23 August 2011

Unsaved Unwelcome, because JC was all about seclusion, am I right?

WRONG.

During an internet search today, I found a particularly enlightening website about the Christian faith. http://www.landoverbaptist.net

I'm all for churches having websites and an open place for honest discussion, but sites like this remind me of how Atheists and other religions look at us. We're a bunch of nuts. If the average "God-fearing American" found some of the statements on this website posted up on, oh say, an Islamic website, they'd be afraid of suicide bombers training at these churches.

It's not that the TRUE CHRISTIAN(TM) Church is inherently violent, but there are some things listed on the site that should at least encourage a pause.
- A Forum badge for "Punched the most Queers"
- "The information presented here is Biblically accurate. Opinions concerning ... flagellation, stoning, destroying enemies of GOD utterly, without mercy, and other activities inherent in Christianity are subjective and may differ from yours or others' opinions; therefore be warned that you must exercise your own judgment as to the difficulty and your ability to safely protect yourself from the inherent risks and dangers."
- Anyone who speaks against the commonly held opinions is banned and listed as "Enemy of God, Aeternal [sic] damnation assured"
- True Caucasian Christian award

Just for fun, let's look at Jesus's ministry, because hey! if he didn't have an effective ministry, then who does, amirite?

As for punching homosexuals, let's look at this as a question: Who did Jesus punch? Well, as far as we know, nobody. Although it is possible that he whipped some folks.
He didn't even dislike people different from his fly Jewish self (Yep, Jesus was a Jew, for those of you playing the home game. He probably had dark skin. He didn't speak English. Also, Jesus was homeless. Bam! Your mind, it is blown). He associated with all types: Samaritans (John 4), Tax Collectors(Luke 19), and a whole slew of other sinners. Punching people isn't really encouraged in Christ's doctrine - turning the other cheek is (Matt.5:39). Also, Paul (whose epistles are the go-to for sex-based discrimination on this site) doesn't ever miss his days of killing and imprisoning people that believed differently than he did.

Stoning and destroying without mercy? Didn't Jesus stop a stoning?

Christ wasn't really about judgement, as the go-to Gospel verses John 3:16-18 state:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son."

So Christ's purpose was to love and save the world, not condemn it. Hmm, shouldn't we Christians make that our main goal, too?

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