A long time ago, in a thread far, far away, I said that I would create a post discussing the hypocrisies and the idiocies of the current church system, current Churchianity (it’s a religion in it’s own, because it is not really Christianity), and, from what I’ve seen, most Christians. Understand that I come from a fundamental Christian background. I woke up one day a little after my 14th birthday and realized that everything I had been taught since I was a child was bullshit, pure and simple.

1. Mark 16:15: “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” This would be one of the core beliefs of Christianity, seeing as it’s not just a description of what happened, rather it’s a direct command from Jesus to his disciples. The average Christian DOES NOT DO THAT. Some do, most are content to go to church once, maybe twice a week.



2. Acts 2:44-45 “And all that believed were together and had all things common, and sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as every man had need.” If Christians were to actually live the way this verse says, communism would work. But, look at the majority of the world’s population, they’re living well below anything remotely close to being a decent level of living, again some Christians may be doing something about it, most aren’t. Look at these churches that cost millions of dollars to build, do you really think that the Christian god is flattered by that, apparently pagan gods were. But isn’t the Christian god supposed to be different? If Heaven really is where people go when they believe in Jesus, then couldn’t those churches be sending that money to someone else who would actually be using it to help people believe in Jesus? Wouldn’t that just make so much more fucking sense than building a million-dollar church building and then raising funds for the starving people in Africa? That’s a fucking insult. If I was a starving kid and I knew that the church on the corner cost a million dollars to build, and then from out of that church comes a sweet, do-gooder Christian multi-millionaire, and he hands me ten bucks, I’d throw the shit back at him.



3. 1 Jn. 4:7,8 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God…He that loveth not knoweth not god, for god is love.” I guess the majority of the American churches massive support for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq show their immense love for those people. But then again they don’t love people who don’t look like them, who don’t dress like them, who don’t think like them. Oh fuck, it’s alright to love the other guys in your church, and maybe in the church next door, maybe it’s even alright to love that really rich atheist that lives down the street. But that poor bum, god, how awful. How could anyone love him? What about that prostitute on the street corner, the one who was forced into prostitution because of poverty, yeah, her. Ha. There’s no way to love her, she…she’s immoral, she’s lewd. She even fornicates with people for money so that she can feed her two kids. What an awful woman. She’s going to Hell. Nope, can’t love her.



4. Psalms 133:1 “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity.” Look at 1Cor 1:10 as well. I can’t even think of all the different factions and denominations of Christianity. Half of them spend their time accusing others of being lewd and unrighteous and disobedient and whatever else. Unity, my ass. The heathen Muslims that everyone’s supposed to hate and bomb whenever they get the chance have less disputes over their religion than the Christians do.

*forsees a 4 ft long Digi reply a comin'*

Thanks.

You took away the element of surprise.

*hehehehe*

Dude, that sucks. You're completely right. Christian nowadays have strayed so far from where they should be, that it's sickening. I, as a Christian, do my best to show God's love to those who don't know Him. Yes I screw up on occasion, but that's what makes me human. Most of my friends are people who the average churchgoing Christian would cross the street to avoid, but I know God loves them as much as and more than I ever could.

At any rate, my point is this: someone needs to shake these people out of their complacency. Christians need to challenge themselves and actually start living what they preach.

-SeussSmith

quote:Originally posted by Digital_Savior:

Thanks.

You took away the element of surprise.

*hehehehe*

i don't know how your bloody wrists take it ! i'd be in plaster by now .

quote:At any rate, my point is this: someone needs to shake these people out of their complacency. Christians need to challenge themselves and actually start living what they preach.

why does the phrase ' mote out of thine eye' come rushing to mind?

Originally posted by crazed_hamster:

1. Mark 16:15: “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” This would be one of the core beliefs of Christianity, seeing as it’s not just a description of what happened, rather it’s a direct command from Jesus to his disciples. The average Christian DOES NOT DO THAT. Some do, most are content to go to church once, maybe twice a week.

I agree here. We Christians need to get off our butts and start sharing the Word.

In defense of Christians though, and this points right into your own home; you said that you were raised Christian.. so in a way, your parents did live up to this commandment.

As do many Christians. However, human nature does take the easy way out, we are so willing to say, "it's the churches responsibility to preach", "it's the schools responsibility to teach", "it's the unions job to enforce the contract", etc.

What people fail to realize (or choose to ignore), is that we are the "church", the "school", the "union".

I think one reason the so many Christians dont do more to spread the Word is a lack of faith. Let me explain what i mean by this..

