The New Intimacy

Where has real Christianity gone?

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Contributor: Badass Badass
Related to: 
Westboro Baptist Church Celebrates Brutal Slayings
While fumbling through SexIs, I found this and I am bewildered.
The term christian initally meant Christ-like, which means loving, kind, and caring...
What has happened to Christianity?
How is a church like this even still open??
It was posted back in 2011, but it still pushed my buttons when I watched it..
04/10/2012
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Contributor: Lickable Lollie Lickable Lollie
I could go on and on about this subject (thanks to my brother) but I won't. I will say that Christians today (not all, but lots) tend to focus more on what other people are doing wrong, rather than focusing on what THEY should be doing. I know, I just did it myself, but you know, it's easy to do. The thing is that as Christians, it's important to strive to be that better person and leaving the judging up to God. Unfortunately, like I said before, their too focused on the wrong doings of others and trying to fix them, or punish them. It's just not right.
04/10/2012
Contributor: Mwar Mwar
It's sad and upsetting.

There's actually an article of a KKK Grandmaster who speaks against WBC. Picture it: The Head Racist saying the WBC is wrong. Interesting in itself. Link

The issues surrounding WBC are many and interesting to study all in itself. As a church (and being citizens) they are allowed to exercise free speech. However, you can see some bias of allowing some groups (like WBC) to protest over others, such as women's rights protestors. They are met with much less police resistance than other peaceful protests. The social issues behind it are very intriguing to me.

Also, the church is open because they are able to indoctrinate their children into the hate, thus having members and control. They're also a whole bunch of lawyers, which doesn't hurt.

However, to go back to your comment, it depends on what Christianity you mean. If we go back to the dark age and fiefdoms, Christianity was not very moralistic. It was used by the Barons and Dukes to control the peasants. Such quotes like the camel and needle were used for this.

There are many forms and breakdowns, etc. I wish that the norm were loving, open Christians. In my personal experience, these loving Christians seem to be an ideal and rarity. I've had a friend excommunicated from their church and family because they were gay. I do not think they held the ideas of Jesus. I have other stories, but I don't wish to flood this comment.

I'm all for Jesus's philosophy and I think I use most of these morals. I have spiritual and religious friends who are open, committed to their faith, and loving. I wish everyone was like that.

Sorry to write a book. I studied some of these things in school, so they are of high interest.
04/10/2012
Contributor: Badass Badass
Quote:
Originally posted by Mwar
It's sad and upsetting.

There's actually an article of a KKK Grandmaster who speaks against WBC. Picture it: The Head Racist saying the WBC is wrong. Interesting in itself. Link

The issues surrounding WBC are many and ... more
I agree. I am not christian, but I find Christianity and the bible very interesting. Jesus was a beautiful soul, who am I to say why, but I think following his ideas, loving each other, being NICE to everyone are really great ideas...

I don't understand how Christianity came to this..
04/10/2012
Contributor: - Kira - - Kira -
Christianity has a long history of being like this. Religion in general does. As Mwar mentioned, at one time it was used to control peasants. The Pope himself lead the Crusades - an entire war in the name of Christianity. The Thirty Year's War started as religious conflict (thought in this case there were other reasons). What about the witch hunts in which many innocents were brutally killed because of religious superstition? What about the Inquisition?

Like others, I agree that the Christians that actually follow the true teachings seem to be few and far between. Instead they persecute those that don't agree. Jesus was accepting of those of other faiths, so long as they were good people. Most Christians don't care how good you are - just that you show up to the right church. I once knew a "Christian" that believed he could treat people like utter shit all day and so long as he said one special prayer each day, everything would be forgiven and he would go to heaven. Whaaaat?!

At the end of the day, it's my personal thought that religion rarely does any good. Morals can be taught without it. Morals that come from your heart are more likely to be lived than preached to others. To steal a line from Dogma, "I think having an idea is better. Ideas you can change. Changing a belief is trickier."
04/10/2012
Contributor: LivingandLoving LivingandLoving
As a Christian myself, I heartily agree with much of what you all are saying. The church (American and international) in general does a very crappy job at following Christ's example of peace, kindness, love and grace. There are several books like "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne and "The Secret Message of Jesus" by Brian McLaren that outline and even indight the church for these shortcomings. Phillip Yancey is another good author if you're looking for a perspective from within American Christian "culture".

I've always thought, though, that it's not terribly surprising that the church is such a failure at following Christ. After all, it's made up of human beings who are imperfect and often hypocritical. And I'm not preaching or trying to proselytize, honest...but real Christianity isn't about pointing fingers, or "holy" wars (the name alone bothers me), or being hateful to those that disagree with your personal opinion. If you really want to find out what it's about, you should find someone who says they are a Christian AND who's actions look like Christ. That person won't be making headlines, but they do exist. My guess, is that talking to him/her might give you a very different picture than the media or WBC about Christianity.

