"God hates fags"
"Pray for more dead soldiers"
"God hates sinners"
"Turn or burn"
It's no wonder why people are skeptical about Christianity. When things like THAT are portrayed all over the media and newspapers, then what other opinion would we expect people outside the church to have? Nothing "nice" or whatever word you want to use, is ever said about the church. It's always "God's hatred" and "God's condemnation."
Not only do these things make the world think very negatively of us, but is it possible, even just a little bit, that these things actually might make people rebel and sin more?
Without realizing of course, but sin has to start somewhere, and maybe sometimes it's here. Maybe it's from a church holding picket signs stating how much God hates. Maybe it's from your grandmother telling you that if you don't attend church every Sunday and pray before every meal then you're going to Hell. Maybe it's from pastors pushing youth out their doors because they're engaging in sexual sin and immorality.
Without realizing of course, but sin has to start somewhere, and maybe sometimes it's here. Maybe it's from a church holding picket signs stating how much God hates. Maybe it's from your grandmother telling you that if you don't attend church every Sunday and pray before every meal then you're going to Hell. Maybe it's from pastors pushing youth out their doors because they're engaging in sexual sin and immorality.
It IS from churches holding signs telling of how much God hates. It IS from your grandmother saying if you don't attend church every Sunday and pray before every meal you're going to Hell. It IS from the pastors who don't want to deal with and help our youth.
Out of this comes disappointment and discouragement. You're upset because no one will tell you anything good. No one is going to help you out. Your heart hardens and doesn't want to let God in. Despair can eventually lead to throwing your hands up and saying, "Oh I don't care!" .. and so you continue to sin--and most of time--sin leads to more sin.
And even though these churches are few and far between, we always hear about them first.
But what about the "other type" of Christianity? What about the AWESOME things that come from it? When do we get to hear about those? What about the hundreds of thousands who travel across the globe to give meals and clothes to orphans and to teach them about the love and forgiveness of our Christ? What about the millions and millions of Christians who are constantly helping others because they want to follow the Word of God as best they can?
And there's rehabilitation centers for addicts that are focused on the Bible and what it says and how there is ALWAYS time to turn your life around through God. And the churches who take up love offerings and money for people who have lost everything they've worked for. In Joplin, the many churches who traveled and aided in relief. Why don't we hear about them? Why, instead, is it the churches who traveled to protest a soldier's funeral? What about the churches that you walk into..a recovering addict, a homosexual, a liar, a prostitute, a cutter..and they don't turn you away? Instead, they welcome and greet you without condemnation or judgement. What about the Jesus who would NEVER turn someone away if they asked for His forgiveness?
This is the way the church should be portrayed as. This is the REAL way the church is. There is a lot more of this type of church than "that" type of church. But what does the world get out of it?
Nothing. It's never told. The type of Christianity that is told is angry, hateful, and sad. No wonder why more people don't want to be a part of it. That's like taking a bite out of sour, rotten apple and knowing it's sour and rotten. Why would anyone want to dive into something that is so bad?
As for me now--it's time for bed while thinking on this. It's been quite a long Sunday, (I know, I know..I should have rested more) and tomorrow is another busy day for working on the new baby's room. September 11 needs to come sooner. Take care and God bless!
