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brainout

Why are Christians often so mean and judgemental?

I'm a Christian and I propose this topic largely because that's been my own experience with my fellow believers.  Other faiths have the some of the same problems, which can be broadly classed as "legalistic", idea of "I am right, my faith is right, my idea of my holy book is right, and you don't agree so you are a heretic."

My only answer to this question so far is as follows:  1.  God is not people, so never decide questions about God, Christian version or otherwise, by the people who claim to believe in Him.  "God" should be about relationship, never religion.

2.  People in any faith who are immature in their understanding of it are like children, and you know how cruel children can be.  "My daddy is better than your daddy", essentially.  To buttress ego, an immature Christian, like most other humans, needs to be black-and-white in his approach to his faith, and so a more sophisticated understanding will seem 'heretical'.  He has to paint fealty in terms of behaviors to make himself feel good about himself.  So those not alike engaged in his behaviors have to be 'bad'.

Here's what we all look like when born again:



"Born again" is a real thing.  That's how you feel, too.  Babyish.  It takes time to mature as a human being, and it takes time to mature spiritually.  While spiritually childish, we will exhibit the exact same behavior as human children do -- even if we're going on age 65.  Spiritual age is not indicated by chronological age. Frankly most Christians are still spiritual toddlers, because they never use 1Jn1:9;  that's the only way you CAN grow spiritually.  But they expect the Filling of the Spirit to be something you should feel.  Yeah, babies always expect to feel something.  So just ignore them, keep growing yourself.

There, that's enough to start the idea.  Let the discussion begin
All_Brains

But for people to believe, the story has to be convincing!

People feel comfort in belief and the fact that they will live forever...

However for me issues like, creation, original sin, sacrifice, Satan are far from convincing...

I am afraid God's plan is at best a soap opera!
brainout

It does appear that way. Moreover, when spiritual babies wet their spiritual diapers (misread Bible and thump it), Christianity looks even more the comedy.

When you left Islam, you didn't do it overnight. The book itself convinced you to leave. I submit it's the same with Bible. The book convinced me to stay. If I adjudged Christianity or Islam by its adherents, I'd be an atheist in three seconds!
Fathom

Christians need to stop telling people that Jesus is in "Heaven," or "he's in my heart," or even "among them."

I know exactly where Jesus is because my daughter told me. Every morning when she wants in the bathroom I can hear her banging on the door yelling , "Jesus Christ, are you still in there?!"

Razz

(originally found at FFI)
Mutley

Fathom wrote:
Christians need to stop telling people that Jesus is in "Heaven," or "he's in my heart," or even "among them."

I know exactly where Jesus is because my daughter told me. Every morning when she wants in the bathroom I can hear her banging on the door yelling , "Jesus Christ, are you still in there?!"

Razz

(originally found at FFI)


Actually, originally found elsewhere. It's an old one.
Fathom

Mutley wrote:
Fathom wrote:
Christians need to stop telling people that Jesus is in "Heaven," or "he's in my heart," or even "among them."

I know exactly where Jesus is because my daughter told me. Every morning when she wants in the bathroom I can hear her banging on the door yelling , "Jesus Christ, are you still in there?!"

Razz

(originally found at FFI)


Actually, originally found elsewhere. It's an old one.


I never seen if before, so it was first time funny for me.
Mutley

Re: Why are Christians often so mean and judgemental?

brainout wrote:
I'm a Christian and I propose this topic largely because that's been my own experience with my fellow believers. Other faiths have the some of the same problems, which can be broadly classed as "legalistic", idea of "I am right, my faith is right, my idea of my holy book is right, and you don't agree so you are a heretic."

My only answer to this question so far is as follows: 1. God is not people, so never decide questions about God, Christian version or otherwise, by the people who claim to believe in Him. "God" should be about relationship, never religion.

2. People in any faith who are immature in their understanding of it are like children, and you know how cruel children can be. "My daddy is better than your daddy", essentially. To buttress ego, an immature Christian, like most other humans, needs to be black-and-white in his approach to his faith, and so a more sophisticated understanding will seem 'heretical'. He has to paint fealty in terms of behaviors to make himself feel good about himself. So those not alike engaged in his behaviors have to be 'bad'.

"Born again" is a real thing. See 'my' picture at left? That is your brain immediately after you first believed in Christ. That's how you feel, too. Babyish. It takes time to mature as a human being, and it takes time to mature spiritually. While spiritually childish, we will exhibit the exact same behavior as human children do -- even if we're going on age 65. Spiritual age is not indicated by chronological age. Frankly most Christians are still spiritual toddlers, because they never use 1Jn1:9; that's the only way you CAN grow spiritually. But they expect the Filling of the Spirit to be something you should feel. Yeah, babies always expect to feel something. So just ignore them, keep growing yourself.

There, that's enough to start the idea. Let the discussion begin!


I might have already posted this article to you, but it speaks a lot to what you are trying to say.

http://users.bigpond.net.au/manisall/silence.html
brainout

Answering Mutley on De Mello article re learning God

Mutley, you and I had that discussion before.  I appreciate where you come from on it.  

Here's where I differ from you:  the Christian does indeed need to unlearn the garbage he gets fed, even as the Muslim does.  But he needs REPLACEMENT KNOWLEDGE, not a mindlessness.  

Thinking outside the Christian box is essential.  Thinking must have content, and that content is supposed to be God's Thinking, just as God designed in the five Greek infinitives of Isaiah 53:10-12.  But of course, Christians don't know that, and instead hustle and bustle in works and patting themselves on the head about how holy they are.  That is spiritual childhood.  There is a progression in the thinking as one learns and lives on Bible.  I tried to summarize it in six charts (part of a larger discussion of the matter), in http://www.geocities.com/brainout1/SMP.doc.  That is my answer to your De Mello article.

Upshot: the Christian is puerile until he gets fed God's thinking, 2Pet3:18 compared with Ephesians 4:14, as the sordid history of Christianity too amply demonstrates.
Mutley

Re: Answering Mutley on De Mello article re learning God

brainout wrote:
Mutley, you and I had that discussion before.  I appreciate where you come from on it.  

Here's where I differ from you:  the Christian does indeed need to unlearn the garbage he gets fed, even as the Muslim does.  But he needs REPLACEMENT KNOWLEDGE, not a mindlessness.


The ass you mount to get to the home is not the means by which you enter it. Anyway, which spot on your chart do you think you are?  

brainout wrote:

Thinking outside the Christian box is essential.


Perhaps even to the extent of thinking outside the chart

brainout wrote:

Thinking must have content, and that content is supposed to be God's Thinking, just as God designed in the five Greek infinitives of Isaiah 53:10-12.


Well, there are things that are done by you and things that are done through you.


brainout wrote:

But of course, Christians don't know that, and instead hustle and bustle in works and patting themselves on the head about how holy they are.  That is spiritual childhood.  There is a progression in the thinking as one learns and lives on Bible.  I tried to summarize it in six charts (part of a larger discussion of the matter), in http://www.geocities.com/brainout1/SMP.doc.  That is my answer to your De Mello article.

Upshot: the Christian is puerile until he gets fed God's thinking, 2Pet3:18 compared with Ephesians 4:14, as the sordid history of Christianity too amply demonstrates.


Well OK then, let's see what stage you are at. Maybe I already asked you this question and I apologize if it's redundant.

Let's suppose God couldn't or wouldn't do anything for you. No peace, no afterlife yadda yadda. Would you still love God? And more importantly, if you would still love God, why would you? Sorry if I already asked you this. I forget.

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