Welcome to today’s installment of Reverent Sundays, where I write about an aspect of my faith. This can deal with recent books I have read on Christianity, my thoughts on religion and current issues, as well as particular messages I find touching and/or powerful. I am aware that most of my readers are not religious, and that is fine — you are more than welcome to not read these posts if they make you uncomfortable, enrage you, or bore you to tears. I am open to debates and discussions in the comments section as long as everyone remains respectful. Enjoy!
This weekend is a crazy one for our household (and I’m not only talking about the Superbowl). For this reason, today’s Reverent Sundays will be short and to the point:
How many of you are more offended by the use of the f-word in this graphic than by its message?
(image source)
I think an old pastor said it best when he told me, “I love Christ, and I love the Bible. But sometimes, I just hate the state of Christianity in our world, especially here in America.”
Some people think all Christians should be conservative. Some people think all Christians should be liberal. This flawed thinking divides Christians from each other.
I believe all Christians should be biblical. Sometimes the Bible teaches concepts that are by nature conservative, and in those cases we should be conservative. But other times, the Bible teaches principles which by nature are liberal. In those cases we should be liberal.
So how about we stop identifying — and as a result, pigeonholing — ourselves as belonging to certain political parties or political ways of thinking, and start being true to Scripture?
S
Amen! I could not agree more. Doers of the word of God shall reap.
Brooke
It’s so hard to be true to scripture when the church can spin it to mean almost anything they want. I don’t know how many times in youth group I heard about Timothy and dressing modestly. Or using Leviticus against homosexuality. Be subservient to men, obey your parents no matter what, don’t take off your shoes in church, oh my goodness I could go on all day! I’m not saying all churches are like this, but the one I attended growing up certainly was. You did not question the church. Ever. It’s certainly skewed my attitude toward attendance in my adult life.
I assume you’ve seen the spoken word video concerning this topic? Very moving. It made the Facebook rounds not too long ago…
jessicamaylords
Here, here, Brooke. Unfortunately “Biblical” is a very relative term; relative to how you read the words, the context, the tone. It’s this exact reason that I have difficulty with so many Christians; we’re all sure our interpretation is correct, and often we come to opposite conclusions. Even Paul and Jesus seem to emphasis very different things; the whole mess is extremely confusing.
Geek in Heels
I understand that many topics are up for debate even within the church, but the important thing to realize as Christians is that nothing central to our belief is debatable. (And many of the debated topics are actually pretty clear if you really do the research, which, unfortunately, many Christians do not.) As for Paul and Jesus emphasizing different things, it’s because they were speaking to vastly different audiences, and obviously everything little thing that they said and did were not recorded.
Geek in Heels
I’m sorry that the church you attended was this way. 🙁 If anything, I believe that a good church (or at least a good church leader) will encourage you to question and learn and have faith that others will see through these questions that what they are teaching is the truth.
Although I was raised in a Christian home, I certainly had my rebellious years and would probably even consider myself as being agnostic for a few years in my late teens and early twenties. However, I did the research on my own — looking at both the atheist/agnostic and the Christian side of the debate, as well as other religions — and found that Christianity is the truth. I’m sure that others may not arrive at this conclusion (see: Christians who turn into atheists), but I know that there are plenty of atheists who become Christians too after doing the research. I encourage you and others like you to do the research too. It’s sad that Christ, and Christianity in general, gets such a bad rap for the work that humans — who are flawed by nature — have done in the name of the church.
Sarah
Ugh that graphic thing is terrible. Of course there will always be hypocrisy and bad eggs with organized religion… it doesn’t make every single person or the entire church-going world like that. At least they are getting out of bed and making an effort instead of sitting at their computer making snarky infographics. Gerrr. Sorry, disgruntled : )
Geek in Heels
I’m having some trouble finding the source for this quote, but the earliest I can find dates back to 2004. The image that was made from the quote seems to be more recent: within the past couple of years. I do know that both the quote and the image have been making its rounds on both Christian and anti-Christian websites everywhere, because it does speak to the hypocrisy of the church. And while you are correct that not every Christian acts this way, I personally believe that most Christians in the U.S. have become way too complacent with our lives (I know that I am guilty of this too). I think seeing this quote especially spoke to me because I read Francis Chan’s “Crazy Love” recently, and it challenges us to love Christ with the type of crazy love that He deserves….and speaks out against Christians being comfortable, whether in status, wealth, or our hearts, and I wanted to share these thoughts. I’m sorry if it made you angry or disgruntled in any way.
Sarah
Oh no no dude… you didn’t make me disgruntled!! : ) No whoever made that quote picture just irked me with their tone. I think it just made me feel awful, which is probably just my Catholic guilt complex talking!!!! : ) Like, I’m aware that I suck and fall short and should be better and heck am even probably guilty of hypocrisy…. but I GO to church for that reason you know?