Ignorance when it comes to Christianity...
By jeneias
@jeneias (608)
United States
June 26, 2011 6:12pm CST
Am I the only one who thinks that anyone who doesn't believe in God/the Bible/Jesus Christ, should try it out for a while? Kinda like a 90-day trial? Hear me out...
I gave my life to Christ at the age of 12. Before that I was just like most kids, a little better when it came to how I acted, but still like most kids nonetheless. I acted out a lot, and even as a Christian I still act out sometimes. But I lived the life of a nonbeliever. I know what it's like to have NO IDEA who Jesus is, what He is about, and what the purpose of Him dying was. I did not know anything about God apart from yelling His name whenever something bad or amazing happened. "Oh my God!" "Jesus!" That was my relationship with Him until one day I heard a Christian song describing in detail the crucifixion of our Lord and Savior. That very day I pledged to do whatever it takes to please God.
Now what irks me is that a lot of nonbelievers complain about us. We are too holy, or we believe in something that doesn't exist. They even call our God a crutch on which we lean because we have nothing else. But they have yet to live one day as a Christian. They don't know what it's like to feel the love of God, the peace of God, in their life. They think they know what love is, and yet when we come around showing the love of God, they call us fake? Am I the only one who is annoyed by this?
I would truly just love for one non-believer to give a try. 90 days and that's it, if you haven't felt the power of God move you SOMEHOW, then by all means go back to how you were living before. But I hate that people judge our lifestyle when they haven't even tried putting our shoes on, let alone walking a mile in them!
And another thing: Pascal's Wager. I didn't know what this was until someone mentioned it to me. And everyone thinks of it in a negative way. No, it's not a good enough reason to believe in God, but still. Most people tell us Christians, "what if there is no God? What if Jesus was just a normal guy?" but what if it's all true? What if God really did wrap Himself in flesh and come to earth as Jesus to DIE so that we may be saved and have a personal relationship with Him? WHAT IF? Wouldn't it be better to live a good life than a life full of sin? And if there truly is no God, then what harm can come from living a "Christian lifestyle?"
Hopefully I did not offend anyone who is NOT Christian. I truly do love you all, whether you believe in the one true God or various gods, or no god at all. But I am upset, and a little hurt, that people continue to judge us without knowing anything about us (or more importantly, CHRIST!)
I am not trying to start a heated debate between Christians and everyone else. I am simply venting my feelings, and probably the feelings of many other Christians out there.
4 people like this
8 responses
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
27 Jun 11
An interesting thought.
My opinion is that most religions are so frequently forced into people's lives (evangelists, door-to-door, constant going on about how wonderful God/Jesus/Yahweh/Allah/the Flying Spaghetti Monster is, etc.) that it builds up an automatic resistance.
It's like walking down the high street on Saturday. You know you're going to get accosted by someone collecting money for yet another worthwhile cause. Just because it's worthwhile doesn't make it any less annoying - but they don't know you've already been asked by 26 other people in the last 3 months.
There are also a lot of annoying religious habits that rub people up the wrong way, like those people who always type "God" in capital letters (which, online, is equivalent to someone shouting every time they get to that word) or who babble on and on quoting the Bible instead of giving a reasoned opinion or who put out serious "better than you" vibes because they're oh-so-devout.
Since my father was a preacher and my entire family are a bunch of raving Goddies (take that tongue in cheek, as it is intended), I've had the opportunity. I've also had the pressure, the obsequious fawning, the not-so-subtle hints that I'll burn in hell if I don't "find" God and so on. That's another reason I'm not a Christian - it's my decision and I couldn't give a rabid hyena's left ventricle what your opinion of my beliefs is (with all due respect).
When it comes down to it, my opinion is that education is the key. I read everything I could find: the Bible, the Mormon Bible, the Bhagavad Gita, Aleister Crowley, stuff by the Golden Dawn, shamanist texts, Buddhist texts, bits of the Quran, kabbalist stuff, Wiccan stuff (classic and modern), Janist, Dianist, Judaist... well, you get the idea. Once you've looked at everything you can find, you're in a better position to know what you feel is right and what suits you.
As someone once said, religion is like your private body bits: everyone has one but don't show me yours unless I ask. And please don't stuff it down my throat. 
All in all, I blame the Church - not Christians - for the bad press and awful image management. Religion itself is a wonderful thing: the administration sucks.
All in all, I blame the Church - not Christians - for the bad press and awful image management. Religion itself is a wonderful thing: the administration sucks.1 person likes this
@jeneias (608)
• United States
27 Jun 11
One thing you said in particular stuck out to me -- the church is to blame, not Christians. And that is so true. I am still a "baby" Christian so to speak, but I've come to find out that the church is filled with nothing but hypocrites who want to point the finger at everyone else but themselves. And I completely understand where people come from when they say that the church forces their beliefs down others throats. Believe me when I tell you that they don't only do that to nonbelievers. If a Christian disagrees with one thing that the pastor says, then that Christian is automatically "shunned" and looked at differently. Which is why I personally prefer not to be a part of a church, that is, a building where people go every Sunday to prove they still believe in God.
Speaking of God, it's interesting that you mentioned capitalizing the G in God is an annoying habit to some people. I've honestly never payed much attention to it, but I suppose it's the same as when we Christians get annoyed because people DON'T capitalize it. Understandable.
