Mssc54 – you mentioned the below quote ironically after I wrote this post. It is not connected to your beautiful comment. It is a bit freaky that our words were exactly the same hmm.
I have a question for those who quote the bible, I am not going against it. The questions I ask are honest and have no malicious intention, just one soul trying to understand.
The Bible says that we should be kind to strangers for we never know when we may be entertaining angels.
I have a serious problem with that, a really big huge problem and when I first heard it I wanted to throw up. Why such a reaction? Perhaps in all honesty it was because it came out of the mouth a person that claimed to be holy but was more mouth than action…
“So your father is pastor of the church right and you go to church every Sunday and you believe yourself to be very religious and spiritual?”
“Yes”
“So why are you a racist if God created everyone equally? I mean do you give money to the beggars on the side of the road or do you spit at them as well?”
“Bleep bleep bleep they deserved it, I will beat the bleeping bleeps, that bleep. As for the beggars no, I will not. It could be Gods Angels standing on the side of the road so I must give generously to that person. What if I don’t, what will God do to me then?”
Right there is the reason I can’t stand religion, right there is one of the worst things I have ever come across. If it was only him to take that quote and make statements like that I wouldn’t be so irked by it each time. It honestly wouldn’t bother me. But people from all “sects” have quoted it and I am tired of its implications.
To me you should give to that person on the side of the road because they are human, they are in need and if you have something spare to give, if you have no use for it why not give it?
Why must it be because God said you must?
Why must it be because it could be one of his Angels?
Why must it be an “or else”?
Why can’t it be because that person is a person who could be you?
Why can’t it be just because?
Why must it always be based on a judgement call?
It takes the beauty of compassion out of it, it actually cheapens it for me, it makes it fake. Why should you only do it to get into heaven?
It’s an open ended question, I ask with my arms open looking to understand what I am obviously missing. There must be a missing link that I have not come across. What is it?
Joy
•15 years ago
I completely agree with you. I don’t understand this at all. When I hear people just quoting the “scriptures” I’m always left wondering why they can’t just talk normally. Don’t for a second get me wrong, I believe in God and I pray and I do give thanks and ask for guidance but I don’t believe in churches. I think they are just a business and my “business” with God is just that “my” business.
SanityFound
•15 years ago
As you know I couldn’t agree more, I don’t need a church to feel close to God. I am sure you get some good churches out there like Lindsey’s but in general I am quite against going into something because it will make me “less” of a something. Couldn’t agree more.
mssc54
•15 years ago
Sanity; Let me give it a shot.
Religion is based on all the people who have cheepened the name of God by using Him to advance their carnal lives. They use God to justify their failings or selfish positions.
God did not need another human being when He created each of us. God (I believe) created each of us for a special relationship with Him. Like any other relationship the closer we become the less likely we will be to use Him as those “religious types”.
Furthermore the closer we become the more we a WANT to demonstrate our love and compassion to others. We don’t do it because we need to “check of the box” for being benevolant. We are benevolant because that is who we have become.
As far as “going to church”; I do regularly attend my local church “legacycathedral.org” because I like being around other like minded people. Doing so also helps me to become a better Christ-minded man. Of course there are those in any given church that are there for their own selfish reason (networking, impressing someone, etc.). But that doesn’t mean that the church is corrupted.
As far as “talking normally”. I understand that too. I mean speaking “Christianeese” is like a professional football player talking “football” every where he goes.
On the other hand, if you are completely honest… I think most people see what they expect to see.
Man(kind) will alwaays fall short and dissapoint you. God on the other hand will never let you down.
Heck, He will even send an angel your way when you need it most. 🙂
I hope that made a little sense.
Hayden Tompkins
•15 years ago
I’ve been mulling over your question…and I think what it comes down to is that no matter what, Christians are people first.
People who are struggling on their own spiritual paths, people who – though loving – may occassionally imagine themselves with a bazooka, or have knee jerk reactions to politics.
Living in a place of love, even Christ-centered love, isn’t easy. The world will test that resolve, and you can let it make your expression of love stronger, deeper, or you can submit in bitterness and despair.
The only thing that really chaps my ass is when you get these Christian ministers who rail against the very sin they regularly commit.
Anyway, I have to go find my bazooka in case anyone disagrees with me. I promise, I’ll only obliterate them with love. 😉
sorrow
•15 years ago
there is beauty in all religions ,because they are the words of life breathed into being through the spirit of faith.
BUT
to practice a religion you must forgo your common sense, and wade through Dogma of minds closed by fear.
pick and choose,
there are more ways to eternity than grains of sand on the shore.
Pascall’s wager works when all else fails…
vanessaleighsblog
•15 years ago
Organized religions have soured many of us, including myself, at times of our lives on the idea of God, religion and spirituality. What I have found is that, instead of being what the church wanted me to me, in terms of other church goers or church dogma, I became me, then found a church that seemed to have similar points of view. I have always lived my life close to the teachings of Christ, not because I felt the need to have to do it, whether to save my soul or go to heaven or whatever. Rather, I live my life that way purely out of choice, and it being the right thing to do: out of a place of love, understanding and compassion. Much like Christ was and is. Church does fit into my life now, but I no longer feel that I am sacrificing part of my true self by being part of it.