Kevin's Watch

I find myself exasperated and frustrated. I know a God who is awesome and loving and merciful beyond comprehension, and I belong to a faith whose members are supposed to represent Him on Earth.

But what do I see? Christians mocked, accused of evil, jeered at and scorned.

I see Christians who hated, rejected and despised...

By other Christians.

I see factions of Christianity proclaiming themselves the only ones with the 'real' truth, and insisting that everyone else in the world is going to Hell. Protestants with 'proof' that the Catholic Church is the Whore of Babylon. Baptists and others with 'proof' that Charismatics and Pentecostal are demon-possessed and Hell-bound. And my God, I've just read 'proof' by a popular Charismatic teacher that Billy Graham is a member of the Illuminati, and helps Satanists to create 'slaves' for use in White House orgies.

Christians are supposed to represent a God who is love. Not just a God who loves, but a God who IS LOVE.

What do I see? I see godhatesfags.com. I see 'Christians' literally pissing on other religions' sacred writing. (Yeah, suuure that was an accident.) I see 'Christians' in the media, and in everyday life, who are more interested in proving that Wiccans are devil-worshippers than in feeding the hungry, more interested in proving that heavy metal albums contain coded messages from Satan, than in helping kids who have been abused, betrayed, molested and raped by the adults in their life. I see racists preaching that it's our Christian duty to hate blacks and Jews.

Then the King will say to those on the right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' "Then these righteous ones will reply, `Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' And the King will tell them, `I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'

Gee, you mean I don't have to have 100% correct theology and go to church every Sunday to be a true Christian? And that God actually cares more about the way we treat our fellow man? Who'd've thunk it. Then why are so many Christians forever arguing about pre-millenialism, post-tribulationism, transubstantion and thousands of other points of doctrine? Why don't they just shut up, agree to disagree, and go find someone who could use their help? Good question. Let me know when you have an answer.

I was raised a Christian. I saw and experienced supernatural phenomena from a very early age that proved to me that God is real. I don't talk about this much, but it was pretty dramatic stuff.

When I was older I left the church. Not because I didn't believe in God anymore - because I didn't believe in Christians anymore. I saw homeless people kicked out of churches, gay people trying to be exorcised of 'demons of homosexuality', sick people told they weren't healed because they 'didn't have enough faith'. And also: I realised that Christians weren't my friends. They were people I saw on Sundays and other meetings, wearing their best clothes and smiles. My real friends, the people who were interested in me, not just in impressing me, the people I could actually talk to about what was happening in my life, weren't Christians.

So why, after years, did I return to the Christian church? Why do I now call myself a Christian again, and risk being identified with sundry nutjobs, whackos and hatemongers?

I met a friend. Someone who is a Christian, but was more interested in hanging out with me than in quoting Scripture about backsliders to me. Who introduced me to other people whose first question wasn't "when were you saved, brother?" or "what's the Lord saying to you today?". Real people, who actually believed and acted on the important parts of the Bible, like "don't judge others", and "only God can change one's heart". Who bothered to find out if other people had some need in their lives, and hastened to fill it. Who really do feed the hungry, and take strangers into their homes, and not just on Sundays either. For about six months my friend would occasionally invite me to church, never pushing, until I eventually decided to give it a try. I felt at home there. I didn't feel like I had to prove anything, or act like a 'good Christian', and the people there actually acted like regular folks!

Last week, an acquaintance of mine who used to attend the same church I did awhile back, told me about her recent divorce. All the messy details. She told me how underwhelming the support from the church was. She told me how when she moved in with another guy, even though they were not romantically involved, her Christian children told her that she can no longer have any part of their lives. She said she'll never set foot in a church ever again.

I want to try to be her friend. After all, the Bible says that God "uses the foolish things of this world", so maybe He can even use an idiot like me, who's often putting his foot in his mouth and frequently having to apologise for acting like a jerk.

I long for the day when I can tell someone I'm a Christian, without some part of me cringing because of what the word has come to represent to so many people.

In the meantime, I'm learning to tell people I'm a Christian without pretending that I'm perfect and I have the answer to every question. After all, only God is perfect.

Hi. My name is Brian, and I'm an imperfect Christian.

Hi Brian.

That was a joy to read. Thank-you for reminding us what "sharing your faith" actually means.

I hope that you and your new church family find a way to take the name of "Christian" back from the facsist freakazoids.

Edge,

An eloquent post, making points that I wholeheartedly agree with.

Good luck in your new church. You are a man of great faith.

Edge -- that was so honest, and so beautiful.

You have very eloquently summed up many of my own concerns with the religion I was raised in, and many of the reasons I more or less stopped going to church services about five years ago.

