christian. I steer clear of Jesus Freaks.
Oh my I have a list a mile long. I don't know if I'm a christian but I am a spiritual person. I guess my idea of being spiritual is in the helping of others. By being kind and doing to others as I would want them to do to me. But regardless of whether they do it to me I will be good to them.
Around here it seems that people just go to church to keep in the "IN" crowd. I find myself feeling closer to the creator sitting in the woods alone just communing with what's around me!
My problem with Christians is not a problems with Christians per se, but it is a problem that comes from so-called Christians more than any other group.
And my problem is with someone pushing their faith on me - period. don't judge me and don't assume I don't know. Christian groups have cried for so long about being persecuted. What hypocrisy!
I've come to the conclusion that the idea of being persecuted is attractive to a great number of people!
I don't have a problem with Christianity.
I have a problem with bigotted, ignorant people who discriminate against others based on their beliefs or lack thereof.
Some people who call themselves Christian do that. Some people who call themselves Pagan do that. Some people who call themselves purple polka dotted sun spot people do that...
Christianity is a beautiful path when lived in accordance with it's original tenants...
"Love the Lord God with all your heart and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself."
Period.
Jesus is my friend, and I'm a Witch.:)
V~
I'm with fairestc ... the hypocrites spoil it for those who genuinely want to help "no strings attached" ... I used to go to church until the time when my marriage was failing and everyhting seemed to go wrong in my life ... that's when I needed "them" most and I was treated like the so called lepper that Jesus went out of his way to save. the book which they live their lives by certainly is not the bible.
as far as Christianity ... well how many people have died in it's name??? how many more have to die before people realise it says "Love Thy Neighbour" NOT blow him up and shoot him.
The Irish have a lot to hang their heads in shame about ... let it be over in Ireland, let it rest. Most importantly "Live and let Live"
saddened Irishman
Well... where to begin with my problems with Xtianity and Cathoholics (no mistake in the spelling there I assure you).
If you leave aside the fact that they have actively persecuted my ancestors and religion for the last thousand years, to the point of extinsion, and the fact that they also nearly destroyed the order of knights that my family have belonged to since time immemorial and whom they continue to persecute, I guess that leaves the hypocrisy, bigotry, fear and hate.
The catholic Church in particular, as an institution, is without doubt the most powerful, financially rich and certainly corrupt organisation the world has ever known.
How they can justify the tenets that they propose to inflict on their followers never ceases to amaze me. How many must suffer, live in squalor or die in the name of a God they are not allowed to know except through a man who claims to be his representative?
Follow Jesus' word in all things with the exception of anything that might impinge on our fortune, or our lifestyle, or our sexual depravity, or our conquering of the world in his name, or of converting heathens with the sword for their own good, or anything else we might like to do.
I think Jesus would lose his lunch if he saw what was perpetrated in his name.
Ever,
Set.
My father is a pastor and i have grown up with religion, but i am not sure if i am a Christian, and a relationship just ended because of that fact. I believe in God but I'm jsut not sure how i feel about Jesus, and i am sick of the fundamentalist Christians like my ex-boyfriend telling me that I am going to go to hell and that because i watch a certain movie or use a certain word in my vocabulary that I am going to hell. I'm all about spirituality. I'm not all about forcing your own down other's throats.
I don't think its just christiand who act like this - its probably people from a lot of religions. But you made a good point, and one that I agree with.
My problem with Christianity is the elitism, exclusivity, close-mindedness, deception, propaganda, inflammation, aggravation, aggressiveness, conservatism, and a few other things I can't think of off the top of my head.
I still have plenty of christian friends though, as I don't hold religion against someone anymore than I do sexual orientation, political belief, or background. I try to be nonjudgemental.
My problem with Christianity is the same as my problem with any large, semi-monolithic organization with lots of rules and heirarchies: There's little room for creativity and innovation. Meaning, no room for ME.
I'm not a christian, but consider myself pagan. I guess I worship the earth/nature and see any diety as more of 'the Goddess', as all life is delivered via the body of woman. I have a quote on my wall that sums up my attitude toward christianity. It is reputed to be from a speech by a Native American chief. The opening lines are: "Your religious calling was written on plates of stone by the flaming finger of an angry god." I'll post the entire quote at my page when I get time.
Peace
Thespis
I think my biggest problem is the exclusion of other faiths. The idea that if you follow or even in some cases explore a non christian belief you're wrong in some terrible sad way and al the christians can do is pity you for it.
I like aquinas, I believe I can only know there is a god and that beyond that everything else is uncertain. This makes me non denominational I go with what feels rightbecause I can't be sure whether its for myself or for god and I'm happy so I figure I'm doin' ok
I like the ideals of religion but dislike the interpretations of religion. I dislike how people take wonderful ideals of tolerance and love and twist them into small-minded meanness and pettiness and hate. I mean - how can a religious war ever be justified??
Wow, there are soooo many valid points that have been made here, and I agree with most of them. I have no problem with Christianity whatsoever, but when it comes to church...that's a different story. My biggest problem are the hypocrites there, but one thing that I haven't seen mentioned here is...printed schedules.
9:00 - Get to church
9:05 - Opening Prayer led by Pastor
9:10 - Hymn A is sung
9:15 - Hymn B is sung
9:20 - Brother X leads congregation in prayer
9:25 - Hymn C is sung
9:30 - Sunday School
10:00 - Morning Worship Prayer led by Pastor
10:05 - Hymn D is sung
10:15 - Hymn E is sung
10:20 - Brother Y leads congregation in prayer
10:25 - Hymn F is sung
10:30 - Sermon
10:50 - Hymn G is sung
10:55 - Pastor leads congregation in closing prayer
You may be thinking, "What's wrong with that schedule?" Um, excuse me...something was left out, omitted...at what time does said church have alloted for the Lord to take part...to move the congregation? Organized religion? No, thank you. I hold worship services in my heart, and the Lord moves on His schedule. And no one in my church is better than anyone else. That, along with your other comments, are my problems with Christianity.
Tee
Generally, the same things other people have been saying.. close-mindedness, forcing their morals on others, the hokeyness of the Bible.. Definately the 'you're a sinner before you're born' stuff.. But at the root of it all, the fact that I don't believe it. Not that I wouldn't mind an afterlife and all, but I can't believe in gods. I kind of accepted the existance of a god as a child, in the same way as I believed in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, and I tried to once a few years ago in the hopes that..something..would happen, but the idea of gods are just silly to me.. I didn't give up that attempt a couple years ago because nothing happened.. I actually just forgot about it the next morning : P