Awhile back, when i was having some problems (old girlfriend, relocating, job, etc.), a Christian friend had asked me how my faith was. I told him that my overall faith was strong (i believed in God and Jesus, that my sins were forgiven, etc.) but my everyday faith was weak (God didnt seem to be helping with those problems, answering my prayers.. things along those lines). He called that everyday faith, our walk with God (that was the first time i had heard that term). He related it to an old friendship were the two people hadnt seen eachother for a long time. We both know that we are still friends, but because the friendship had not stayed cultivated, so each person wonders if the other is still the same person. When this happens, we are afraid to show how much we still care because we dont know if it will be returned. So after the short reunion, each goes back to our own lives.

But with our walk with God, it is us that has went our own way. God has been by our side the whole while...waiting for us to resume our friendship with Him...waiting for us to trust in Him.

That everyday faith is walking and talking and trusting in God. Keeping all of our actions and thoughts, with God in mind. ALLOWING God to be with us. Not trying to go our own way, but to go God's way.

Another reason that Christians dont live up to the "Great Commission" is because of that lack of faith, they think they dont know enough about God and His Word to effectively share with anyone. But God says that His Word will not go out without accomplishing the purpose that He has for it. (relate that to how i describe myself.. a sower)

Also, in the parable of the rich man giving 5,3, and 1 talents to his servant. The 5 talent and 3 talent servant increase the man's money but investing... which the man then gave them more to invest.

The more we invest the Word of God that we know, the more we will understand what we know and also learn and understand more of God's Word. This is common sense, but i have learned this first hand specifically from my time in this forum.

More than likely, they fear spreading the Word, because they fear:

1. offending someone

2. being wrong

3. being proven wrong

God will help with all of these if we walk with the Lord.



Gotta go to the barber shop. Digital can finish the 4 foot post. But concider what Jackketch wrote about the mote.

quote:Originally posted by jackketch:

i don't know how your bloody wrists take it ! i'd be in plaster by now .

Yeah...my right wrist is...almost useless.

It is swollen every morning when I wake up.

I have to wear a splint at night...but I don't. Can't find it since I moved.

I have had carpal tunnel for years. Probably will get disability compensation from the Navy for it, eventually.

Won't stop me from typing, though. This needs to be done, and my wrist is a very small sacrifice to make.

http://www.totse.com/bbs/wink.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/wink.gif)

You should just get speech recognition. I mean, your family might think you're nuts, but you'd save your wrists.

... I'm serious by the way.

Oh, here's another one....

6. Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created..." So why the fuck do so many Christians insist on trying to come up with a workable sort of evolution. If the goddamn Bible says that God did it in seven days, then stop explaining it away. Shut up. Believe. You can't believe in only the parts of the Bible that make you feel good. That's fucking dumb.

quote:Originally posted by crazed_hamster:

A long time ago, in a thread far, far away, I said that I would create a post discussing the hypocrisies and the idiocies of the current church system, current Churchianity (it’s a religion in it’s own, because it is not really Christianity), and, from what I’ve seen, most Christians. Understand that I come from a fundamental Christian background. I woke up one day a little after my 14th birthday and realized that everything I had been taught since I was a child was bullshit, pure and simple.

1. Mark 16:15: “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” This would be one of the core beliefs of Christianity, seeing as it’s not just a description of what happened, rather it’s a direct command from Jesus to his disciples. The average Christian DOES NOT DO THAT. Some do, most are content to go to church once, maybe twice a week.

Your absolutely right. The average person keeps their salvation all to themselves and never tells anyone. I try to not make myself be like this but its hard. I cant blame the rest of the Christian community for keeping it to themselves, so much fear of getting sued and ridiculed.



2. Acts 2:44-45 “And all that believed were together and had all things common, and sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as every man had need.” If Christians were to actually live the way this verse says, communism would work. But, look at the majority of the world’s population, they’re living well below anything remotely close to being a decent level of living, again some Christians may be doing something about it, most aren’t. Look at these churches that cost millions of dollars to build, do you really think that the Christian god is flattered by that, apparently pagan gods were. But isn’t the Christian god supposed to be different? If Heaven really is where people go when they believe in Jesus, then couldn’t those churches be sending that money to someone else who would actually be using it to help people believe in Jesus? Wouldn’t that just make so much more fucking sense than building a million-dollar church building and then raising funds for the starving people in Africa? That’s a fucking insult. If I was a starving kid and I knew that the church on the corner cost a million dollars to build, and then from out of that church comes a sweet, do-gooder Christian multi-millionaire, and he hands me ten bucks, I’d throw the shit back at him.

Im in agreeance that communism there would work, but a utopia on earth is not possible, even with a Christian theocracy. Besides, no one commanded them to sell anything. They simply were better off than their fellow man and decided to share Gods blessings. You will never find where God/Jesus told any Christian to sell all his worldly possessions and distribute the procedes.