Beautiful and profound, Edge--and expresses exactly the way I feel about "religiohs zealots claiming to be Christians." Like Duchess, I haven't darkened the door of a church in some time.

I still long for the presence of God though---even though I have vast issues with my images of him.

OUTSTANDING, Edge - simply Outstanding!!

WOO HOO!!!

The only thing I'll comment on is this:

Edge wrote:Why do I now call myself a Christian again, and risk being identified with sundry nutjobs, whackos and hatemongers?

Because it doesn't make one damned bit of difference what anyone else identifies you with. You know who you are, and how close you are to the person you want to be. Nobody else matters.

Great post Edge. And as usual, I agree with Fist.

--Avatar

Edge: keep strong.

Good post, Edge.

Edge, you pretty much summed up the dilema I have every Sunday Morning, when I decide weather to go to Church, and take the Kids to Sunday School or not.

I don't understand, how people of 'Faith' can be so blind.
How people who claim they follow a faith, where their leader told them to 'Turn the Other cheek' and then condem everyone who doesn't pray the exact way they do.

But that doesn't mean that you have to be just like them, just to worship and pray in the same house...I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying your "Return To Church"--and if you don't like the one you're going to, find another, or even start going to the church meetings, and talk about some things that could be different.
We've started doing things a little more up-beat at our church, things like haveing a couple of guys (My father and I) playing gutar, instead of the organist playing all the music (The Organist being my mother!!)--and involving people of the congregation doing some of the Bible readings and lessons, rather that the Priest doing them all.
...and the preists..instead of preaching about how we're all going to hell, they more-or-less just explain the Bibles lessons in terms you can understand, and how to relate them to your own life..much more pleasing than it used to be.

But of course I go to an Anglican Church, and it's the only true faith.

(Just kidding!)

See, it's folks like this, people who follow the spirit of a tolerant christianity, that colours my opinion of organised religion more positively. (Not that I think I'm wrong, but if all christians were like this, I wouldn't feel so strongly about it.)

My major gripe with the whole concept is that "holier than thou" type of stuff. Let's just allow everybody to get on with it. With a bit of luck, we'll all be bloody surprised at what happens.

Good posts all. I've long suspected, and hoped, that church has very little to do with god(s) anyway.

--Avatar

Most Major and minor religions have the same core message.
Be good to one another, be good to the Earth, love your Creator.
...Well not all have that last message.

It's just the way those lessons are portrayed that cause the min differences in religions. I f you study Shamanisitic teachings, Budhist teachings, muslim, hebrew, Christianity, Celtic Wiccan--you're going to find the main point, is to Love one another, not just your own kind.

What did Jesus say?
Something like: Where ever 2 or more people come together to pray there is my church.

Everything else is just extra that can be done without.
Although music is always nice!

Agreed most wholeheartedly.

Why do the majority of the "religious" not see it that way?

--A

(Edit: That was to Drew by the way.)

Edge - Fantastic post!

Avatar wrote: Why do the majority of the "religious" not see it that way?

Absolute power currupts absolutly.
Wether you're talking politcal or religion--or both.

lets realize that most churches are on the whole, tolerant and welcoming. but many people who are intolerant gravitate to religion and they end up representing the church. a lot of times they aren't in an official capacity. we enjoyed the times we went to a friend's Foursquare Gospel church, even had the music minister sing Ave Maria at our Catholic wedding. we love some of the congregation dearly, but had bad experiences with certain members. i'd like to go back on occasion, but we're not sure we would feel comfortable. and that's a damn shame. i pray that i never effect anyone who comes to my church like that. i feel that the Foursquare does some very excellent work, the have a great outreach to other churches in our area, including mine. the pastor is a good man, and we love the music minister like he was family.

dennisrwood wrote:lets realize that most churches are on the whole, tolerant and welcoming. but many people who are intolerant gravitate to religion and they end up representing the church.

So when are y'all going to stop letting them take your name in vain?

and what would you have me do? the press doesn't give a damn about those of us who are well adjusted. an example...

pbs was going to run some kids show where they go to Vermont to meet a family. (someone help me with the show's name) well the conservatives found out that two women were the heads of the household, yes they were a couple! well they got pbs to yank the show. the woman who went on Good Morning Amerika and such shows was not with pbs, she wasn't with the show, she wasn't with the education department. she was with some Family Values group. she had nothing to do with the issue, except she hates homosexuals. i saw the GMA spot, she kept bringing sex into the discussion. but the clip in question was about families making a religious meal. the two women were not even holding hands. but the GMA crowd let this woman make the debate...