Christianity gone wrong

February 22, 2017
Christianity-gone-wrong

Pretty sheep. Pretty words. Bad hombres.

It’s always seemed really bizarre that the right-wing, ecumenical Christian folks speak the Scriptures but stand for everything Jesus was against. And nothing he preached. Go figure.  Christianity gone wrong. I don’t want to say “phony Christian” but yeah, that’s how I see them.  Christ would roll over in his grave and some of their words and actions. That is, if he had a grave.

So when my new Facebook friend, Victoria Cayce, commented on the disconnect between Christ’s words and some Christians’ actions in a very plaintive and articulate post, I asked if I could share it. She kindly agreed. And here it is:

Why is it that when people want their religious beliefs/values mandated by the state, they never pick compassion?

I have never heard of a law based on the words of Jesus about turning the other cheek or going the extra mile or even welcoming the stranger and refugee for that matter. (Which he clearly taught.)

I have never seen legislation hammered home based on the actual things Jesus spoke about.

You do not see Congress pushing laws that DEMAND we feed the hungry, house the homeless, care for the widow and orphan or protect those counted as the least among us.

I am always confused by that. Jesus spent a lot of time with hookers, tax collectors, thieves and outcasts. He fed people. He healed people. He loved them and did not pass judgement on them.

Yet today we hear that people should be kicked off of insurance plans, not given food stamps or even allowed into the country because they were born on the wrong side of an imaginary line.

How does this square with the things he was so obviously passionate about?

Doesn’t the bible say, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”—when you already have it with you.” Proverbs 3:27-28

If you REALLY want a Christian nation, shouldn’t mercy be the first thing on your list?

Shouldn’t we be serving each other instead of pushing people away or labeling them?

Did not Jesus teach that people would know his followers by the love them demonstrate? And that the greatest in the kingdom of heaven were not the rich and powerful, but those who washed the feet of the broken and marginalized?

Jesus himself is reported to have said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith…” Matt 23:23
Now please understand, I am not a Christian. And I am NOT trying to bash anyone’s faith.

I am simply pointing out that Jesus taught that the really important stuff was not about rules, but about love.

I do not support any form of religious law that mandates everyone act, dress, or worship a particular way. Worship. Don’t worship. Whatever.

I believe that we all have a right to peacefully choose our own path. I also happen to admire Jesus very much as a teacher. I have sought to emulate his kindness and walk, as he did, in compassion.
The thing is, if Jesus had been born twenty years ago, people would probably decry him as a rabble rousing dirty hipster who hung around with outcasts.

He would likely end up be killed all over again for stepping on the toes of the powerful. He would be decried as someone who wants to redistribute wealth, encourage immigrants to come here with all that talk of welcoming the stranger, or be a pansy for not carrying a gun and talking about loving your enemies.

These are just my thoughts and you are more than welcome to disagree.

Either way, I wish you peace. With much love ~ Victoria Cayce

If you’d like to read more from Victoria, her website can be found HERE.

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46 comments on “Christianity gone wrong
  1. Gérald says:

    From a no religious point of view, I could not agree more.
    It seems to me that most religions, including Christians, are acting on behalf of some power protection rather than following the precepts they are preaching.
    As one of my (religious) neighbors call those people, they are no more than christian Talibans.

  2. MaryAnne says:

    Right now churches (no matter what reigion is) are taking advantages of the name of Gof to ge benefits by themselves and that is a shame… it is everything about money

  3. Kelly says:

    The thing about the Bible is that you can find a passage to back up pretty much anything you want to do. It’s a very contradictory book. But, I agree that some people who claim to love Jesus are not following his words or his example.

  4. Donna says:

    I am an unabashed, unashamed follower of Christ. Lately Christians are more hated than Isis which puzzles me since Christians do so much good. Spend time with Christian volunteers in Haiti, or D Street in Las Vegas. I don’t know any Christians who fit the description of Christians in this blog. I am certain you can find them, as every group has extremes. But the Christians I know are doing all they can to help refugees in a very organized way. Providing homes, food, clothing and jobs. They don’t just donate money, they are providing hands on help. Another friend is part of a group teaching English to refugees so they can be employable. I have an genuine presence in my church the way the Savior wanted women to be. The very first person he testified to that he was the messiah was a hated woman living in sin. She was precious to him, however, he told her to go an sin no more. He also told us to take care of the poor and we do that also. We fast the first Sunday of the month and donate the cost of those 2 meals to a fund a feeds everyone in need, not just those of our church, but anyone in need. I believe in the Savior, I am college educated, married and a civic volunteer also. I don’t limit my spectrum to those in my church, I find joy in all people…..and my life is blessed because of it. I am on my way to the hospital so I wrote this on the fly, forgive misspellings

    • Barbara says:

      You are right, Donna. True Christians, like you, do good and spread the love and the wealth. I believe there are more good ones than bad ones, but it’s the political ones that aren’t really following the Christ we follow. You can’t speak out of both sides of your mouth when it comes to compassion and charity.
      b

      • Donna says:

        The Savior was very clear that what he disliked the most was hypocrisy. Hypocrisy comes in many forms and I am guilty of most of it. Did I turn the other cheek when I read this? No…I spent time tooting my own horn. Awful. So I am no better than the folks I rail against.