I'm saddened that there are so many really terrible examples of Christianity out there and that they seem to be getting all the attention. As for myself, I do my best to follow Christ, and be loving to everyone, and give grace as much as possible, and not judge others who believe or think differently. I fail utterly an awful lot, and then I pick myself up and keep trying. That probably makes me a hypocrite in some ways, but I'm okay with it.

So there's a perspective from the other side. I hope it was helpful to someone.
04/10/2012
Contributor: ScottA ScottA
The Westboro Baptist Church is a cult. They're no more Christian than the Ayatollah Khamenei is. They are, however, much more media savvy than the millions of Christians out there quietly and faithfully living their belief.
04/10/2012
Contributor: Deeder Deeder
Quote:
Originally posted by ScottA
The Westboro Baptist Church is a cult. They're no more Christian than the Ayatollah Khamenei is. They are, however, much more media savvy than the millions of Christians out there quietly and faithfully living their belief.
This. I couldn't have said it better myself.
04/10/2012
Contributor: pootpootpoot pootpootpoot
Quote:
Originally posted by ScottA
The Westboro Baptist Church is a cult. They're no more Christian than the Ayatollah Khamenei is. They are, however, much more media savvy than the millions of Christians out there quietly and faithfully living their belief.
Absolutely. When I was a junior in high school, they came to protest at the funeral of a boy on the football team who died of a heart condition, as well as just protest outside of a bunch of schools during that week (they have a problem with organized sports). At my school, students were given permission to skip and go counter-protest, and most of the students who came to school that day did so. WBC has no respect for the families of those who have died, be they teens or even members of the military.
I won't comment on the "where has real Christianity gone" thing, but I will say that I know Christians of many kinds, from Catholics to Baptists, and they all agree that WBC is not in any way a Christian religious group.
04/10/2012
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
Once Constantine converted in 312 to bring together Roman under the helm of the Christian church, I knew there were would be issues. It wasn't too much longer after that when he started pushing down other religions and burning down their temples. Wash.Rinse.Repeat.

In the end, just be a good person - tolerant, patient, open-minded, and non-judgmental.
04/11/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Mwar
It's sad and upsetting.

There's actually an article of a KKK Grandmaster who speaks against WBC. Picture it: The Head Racist saying the WBC is wrong. Interesting in itself. Link

The issues surrounding WBC are many and ... more
Good post. Thank you, I agree.

I consider myself a "Red Letter" Christian. Meaning if it ain't in the red letters in my Bible (the words of that Jewish Carpenter ONLY) I'm not taking it to heart. Not Deuteronomy or Leviticus (laws made by Moses for the Hebrew people, not for modern day people, not Paul or other fanatics. Really, is is an "abomination" to wear a garment made from fabric from two different fibers? Leviticus says so. It's as bad of an "abomination" (which, in the Ancient Greek, which the King James Bible was taken from "abomination" only means "unusual, not according to common behaviors") as "a man lying with an other man, as if with a woman." I want to see "Rev" Fred Phelps thrusting signs saying, "God Hates Mixed Fabrics!"

I think people like Phelps and other finger pointing hypocrites give all religion a bad name. He's far from a good Christian.
04/11/2012
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
Good post. Thank you, I agree.

I consider myself a "Red Letter" Christian. Meaning if it ain't in the red letters in my Bible (the words of that Jewish Carpenter ONLY) I'm not taking it to heart. Not Deuteronomy or Leviticus ... more
man-on-man/woman-on-wo man relations = poly-cotton blends...
04/11/2012
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
This is pretty much my view:

04/11/2012
Contributor: Mwar Mwar
Quote:
Originally posted by BBW Talks Toys
This is pretty much my view:

LOVE it! I always picture Jesus as an awesome hippie. Is this okay?
04/11/2012
Contributor: Hallmar82 Hallmar82
Christ Jesus in the foundation of Christianity. If Hitler said he was Hindu, you would not conclude that Hinduism is evil or all Hindus need to reform their religion. The Westboro "Baptists" are neither Baptists nor Christians. I am both, and I can speak for both when I say that.
04/11/2012
Contributor: Destri Destri
Quote:
Originally posted by BBW Talks Toys
This is pretty much my view:

To this I say "Amen!" Christians seem to have forgotten what Jesus really taught. It saddens me daily to see hate and racism and venom spewed at anyone who they disagree with.
04/11/2012
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by BBW Talks Toys
This is pretty much my view:



Best. Picture. EVER.
04/11/2012
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Thanks. It's been going around the WTFbook for a while now. So I stole it.
04/11/2012
Contributor: married with children married with children
all because someone claims to be a christian, does not make it so.
04/12/2012
Contributor: Badass Badass
Quote:
Originally posted by BBW Talks Toys
This is pretty much my view:

I.
Freaking.
Love.
This.
04/12/2012