3. 1 Jn. 4:7,8 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God…He that loveth not knoweth not god, for god is love.” I guess the majority of the American churches massive support for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq show their immense love for those people. But then again they don’t love people who don’t look like them, who don’t dress like them, who don’t think like them. Oh fuck, it’s alright to love the other guys in your church, and maybe in the church next door, maybe it’s even alright to love that really rich atheist that lives down the street. But that poor bum, god, how awful. How could anyone love him? What about that prostitute on the street corner, the one who was forced into prostitution because of poverty, yeah, her. Ha. There’s no way to love her, she…she’s immoral, she’s lewd. She even fornicates with people for money so that she can feed her two kids. What an awful woman. She’s going to Hell. Nope, can’t love her.

The hypocrisy is blatant there. But realize why the church supports invading Afghanistan/Iraq: because most Christians are idiots and follow Bush blindly. Its not that they hate Hadji, its that they want to play follow the leader and protect the homeland (remember who makes up the Minutemen!).

As for prostitute vs rich atheist, your correct there. Many Christians dont want to get their hands dirty. Their preachers ought to be ashamed of their pitiful preaching. They dont challenge their members to go out and try to get people saved, they dont go out and try to minister to the lost, irregardless of status. To the preacher, the atheist is beter because he will give more money to the church. But that is the wrong answer, the answer is not how much money you can give, its how much commitment you can give. And thats why the state of the church is that of today.



4. Psalms 133:1 “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together in unity.” Look at 1Cor 1:10 as well. I can’t even think of all the different factions and denominations of Christianity. Half of them spend their time accusing others of being lewd and unrighteous and disobedient and whatever else. Unity, my ass. The heathen Muslims that everyone’s supposed to hate and bomb whenever they get the chance have less disputes over their religion than the Christians do.[/B]

The above point i must disagree. How better it is to dwell together in unity indeed! But how easy is it for Muslims and Christians to dwell together in one house?!

The fact comes down to different denominations have different value systems, some bordering on rank liberalism (not politically, more of worldly vs Biblically) and others fanaticalism.

My denomination is opposed to Methodism and Pentacostal for instance. Because they do alot of things that are against the Bible (speaking in tongues, speaking in tongues w/o an interpreter, openly gay ministers) and even Catholicism not only for their wildly unBiblical beliefs, but we dont agree with their weak stance on morals, child molesting preists, or their Mary/Pope worship.

Not all christian denominations are hypocritical. Not every christian church is selfish.

Anyone who knows me on this forum knows that I'm probibly the only mormon. I will tell you that my church does all it can to preach our version of the gospell to all men, We give charity freely, and although we don't sell all our worldly posessions, we help each other out in any way we can.

Other christian churches are the same way. My mother's old church was very charitable and I have very spirited, yet respectful discussions with my grandparents (still members of that church) on a fairly regular basis.

There are many "fire and brimstone" judgemental branches of christianity. I know becasue I used to belong to one. However not all of christianity acts this way. Many truly do their best to live the way the savior did.

My advice would be to do a little searching. Find a church that is right for you and remember that public worship is always good for the soul.

I dont want to seem too pushy, but if you wish you can contact your local mormon missionaries and they will fill you in more on what my church believes.

quote:Originally posted by HomerJay603:

Not all christian denominations are hypocritical. Not every christian church is selfish.

Anyone who knows me on this forum knows that I'm probibly the only mormon. I will tell you that my church does all it can to preach our version of the gospell to all men, We give charity freely, and although we don't sell all our worldly posessions, we help each other out in any way we can.

Other christian churches are the same way. My mother's old church was very charitable and I have very spirited, yet respectful discussions with my grandparents (still members of that church) on a fairly regular basis.

There are many "fire and brimstone" judgemental branches of christianity. I know becasue I used to belong to one. However not all of christianity acts this way. Many truly do their best to live the way the savior did.

My advice would be to do a little searching. Find a church that is right for you and remember that public worship is always good for the soul.

I dont want to seem too pushy, but if you wish you can contact your local mormon missionaries and they will fill you in more on what my church believes.

Mormons and Catholics arent Christian. Mormons are just as bad as Muslims, if you convert, they kill you...

quote:Originally posted by ArgonPlasma2000:

Mormons and Catholics arent Christian.

Digital_Savior 2.0

quote:Originally posted by ArgonPlasma2000:

Mormons and Catholics arent Christian. Mormons are just as bad as Muslims, if you convert, they kill you...

You

Are

A

Dumbass.

quote:Originally posted by ArgonPlasma2000:

Mormons and Catholics arent Christian. Mormons are just as bad as Muslims, if you convert, they kill you...

You're the biggest dipshit on the whole of totse.

I'm not overstating either. You really are. If it was possible to present my absolute hatred for your stupidity in a more clear and obvious way, I would, because you're INCREDIBLY retarded.

At least you practice acceptance like all good christians......