  5. I was not brought up with any religion so I consider myself agnostic. However, we sent our kids to French language day school and the closest one to our home was Catholic. I was originally a little apprehensive about the fact that religion was on the curriculum. But I LOVED how they did it. They taught empathy and acceptance. Sure, they taught the Christian faith but also touched upon other major religions. So in other words, they explored different points of view and taught the kids to accept and tolerate those who believed differently.
    That’s how to develop open-minded adults.

    • Nancy L. says:

      I’m Catholic, so your post touched my heart. It is lovely to hear the church treated your children as children should be treated. Unfortunately, I have friends who have left the church because they weren’t treated as well, so I suppose it all depends on the individual church.

      As far as being a Christian, I strive to be like my parents. They live their lives caring and loving all who cross their path. They never judge. They go to church every Sunday, but never discuss it or boast about it. They do it for themselves and nobody else. After 56 years of marriage, they can’t fall asleep without holding hands. 🙂

  6. Anna C. says:

    Religion will always be a critical subject. I’m not a religious person but I always said that Jesus work was all about two words: acceptance and love!
    I feel that our world is poisoned with hate and prejudice. It’s a shame…

  7. Sapana V says:

    Not everyone has such beautiful thoughts. This is the dilemma of our life where people are running and getting stress to be successful but nobody tries to do something noble. Thanks for taking steps to enlighten the thoughts.

  8. Gina says:

    Interested topics raised in this post. We are living in challenging times.

  9. In my Bible, it’s not the job of the state to feed the hungry, the homeless, the widow, the orphan. It’s the job of the church. It’s your job and my job as Christians to dig into our own pickets and do that. It’s the job of the government to keep it’s citizens safe, build roads, etc.

    • Donna says:

      I agree, and then it is a win win. The servants are feed by the service they do and the poor are fed literally. I believe this is why the Savior said the poor will always be among you….there will always be poor…and we will always be charged with their care

  10. This something that hits really close to home for me. I live in the middle of the bible belt and I am disgusted by the “Christians” who think that Trump walks on water. I have seen so many people that I know and/or love showing those true colors by promoting such filth. I cannot look at those same people the way I did before.

  11. Great, thought-provoking post. I think it’s shameful when people do terrible things in God’s name. Organized religion definitely needs a revamping.

  12. Helene Cohen Bludman says:

    “Shouldn’t mercy be first on your list?” YES

  13. your post is provocative,and I love this!
    People should not be religious and stop,should think before 🙂

  14. I went to a very strict baptist school for a while as a child, and it really changed the way I view religion. I am not saying I do not believe in God, but I do believe it should stay out of the government.

  15. Anna Palmer says:

    Look at the discussion you created!

  16. I have only met a handful of true Christians in my life. These are people who do follow the teachings and example of Jesus. Unfortunately, like all things some change things around to suit their own beliefs. A well written post. Thanks for sharing.

  17. eazynazy says:

    It’s shameful how people do all wrong things in god’s name.. It’s not religion but It’s the people who are BAD .

  18. Whitney Ford says:

    This is a great post, really great points. It saddens me to see the way that some paint an inaccurate picture of what Christianity. God have mercy on us all.

  19. Shaheen Khan says:

    Interesting read!I strongly feel that people from different faiths need to study their religious scriptures with the sole intention of learning and implementing what it actually teaches. They can draw closer to God and thereby closer to their inherent goodness by understanding religion. We would definitely have a true Utopian environment of peace and harmony if we actually follow our faith.

  20. Stacey says:

    So true, I loved reading this even though I do not identify with any religion and yet I feel I am more compassionate than some of the ones that do.I was raised to believe that everyone deserves the basics, food, clothing and shelter, if you want more then you must work for it and thats where incentives come into play.

  21. Stacey Lynn says:

    I do believe a lot of Christians are far too judgmental and not loving enough. It is a problem that has been around long before Jesus was ever even here. As a matter of fact, he called out “Scribes” and “Pharisees”, the religious and political leaders of the time, and likened them to “whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones”.

    However, as one lady said earlier, he never told the government to feed and care for people. He said, render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s. He told people that unless their righteousness EXCEEDED that of the scribes and pharisees, that they would not see the Kingdom of Heaven.

    If we, as compassionate human beings, can’t reach out a hand and help someone, for whatever reason, it is between us and God. It comes back to the whole, judge not lest ye be judged situation. Whether we think our reasons are good or bad, in helping someone or calling someone out for not doing so, we still are in the same danger.

    On the issue of illegal immigration and their rights to government help, if we are truly wanting people to follow Jesus words, you might not be as quick to hold to the same tone.He said we are suppose to be subject to the rulers and the laws that they make. We have laws concerning immigration and those who break those laws are guilty. If people believe those laws are unjust, then it is the law that needs to be changed, not the fact that people expect those who come here to not break the law in the first place. Breaking the law, even in Jesus’ opinion, carried a price. Which is why He came and died on the cross…to pay the price for a broken law.

