A thought or two about Christianity.

[elperromagico]

One of the problems with Christianity is that some of its adherents believe that the only real requirement for "membership" is that one profess faith in Jesus Christ as the son of God.

This seems to lead some "Christians" to the conclusion that they can live however they want, with no regard for their fellow man, as long as they maintain that safety net of profession of faith.

Of course, it doesn't really work that way. You can't go to church on Sunday and then get drunk on Monday or beat your wife on Tuesday. You won't find anything in Jesus' teachings which advocates that kind of attitude.

I consider myself something of a "lapsed Christian." I believe Jesus' message of tolerance, charity, and love for one's neighbors is a solid one to live by. But I don't adhere by any stretch of the imagination to everything contained in the Bible. And I don't go to church because I'd feel like a hypocrite there.

Worse still, I'd feel like I was surrounded by hypocrites. Church to me feels like a scene out of "Young Goodman Brown" - it's likely that at least half of those people aren't doing what they're supposed to be doing during the week.

If you're a Christian and you don't believe that government out to provide welfare, Social Security, or any other program designed to better the least of our citizens, fine. But do your bit to help those people on your own. That's what Jesus taught.

And don't talk to me about how good it is to have a man of God in the White House simply because he thumps the cross every now and then. There hasn't been a man of God in the White House in a long time - just a lot of Bible thumpers.

Bible thumpers don't accomplish anything. They just fool other Bible thumpers into thinking they're godly.

That just poured out of me. Comment at will.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

1. *Dons asbestos suit*

[Bok_Tukalo]

2. Chistianity's fatal flaw is Hell

A concept so morally repugnant, it could only have been invented by Man and not by any Divine.

[Abelman]

4. I don't believe in Hell

Or really the devil for that matter.

All that dogmatic crap was invented by the church to give the religion some pizazz. Purgatory was invented so they could get rich off of poor people with indulgences, and to explain where the dead babies go.

Because - and this is just my perception - Christianity is at it's core very non-mystical, very earthy and plain. It is simply an idea that when you go through life, you should be nice to everyone.

If everyone was nice to everyone, and no one backslid, it would be a pretty nice world. Almost heavenly.

[Abelman]

3. Personal

I grasp from Jesus a sense that religion should be a personal thing, but never private. Meaning, you are never ashamed of what you are, but you don't force your beliefs on others.

Which really has nothing to do with what you said.

But the bible-thumpers are in trouble. Christianity by definition should center around the teachings of Jesus, and he himself says that the (paraphrasing) door is small but many people are trying to go through it.

Of course, I'm not sure if I even belief in a heaven after death. I'm sort of on the thought that if you really do live your life well you get to chill with Jesus for an afterlife. It would be very mellow. But if you don't, then you just die. I don't beleive in heaven. For me "eternal death" means you just die. There's nothing else. And frankly, I don't think that's very bad because no one is ever going to know the difference.

Frankly, the thought of living forever bores me. My idea of heaven is waking up on a cold day in a warm bed with your lover next to you and you realize it's Saturay, you don't have to go to work, and you can just hold each other and sleep in. That feeling right then.

Jesus Humpers (as I call them) are more concerned with being good only if others see them doing it. I have a self-righteous streak which tells me that I must do good no matter if I get credit or not, and that is what Jesus taught. I am a follower of Jesus, and that is the term I prefer for myself now, not Christians.

Many Christians are too concerned with deciding who will get to heaven they forget they don't have any say in the matter.

[johnnie]

5. It's not Christianity

It is certain people who claim to be Christian.

[elperromagico]

7. Derived from a simplistic teaching of Christianity.

Christianity becomes what is taught about it.

[flaming bondage mask]

6. My problem is with the followers, and their selective interpretations

Dare I say Activist Christians? When it suits them, and eye for an eye is the right approach, when it suits them otherwise, it's time for forgiveness.

[Abelman]

8. Forgiveness

is always the way to go.

Unfortunately, it really only works if the forgiven is actively seeking forgiveness.