What do I see Christians this way?

spiritwalker

Okay, since leaving the Witnesses and Christianity. I have become very open to learning new faiths and religions. I have studied many and found something to be very interesting. That is, that generally I now see Christians in a very negative light. Why? Well to be brief.

I find their faith ignorant. In that they believe in something that is not very different then what the Romans or Greeks believed in, basically myth. In many cases, several of their beliefs spawned from those cultures and they choose not to see it or explain it away in a manner that makes you scream "blinders."

In many Christian religions, they hold to close to the Bible. To the point, that much like the Witnesses, they quote scripture like law, and can not grasp the idea that others see it as maybe, a history book at best, and get lost in the lack of respect they have for something. Basically, losing the ability to reason on their own.

Nearly all that I have encountered, have phony love. Love based on what faith you are and not on what you are as a person. They pass judgment, even in the best of those who claim not too. They seek harm on those of opposing faiths and they see evil more then they see good.

Trust me, I could go on and on and maybe if the conversations develops, I will add. Yet in general I do not care for the Christian faith. I went by a church the other day though that has some funny quotes on their board at times, and it said, "God wants your Spiritual fruits and not religious nuts." Which got me to thinking, do the nuts know who they are? As I think many people who get extreme, think they are the fruits of the spirit and not the nuts.

Now I would expect a response of, "so what religion are you?" Well I am a nature based faith, that looks to life and not a central God. It is not something complicated and it is something that has helped me to see a more open view of what the world around me seems to present. Personally, I think in the future of man. Christianity and Muslims, and the other major faiths of this world. Will be the straw that destroys humanity and not the one that keeps it together. Not because of spiritual judgment from God, but rather from spiritual blindness from within.

yxl1

Its always nice to see someone step out from the darkness of Christianity and organised religion. I made the same leap a few months back and would now consider my beliefs more deist than anything else.

Christianity and Muslims, and the other major faiths of this world. Will be the straw that destroys humanity and not the one that keeps it together.

Possibliy. But thankfully, mankinds reliance on organised religion is becoming smaller and smaller each year, and those still chained to the ball of religion are becoming less and less fanatical. Oneday, we'll see a day when religion doesnt have the power it now holds, and for mankind, it will be the start of a new world.

Just my 2 pence

yxl1

JamesThomas

It can happen that as we mature our sense of God breaks free from the tiny mold we had placed it in and it becomes more. Perhaps if there were no molds, no beliefs or ideas about God at all, there would be no God separate either. j

Brummie

If God dont want the nuts, then I dont got a chance

Brummie

Sirona

Hi

I find their faith ignorant. In that they believe in something that is not very different then what the Romans or Greeks believed in, basically myth. In many cases, several of their beliefs spawned from those cultures and they choose not to see it or explain it away in a manner that makes you scream "blinders."

All religious groups are basically based on mythology. Even "nature based" religions take their ideas and philosophy from such mythology.

When you say "nature based" what exactly is it that you believe? If you believe in nature teaching us something, then you're like the pagans, who existed even before the Roman empire and before the Greek Pantheons were even concieved.

Admittedly you are correct to say that Christians seem to want to deny where their religion came from. However, I can't see how you can be so against Christianity when you yourself have a belief system based on myth.

Sirona (a pagan)

Sunnygal41

Perhaps if there were no molds, no beliefs or ideas about God at all, there would be no God separate either.

JT, Sounds very much like what one world famous musician/dreamer said in his song: Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one ~ John Lennon

Cicatrix

Hi Spiritwalker,
I've been out of the organisation for a couple of years now, and have been doing a lot of research. Not only of Christianity, but of other faiths as well. I try to remain neutral while I search, but being only human, I do have certain prejudices and past experiences that color the way I view things. I admit, I have a big problem with Christianity, due to its patriarchal structure. Having "submitted" myself to men to the point of abuse in the past, I am very hesitant to support any religion that denotes any sort of class system,so that pretty much rules out most of organised religion;)

One thing I have been interested in, is the difference between the words of Jesus and those of Paul. It's almost as if they are promoting two different belief systems.

I have been studying many of the pagan faiths, also. I would like to say that they all offer a freedom of practice that isn't available to Christians, but this often isn't the case. It seems that the more organised the faith is, the more rules, written and unwritten, the adherents are expected to follow. Sure, you are free to read whatever you like, and to proclaim that you practice this and that, but just see how fast you will be called a "fluffy bunny" if you admit that you really enjoyed a certain author that those who consider themselves to be serious practitioners and guardians of the faith have decided aren't "authentic" (as if we can ever know what is authentic history from the periods of oral tradition). Or that you eschew book learning and prefer personal experience over someone else's opinion (you will be lectured about how dangerous it is to practice without first gaining knowledge from someone else).Or admit that you are "eclectic" and have reconstructionists and adherents of various faiths tell you that you need to make up your mind and stick with one pantheon or path, as the Deities are offended by those who mix and match, and you are stealing the culture of the persons who practice that faith in its entirety. After witnessing episodes like this, I don't see where paganism per say is any less dogmatic, and it seems to me that dogma and political strength are what leads organised religions to the idea that they need to subdue other faiths. There are zealots in every faith, including Pagan ones. And unfortunately, they are often the ones who end up in leadership roles.

Centuries ago, it was the Pagans who were executing the Christians and Muslims, as they considered their new religions to be heretical to their own faiths. Eventually, the Christians and Muslims grew enough in number that they could overthrow the Pagans. Now the Pagans seem to be growing in number again, and some Christians and Muslims are very worried about this. Many of these Christians and Muslims are convinced that their religions are the only true religions,that anything else is evil, and that they have a duty to preserve their traditions, using war if necessary (afterall, both faiths are based from the same Middle Eastern warring sky God beginning). To me, it seems to be a cyclical thing. It will be interesting to see if there is a pandemic resurgence of Paganism, and if the adherents of organised Pagan faiths continue to state that all religions are respectable and that their adherents should be free to practice how they wish to practice, as long as they aren't hurting anyone else.

As far as putting an end to religion, I don't think that will ever happen. Many people have a need to worship, and will do so if it is illegal or not. There may come an attempt to make organised religion illegal, but we saw what happend with this in the Soviet Union. As soon as the government policy changed, the religions that had gone underground began to practice again.

BTW, I am in no way criticizing your path or Paganism in general (I've been considering a pagan path myself)-just pointing out some of the things I've observed, and I do understand your frustration with the rampant militaristic attitudes of many adherents of the Christian and Muslim faiths. Sept. 11th was definitely a result of Muslim zealots, and the current president's invasion of Iraq, and his views on the role of the United States in the world concern me greatly.

spiritwalker

However, I can't see how you can be so against Christianity when you yourself have a belief system based on myth

I agree, but I think the difference comes in the fact that I admit it and do not feel any shame in the idea.

talesin

spiritwalker

We have a 'Unitarian' Church in our community that is not so narrow in their perceptions. They are well-known locally for being more open to different philosophies. Admittedly, I have never attended (pagan meself). However, they offer the use of their facility to many groups, pagan as well as Christian. Do you have that branch of Christianity where you live?

Edit: Also, it would be interesting to hear Little Toe's views on this subject.

talesin

jst2laws

Ah, Mythos and Logos.

Our soul craves spirituality.

Great thinkers follow the path and shine light on the sign posts.

Fear filled followers make gods of the thinkers and call the sign posts sacred.

Wannabee leaders make a religion out of the message and condenm to death all heretics.

But our souls still crave spirituality.

Jst2laws

time for another wiskey

What do I see Christians this way?

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