    • Angela G says:

      There is a difference between compassion and big government. As Christians, we are to respect the law of the land, but our giving should be focused towards the church. In the Book of Acts, for example, men were put in charge of taking care of those who needed assistance. As Americans have gotten further from the God of the Bible, they have increasingly turned to the little “g” god of government. Inevitably governments fall, but God will always take care of His own.

      • I am always uncomfortable when people cite a minority religion, like Christianity, as the one true law. Just not how it is. If there is a greater power, that entity takes care of everyone, regardless of their particular belief. Everyone. That’s how it works.

  22. Cameron says:

    I was raised Catholic, but I am far from devout. What you wrote about is the thing that drives me insane! I wish everyone would just be more loving and tolerant of one another. There would be much less problems today if that were the case!

    | diaryofasouthernmillennial.com

  23. Elizabeth O. says:

    These days people throw you bible quotes and verses mid-argument and would never see what his teachings were all about. I really hate it when they use religion to justify their actions. I’m pretty sure that’s not what Jesus had in mind when he was among us or even after he ascended to heaven.

  24. If Jesus were alive today he’d be called a Hippie and would probably be on the left of left. He was a nice Jewish boy. To me you’re either a compassionate person or you’re not. Religion or political party has nothing to do with it. It’s what you do to make a difference that counts.

  25. I can relate to where you are coming from. Using others religion I feel is not the way to go.

  26. Glneda K. says:

    People who hide behind religion is what makes religion terrifing. God is all about love not hate. Hateful people twist quotes from the bible to manipulate others. Those that are weak follow and those that are strong see right through them.

  27. If only everyone has the same beautiful thoughts. This was a really inspirational read, thank you.

  28. I find your post quite thought-provoking. I grew up as an Evangelist and have fought with my share of doubts over the course of the last few years. While I very much agree that politicians who have claimed to be men/women of faith really don’t seem to be portraying that in the way they legislate, one would may argue that it could be very difficult to legislate morality.

  29. David says:

    If I speak with the tongues of men and angels and have not love, I am become a noisy gong or a tinkling cymbal. And if have the gift of prophesy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. I Corinthians 13:1-3

    This chapter in the Bible is the most beautiful and eloquent passage about what love is in all of human history. And this comes from a Shakespeare lover and someone who thinks Byrons poetry was among the most beautiful ever written.

    I have heard these sentiments before and often. I am sorry that you feel these things about Christians. I do believe in loving and being loved. I believe love exists with free will. I also believe the government is not a mechanism for free will, love or charity. To get the government involved, aside from its duty to protect us, is antithetical to the concept of love. Love starts with me. And to that end I am truly sorry when I am not loving. And I feel the pain when I am not as giving as I believe I should be, and feel guilty when I don’t feel like I have done all I can. I hope someone can show you love in the deepest and most important ways. May your days be filled with grace, and may your heart for the poor find common cause with believers around the globe.

  30. Basim says:

    love is something that is common between every living thing.example of love among animals is a lesson for humans.

  31. Dogvills says:

    i love reading articls like this. it inspires me a lot and giving me an idea of what to share to my church on Sunday mass! great post.

  32. Divya says:

    Thank you for sharing this post. I forwarded this along to some people that I think would echo the sentiments. I hope that others – perhaps some Christians that align with our so-called president – would read this post.

  33. Lois says:

    Thank you, very interesting. It disturbs me that too many of the leaders are getting rich off the flock.

  34. Nicole says:

    I couldn’t agree with you more. It’s like the 10 commandments don’t matter any more. I’m so sad for humanity.

  35. Samantha says:

    It is hard to remember people are weak but the word is true.

  36. I don’t think that any state or laws should be based on religion. But I do think that the message about loving each other rather than judging is an essential one and is certainly often neglected in our society. Good to raise awareness!

  37. Jennifer L says:

    It makes me sad how much injustice there is in the world. What ever happened to following the wonderful things Jesus preached like loving thy neighbor

  38. John says:

    Well, while as individuals are called to live a godly life in this present age Titus 2:11 – this earth is only our temporary home and we are not to be respecters of persons and must love all.

    The system of this earth is not of God Eph. 6:12 So to expect a lion to be a lamb when it not is unrealistic. 2 Corinthians 5:1-4 really sums it up. While we are here we treat everyone and everything with respect, but to assume the system of this world as its run at present is of God? A bit of a stretch.

  39. Julius says:

    I think you have talked a lot about the truth, especially in the matter of hypocrisy in Christianity.

    It is quite true that there is a lot of hypocrisy within Christianity.

    But I want to tell you one thing, even if there will be 100 hypocritical Christians but there will be one who is not a hypocrite. And he/she follows the word of Jesus as it is, and they are the ones who please God

    Even in the world, there are millions of bad people but not all bad

    So true Christians who help people with love are there, and preachers are there, so i suggest you to follow the words of Jesus and you will be one of them

    God bless you so much.

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