you're on the outside looking in. That doesn't make you impartial, but (and do not take offense at the term) ignorant. I'll explain.



And that's a fair feeling to have. You find it silly. Why? Do you consider yourself so without worth that God wouldn't care about you? You've also touched upon one of the greatest mysteries in the Christian faith. Why does God love me? That is a question that has no answer this side of eternity. I can't answer it...and no one else can answer it either. It is something that I often think about...why me? I'm flawed. I'm damaged. And when it comes right down to it...I'm awful. Why does God love me? Why does God love any of us? Look at what we do to each other. I cannot answer why God loves us. I only know that He does.



So this is what I was refering to when I said that your viewpoint is not impartial but ignorant. You are looking at organized religion from the outside...as someone who doesn't believe, rather than someone who does. You are seeing how the person is behaving, not what they should be living. You are seeing the result of a flawed person who believes in something who doesn't always live up to that something. Does this make sense?

To use a common example...homosexuality & Christianity. Most see anger, hate, and other such negative emotions. They are apparent on either side through the words/actions of different individuals. Does Christianity espouse any type of hatred towards homosexuals? Certainly not. Everyone is loved by God, regardless of their actions. However that love isn't what washes our sins away (sins defined as thoughts/actions which God says we aren't supposed to have/do or not doing something we are supposed to do). As I said, it isn't God's love that washes away our sins, but its his blood. Jesus's sacrifice is what can wash away our sins. His love is what prompted His sacrifice, but ultimately its His sacrifice which must be accepted.

To bring this back around, when you see "organized religion" and the fostering of hate...you are seeing the still-flawed humanity & the belief system. Let me say it right out....every Christian is a hypocrite at some time in their life (and over and over again too). Why? Because we believe in an ideal that we can never live up to. None of us will ever be able to be like Christ here on earth. We will all fail. We all still have our human failings. Some Christians hate homosexuals & feel threatened by them. Some do not. Some Christians hate those of other faiths...while still others actively reach out and try and establish a dialogue with them. You have to understand that its not the failing of Christianity which you are seeing, but instead the failing of the individual that you are seeing.

As per the different faith systems and the "one truth" or the "one right answer". That's certainly a good question/debate. There are so many faith systems out there...which one is right? Which one do you choose? That's a question which can take either a moment to decide or a lifetime...or anything in between. All I can say is that study and reflection...not to mention talking about it...are key to figuring it out. But to prompt you along, it may be interesting to note that of all the faiths in world, Christianity is unique. Why? Because its the only faith which says that you cannot earn your way to heaven. Instead, heaven is a gift to receive.

People often say that they have lived a "good life". That if you've gotten through life not murdering someone, or robbing a bank, or raping someone...how somehow you've had a good life. There's not much I can really say to that. Contrary to many belief systems...and even to certain fantasy book concepts...light and darkness are not equal. Good acts do not counter bad acts. After all...how many good acts does one need to do if you accidently ran a read light and killed a kid crossing the street. Sure...your intent wasn't to kill the kid. Your intent was to get to where you wanted to go & not be inconvienced by the red light...or you just weren't paying attention and thus were behaving irresponsibly. How many good acts does it take to bring that child back or make their parent's pain stop?


We kinda talked about this already. But here's something for you to ponder. I don't consider myself in an "organized religion". Instead, I see myself as being in a relationship with God. Some may call it semantics, but they don't see my heart or how I consider it so different. I very much disagree with my church on many aspects, but I'm willing to chalk that up to personal differences in interpretation which can *both* be consistent with the Bible. (note that I'm not talking about those ideals which stand directly opposed to what the Bible says).

So many picture Christians as either being the dumb, Mid-wester hicks...or being those loud mouth, rude televangalists who spout off....or being just uneducated and ignorant of the world. I am here to type that I am none of those things. Those who are Christains are far more diverse than those catagories.

~Jeordam