I'm hoping the new breed of Christians can prove that we're not just a bunch of religious nuts, running around saying you're gonna burn in hell if you don't do things this way or that way. We are normal people just like everyone else, unfortunately our Christian forefathers have tainted our image so badly that nobody trusts or believes what we say anymore. And it is true, we believe that things won't go well for those people who disobey/ignore God, but then again who are we to say what will happen to you or the next guy? That's up to the big man upstairs.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
27 Jun 11
I think that Spike was objecting to people who type 'GOD' not 'God'. Personally and for me, it's not 'the big man upstairs', either. One either understands the way that the river flows and works with it or one tries to fight it. 'God' (if such a person exists) is part of my being and I part of His. I just don't see the need to try to impose my beliefs or enthusiasm on anyone else. It seems to me that He's quite capable of getting into a personal relationship with anyone He wants to. He doesn't need me to shout about how good it is for me.
1 person likes this
@vindiku (255)
• India
27 Jun 11
Loving God is an issue hanging between existence and nonexistence of God. I am Hindu by birth and I have completed my childhood in school under Seventh Day Adventist here in my place. As a child I was attracted to Jesus, because I liked those stories of sacrifice for sins of mankind, but once I have stepped out into the real world, things have changed. I realized a fact that all God has to offer is just stories and in reality its just our effort, our courage, luck, etc., that drive our life forward. Though realized that fact, I am still not sure about on which side I should be. So, I decided to just believe in GOD as a power which is beyond me or may be something like a complaint and thanks box when things go wrong and right. On a leaving note, I would like to ask you one question. It has been a doubt in my mind for a longtime. I do not know if it is okay to ask... "If Jesus is Son of God, then why do we pray to him instead of praying to God himself?" It will be great if anyone can clarify that particular doubt.. Thanks..
@vindiku (255)
• India
4 Jul 11
Okay, thats is an acceptable description that you have given, often I used to ask the same question to my friends and they would just ignore the question or make face at me. So, per you the concept of God is vested in the three factor of God as Father, God as Son, and God as Spirit, am I right?
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
27 Jun 11
I grew up in a Christian family, going to Sunday school, and eventually learning to teach,to sing in the choir, etc, but was never really sold on the idea. I read everything I could find as a teenager to try and pin down my religion. I tried and tried to make my religion go hand in hand with science. I felt that there would be proven facts in science, that would prove the religion I was teaching at Sunday school, but alas this never happened. I walked away from my Church, and religion at age 23, never to return.
I became convinced that Organized Christian Religion is a fantastic Scam dreamed up by the early Christians to generate money for the Church. This Scam has made the Christian Church, the most wealthy business in the world, and made the Church Heirachy so powerful it has been able to abuse, and sexually molest its own Parishioners and their children for hundreds of years, without reprimand!
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
28 Jun 11
Of course there are no written records of those early Christians, other than the Holy Bible which has been translated and re-translated at least 275 times by anyone who could write, and had an axe to grind, or needed to prove something in another language. Stories of extreme generosity, even to the giving of lives, are just the usual dressing on the Christian turkey! A recent example is
the 'Arab Spring,' which was started by a food vender who doused himself in gasoline and lit a match. He gave his life to prove a point, and started a wave of protest which is still rolling along the beach.
@_sketch_ (5742)
• United States
29 Jun 11
Do you realize that a most atheists know a lot more about religion than members of religions? Most religious people just take the religion of their parents without question. Atheists came to this view through research and deep thought. Perhaps Christians should try atheism for a while. Namaste.
@marcmm (1804)
• Malaysia
4 Jul 11
I don't believe in the 90 day trial. Understand Christian takes more than 90 days. Like the sermon by our bishop last Sunday, even the priest who have studied about bible for minimum 4 years are still not fully understand the bible and Christianity as whole.
We cannot try it. We need to live with it. Religion are not something to try and leave when we don't feel want to commit.
Many people don't want to believe in Christian teaching because they don't want to know what might happen to them in the after life and they don't want to be control by the religion.
@drasnian (548)
•
3 Jul 11
It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure it would work.
My partner went to a Catholic school until he was 18, complete with the RE lessons and Masses you would expect. He desperately wants to believe in God, and is terrified of going to hell because he doesn't but he just can't because he is too scientifically/logically minded to do so. In his case, a 90 day trial wouldn't help :(
@6precious102 (4043)
• United States
29 Jun 11
As a fellow Christian, I agree that it can be frustrating. I have to keep reminding myself that we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil. Don't let these evil spirits steal your joy. To quote the popular saying among the believers,"we know how the story ends." Be kind to the nonbeliever, no matter how they are toward you. The one who is kind nourishes his soul, but the cruel destroy themselves.
@neusdo (33)
• Puerto Rico
27 Jun 11
Karl Marx once said that "religion is the opiate of the masses" I agree with this statement. While I do believe in God, I also think that religion (in general, not only chritianity, has been used to control people. How many centuries have passed, and people are still killing in the name of God? But is it really in the name of God or in the name of their particular religion? I think It's been about religion all along. I personally believe that God doesn't have a preference for any of his children, so why are there so many people who believe that the way they interpret God is what will save them?
