Ashamed to be religious...

I think I understand what your saying. You say your a christian, that can mean so many things these days. I take being a christian as someone that believes on what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Is that you? Don't feel bad because you don't want to set yourself out there as a sitting target, remember how the christians ran and hid from Paul before he converted. He persecuted christians real bad, and ended up being the one of the greatest followers and teachers of all time, talk about eating crow lol Many people call themselves christian that aren't, a christian doesn't go around killing people for the sake of religion. The WORD religion isn't squat, religion isn't squat. Because a person calls themselves christian, muslim or what ever, doesn't make it so unless they live by faith that which they confess. If I sat in a garage and called myself a car, that doesn't make me a car. Anymore than if I sat in a tree and called myself a squirrel. It doesn't make it so. I don't know what people call themselves doing anymore. All these stuff in the name of God. It's pitiful and sad isn't it.

I don't think that there's a "right" way to believe or to lead your life. There are certainly wrong ways, but there are also billions of shades of grey. The same applies to religion. Some use religion for good and for evil. For instance, there are instances such as the Inquisition, the religious wars in the Middle East, the conflicts between Catholics and Protestants throughout history and today, and other such occurrences. And then you have people that use their religious beliefs to do good by helping to rebuild areas that have been affected by storms, wars, and sickness. Some people believe that their god has led them to help others, and how could that be shameful? I don't have a religion myself, but I wouldn't call it shameful to be religious.

I am a Christian and I am religious as well, but I will never let anything make me feel ashamed to be the way I am. Yes I believe in the Almighty and I know it's hard to explain his love with all the problems in the world. It's hard to say why I had to have cancer, or why my uncle had to die at a young age, just that both showed the faith of both of us. People are being killed of different faiths not because of what Christianity teach, but because there is hatred for Christians, Americans, and just everybody in general. The badness in the world is not because of the Almighty, but because of the sin that resides in all of us. Some take the sin to extremes like killing while others fight to control it and say no. I'm not saying others can't control it or anything....

I can see what you mean. At Indonesian television there is an stupid organization called FPI that always arogant and destroy other people property. I mean, where in the hell the got basic called in Qur'an that it is allowed to do so? act without love and respect? this is not Islam. I am so sick when see them hurting our own people as same Indonesian and mention my God name, "Allah hu Akhbar!" so sick! Allah is love, Allah is caring and forgiving, Are they trying to make another country? creating "lascar" and make Indonesian worried. Their organization must be forbidden and close.

You shouldn't be ashame of your religion. Have faith in it, since you chose that religion. If you feel more atheist than christian, then be atheist, but under no circumstance should you be ashame cus you're certain religion. And yes, certain followers of religions can be so...devoted (for lack of better term) that they decide that everyone should be of their religion.