fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #3442 ]

⌈ Secret Post #3442 ⌋

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Christianity. I consider myself a Christian (acknowledging the many varieties and beliefs that word has included over the centuries, not all of which could possibly apply), but I sometimes take issue with certain beliefs, adherents, things advocated or hated, etc., that have been or sometimes are associated with Christianity.

For a religion with so much possibility for comfort, peace, love, and promoting brotherhood, justice, and love...sometimes it or aspects of it or its devotees falls so far short.

Despite everything, I believe in the good things, I try to do good works and help people, I am proud of those in many countries (including my own) who manage to work for good things, show love and not hate, etc., but sometimes I am ashamed of other things Christians have done (or not done).

I think it's very wrong when any of us put a political belief or a nationalistic belief above the religious elements, the elements of finding loving and showing love. I think it's a shame. (And I do have some political beliefs of my own, and probably nationalistic ones.)

I think it's beautiful that Christianity gave hope to so many people through so many years, and I hope it continues to do so...but I know it's caused a lot of pain, too...

"For a religion with so much possibility for comfort, peace, love, and promoting brotherhood, justice, and love...sometimes it or aspects of it or its devotees falls so far short."

You can say that about every organization on Earth. I was briefly involved with the SCA. There's a guy who belongs to that organization. He's on death row for murder. Here's an organization dedicated to crafts, education, history, and creating, and one of the members committed murder.

Christianity is made up of people, and people are flawed. There are wolves among the sheep, people who don't understand the fundamentals of the faith, and people who have off days and make mistakes.

Sometimes you love something even when it's difficult to love. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging Christianity's flaws and the poor behavior of some of it's adherents, but it's done a lot of good too.

NAYRT

I think there are a lot of valid critiques to be made about mainstream Western Christian culture, though. A lot.

My biggest bone lately has been building huge, fancy, expensive megachurches with like, fountains up front and fancy sound systems and shit. Like NO. Build things to help the poor and oppressed. You don't need a suburban resort to worship God.

+2. Saint Bernard of Menthon was criticizing this a thousand years ago, and it still goes on.

I've never even heard of that guy...maybe that's part of the problem. >___>

ETA: Oh, this is the guy St. Bernard dogs were named after? Huh. I guess I had heard of him, indirectly.

Could be because I'm not Catholic, though. I don't know much about saints. But I have at least heard of a number of the more famous ones.

Edited 2016-06-07 13:24 (UTC)

As a Utilitarian, the best thing I can say about Christianity is that it's done more to forward Utilitarian values than we've ever managed. If you follow "the greatest good for the greatest number" to its logical conclusions, it comes out to a lot of the same stuff Christians say and do, and divine approval is a much better recruitment tool than a nebulous concept of "utility." My biggest problem with it is that people get way too wrapped up in specific rules, thinking God approves of them following the letter of the law even when they're ignoring the spirit. (For instance, prosperity theology often goes in a letter-over-spirit direction: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology)

I look at the faults in Christianity and simply think, humans are faulty, we get things wrong. So many Christians have got Christianity wrong, but all we can do is try and do it right, for God and for ourselves.

Do you believe that the Jews killed Jesus?

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