Christianity: A Religion of Hate?

from JoeUser Forums

It doesn't seem like that long ago, but it was half a lifetime. I was at one of the lowest points in my life and was overcome with the guilt of all of the mistakes I had made. I surrendered my life to Christ and committed myself to a new life.

Over the years, I've been in a number of different churches, some of them good, some of them bad, but all Bible believing churches. I've married and raised my children true to my Christian faith.

Having been raised in the LDS church, as a new Christian, I was aware of the word "cult", and used it frequently as I was taught, to describe those churches who didn't measure up to the strict interpretation of the Bible to which I was mentored. I wanted to be sure of my salvation so I studied eagerly in that journey.

But the word "cult" never set well with me for most of these churches. See, I knew people in these churches, and in all of them I knew people with a deep and fervent love of God. Sure, there were the nutcases, the caricatures out there, but those existed even in the "Christian" churches. We just did a better job of keeping them hidden.

Over the years, though, I found out the danger of the so called "evangelical" movement: they eat their own. While they profess to believe we are saved by grace, that "grace" means you damn well better believe as they do or your out the door. In other words, it is a very selective grace, and humans (specifically THEM), not God, do the defining.

There is a certain vein of Christianity that has become a religion of hate in the truest sense of the world. They profess to be evangelicals, but they have no burden for the lost. They actually would prefer the lost STAY lost, as they don't want to see these people's faces in heaven.

I was the Christian of all Christians. I studied the Bible, I worked on street ministry teams, heck, I even worked the phones for three Billy Graham Crusades. But because I dare question not the doctrine, but the manner in which it is delivered, I have been branded a heretic.

Those who know me might observe the new avatar (unless you'rte having the same problems I'm having with JU on some computers where it keeps displaying my old one). You might also note the one letter "X" responses I have left on several threads. The X does not denote "the unknown" as one might suspect, or any other affiliation, but rather the censorship that has been brought about as I've been exiled from mainstream Christianity for my "radical" views.

While I remain faithful to Christ, I refuse to remain faithful to the apostate church (note, please, I am not condemning INDIVIDUALS within those churches, but the churches themselves, who are unfaithful to their calling). My commitment was, and is, to Christ and Him crucified, not to a building or the "esteemed elders" who judge a man's worth by his financial standing. I will have nothing to do with the religion of hate that characterizes so many "Christians"; as my allegiance is with Christ.

religion
5,501 views 37 replies
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
Aeryck,

Please do not patronize my threads.
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top

I was the Christian of all Christians.


'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.'

.A.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Aeryck,

I will thank God daily that my salvation is not dependent upon your acceptance or rejection of me.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
Oh, and thank you for proving the point of the article!
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
HI Gid,

Hang in there...and trust in the Lord....give all of it to Him..He's the Good Shepherd.

Your title for this bugs me in that it's good and not so good.

Christianity is God's revealed holy religion...Christianity hates evil and is God's lessons in how we are to persevere against evil which takes many shapes and forms...by the devil, the world and the flesh.

From the way I read it, it might be more correct as--- "Christians: A People of Hate?

Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Christianity is God's revealed holy religion...Christianity hates evil and is God's lessons in how we are to persevere against evil which takes many shapes and forms...by the devil, the world and the flesh.


You are correct, of course, and James gives the perfect definition of religion in James 1:27.

The word has been co-opted and bastardized, though, and no matter how much we may believe otherwise, the people like aeryck who are a blight on the face of the faith are far more noticeable sometimes.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
Gid -

I know you have experienced that vein of Christianity. I have not, at least not locally. I've been accepted at every church I've been to. I think it's an individual church thing, and an individuals within the church thing. Who makes up the church and who is leading the church is a huge portion of whether or not the church will be welcoming, accepting, and loving.

The Bible says not to discriminate among believers, don't give the rich the best seat while telling the poor to stand or sit by your feet. Catering to certain people is one of the things that kills a church - as soon as you start catering to a person, you're no longer catering to God, right?
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top

I will thank God daily that my salvation is not dependent upon your acceptance or rejection of me.


I agree it is neither dependant upon you or I, but upon the blood of Christ alone.