Jesus, the savior, what the fuck has he saved? He was just one man. A preacher, and judging by what he preached he was probably schizophrenic aswell.

Two thousand years after he was killed why do so many people devote their lives to him?

He is dead, and with him God died aswell.

quote: Mormons and Catholics arent Christian.

says who?

quote:Originally posted by Daz:

Jesus, the savior, what the fuck has he saved? He was just one man. A preacher, and judging by what he preached he was probably schizophrenic aswell.

Two thousand years after he was killed why do so many people devote their lives to him?

He is dead, and with him God died aswell.

Wow, what a cynical view of life.

People devote their lives to Jesus because they feel it is the right thing to do. As much as I had to give up when I joined the mormon church, I feel much happier having done that. Even if Jesus was just "some preacher", and he wasn't, what he taught was good, and I have a great life because I devoted it to him. If I die and find out that it was all wrong, and I won't, I will regret nothing, for the life God has given me is far better than that I had without him.

quote:Originally posted by HomerJay603:

You

Are

A

Dumbass.

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!The Mormon guy said a foul curse word.

Everybody, have prayer for his soul. Now. On your knees and pray for the wicked sinner.

Lord be merciful to him.

*whispers in loud, discreet stage whisper* Homer, get that there whip and beat yourself in front of God's altar. And then kiss Joseph Whatever-His-Name-Is's book.



Do you feel bad yet? Don't worry, I'm sure it was a slip. God won't punish you for that. http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif)

quote:Originally posted by crazed_hamster:

Oh, here's another one....

6. Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created..." So why the fuck do so many Christians insist on trying to come up with a workable sort of evolution. If the goddamn Bible says that God did it in seven days, then stop explaining it away. Shut up. Believe. You can't believe in only the parts of the Bible that make you feel good. That's fucking dumb.

He says a day is to him a thousand years, and a thousand years is to him a day. So our 7 day terminology means fuck all to Him.

quote:Originally posted by crazed_hamster:

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!The Mormon guy said a foul curse word.

Everybody, have prayer for his soul. Now. On your knees and pray for the wicked sinner.

Lord be merciful to him.

*whispers in loud, discreet stage whisper* Homer, get that there whip and beat yourself in front of God's altar. And then kiss Joseph Whatever-His-Name-Is's book.



Do you feel bad yet? Don't worry, I'm sure it was a slip. God won't punish you for that. http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/smile.gif)



I'm a convert, I get to do things like that.

As far as the 7 day creation story I'd like to point out that the words "day" and "epoch" are the same in ancient hebrew.

quote:Originally posted by HomerJay603:



My advice would be to do a little searching. Find a church that is right for you and remember that public worship is always good for the soul.

Is it? Why then Jesus suggests that we pray in a room where noone sees us? Public worship was a nice invention for organized religions to make money...

quote:Originally posted by HomerJay603:



I'm a convert, I get to do things like that.

As far as the 7 day creation story I'd like to point out that the words "day" and "epoch" are the same in ancient hebrew.

I find it hard to believe that plants survived an epoch before the sun was created.

Also for all you idiots flaming me, i didnt see you give any logical retort save a "OMgZ j0o sed sumtin i d0nt lik!"

Refer back to my paraphrase of the apostles...

Take it up with God, not me.

quote:Originally posted by elfstone:

Is it? Why then Jesus suggests that we pray in a room where noone sees us? Public worship was a nice invention for organized religions to make money...



Jesus suggests both. Jesus said never to be a braggart about how much you pray. Never brag to others about your relationship with God. Never drop to your knees and pray just so that people see you.

He never said not to worship with others.

Public worship keeps us in line. When you worship in public it makes it more difficult to stray into false doctrine. For instance, for those 2-4 years I didn't go to church I began to believe that God looked favorably on me getting drunk or stoned. Because I wasn't going to church and my beliefs were only checked by my own imagination, my view of God became skewed, and I descended into disbelief and sin.

Most churches you can go to for years and get away paying little to no money to them. I also don't buy the thought that all churches are greedy and power hungry. Most churches are staffed and run by good people who simply want to make a difference. The few bad churches are so bad however that they make the rest look bad.

You pay your church??

Did Jesus ever ask for money?

What makes you so sure that Jesus is divine?

What makes you so sure that it isn't all wrong?

I'd prefer someone who didn't believe in what they were argueing about, yet argued anyways, over someone who can't argue for what they believe in.

quote:Originally posted by Daz:

You pay your church??

Did Jesus ever ask for money?

What makes you so sure that Jesus is divine?

What makes you so sure that it isn't all wrong?

I'd prefer someone who didn't believe in what they were argueing about, yet argued anyways, over someone who can't argue for what they believe in.

If you're replying to my original post, then for your information, I don't believe in Christianity, nor churches, nor any other religion.