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
(Ephesians 2:13)

.A.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top

There's a funny thing I've witnessed.  Often the most sinful people are the most devout Christians you ever did see.  Guess because they think they're saved that gives them free reign to be rather despicable.

~Zoo

Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
I guess because they were despicable, they knew they needed to be saved.
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top

Oh, and thank you for proving the point of the article!


Dear Gid,

It is a pleasure.

When I was eighteen, I was sitting in the back of a car driven by twin brothers. The one twin was dying of leukemia and the other survived. I was a young believer, trying so hard to walk the walk by works. I was having little success in my goal of being a 'Christian of Christians', and was expressing my frustration from the back seat. To which Don eventually addressed when he turned to me and said, 'My grace is sufficient'. I was gobstopped, but it was a lesson well learned. A few months later he went home to be with Jesus.

I keep this one foremost in my mind when I meet folks that promote the old works doctrine.....(thanks Paul)

'And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.'

.A.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top

Often the most sinful people are the most devout Christians you ever did see.


Wherefore I say unto thee, "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little."

And he said unto her, "Thy sins are forgiven."

(Luke 7:47-48)

.A.
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top

I guess because they were despicable, they knew they needed to be saved.

But if you keep doing the same old shit, then it's not going to help.

~Zoo

Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

"Oh, darnit.  Looks live I've killed again.  Sorry, God."

"Oh, don't worry about it, it's cool."

~Zoo

Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top
, 'My grace is sufficient'. I was gobstopped, but it was a lesson well learned.


except that grace only extends to you and not others. The rest of us better damn well believe as you do, or we're gonna BURN, BABY, BURN!

Go ahead, aeryck. "Shake the dust" as your ham friend exhorts you.
Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
I guess because they (knew) were despicable, they knew they needed to be saved.


You're only missing one word and I guess you knew that all along. That's what is called 'conviction', sort of like what happens when you throw as stone into a pack of dogs, the one that yelps loudest is the one that has been hit.

.A.
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
"But if you keep doing the same old shit, then it's not going to help."

So immediate sanctification then? I don't think so. Sanctification is a process, not a moment.
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top
So immediate sanctification then? I don't think so. Sanctification is a process, not a moment.


Oy! I'm talking about Christians that were in the church since they were little. The can end up being really shitty people. Not people that saw their evil ways and decided to convert.

~Zoo
Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top

Go ahead, aeryck. "Shake the dust" as your ham friend exhorts you.


You seem to have your lines well rehearsed.

"For many are called, but few are chosen."
(Matthew 22:14)

...................Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.


.A.
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top
You seem to have your lines well rehearsed.


Actually I was referencing a comment by your buddy, and you know it.

And by the way, no matter how much you think otherwise, you're not Jesus (the subject of your last little quote). And, again, I thank God it is not YOU I will have to face in judgement.

So tell me again, aeryck, why the shed blood of Christ applies to you and not to me? Why is it that you hold so strongly to your fervent belief that Christ has rejected me? And why is it that God has blessed me continually in my walk as a Christian if He does not feel I'm one of His own?

Aeryck, you are a liar, plain and simple. I sincerely wish you would simply leave my blog, but since you will not, expect no civility or quarter from me.
Reply #22 from JoeUser Forums Top

The can end up being really shitty people.


They can also end up being the salt of the earth, it really depends where the good seed falls.

.A.
Reply #23 from JoeUser Forums Top
"Oy! I'm talking about Christians that were in the church since they were little. The can end up being really shitty people. Not people that saw their evil ways and decided to convert."

Could very well be that these people never 'got it' but go to church every Sunday as a habit.
Reply #24 from JoeUser Forums Top

I sincerely wish you would simply leave my blog, but since you will not, expect no civility or quarter from me.


Another time.

Love,
.A.
Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top

Aeryck,

Your response kind of proves a point for me, as regards faith.

You asked for a "truce", and were insincere in your request. Because you were insincere, you were unable to refrain from returning to your old habits and attacking me in rather short order. The analogy can be drawn between a Christian who continues in deliberate, willful sin. Their insincerity shows through when they refuse to even try to be more conformed to the image of Christ.

Thanks for showing through example exactly what I was trying to say.