Bastardization of Christianity

Why is it that Christianity has been so bastardized? That people view it as a bunch of judgmental hypocrites who want nothing other than to tell people they are going to Hell if they don’t turn from their ways and follow Christ. But for those unfortunate souls that don’t know Christ, if their only picture of what a Christian is are those people, I wouldn’t want to follow them either. And I didn’t for a long time. Then I came to realize that that was not what Christianity was all about. Christianity was about love and compassion. About a personal relationship with Christ. A friendship. It isn’t based on what other people think of you. You aren’t any less of a Christian just because you aren’t as ‘holy’ as the next person. As I said it is a personal relationship. If someone feels they shouldn’t use crude language or drink, and feel the need to put God first in their life, and let others know about it, that is fine. You don’t have to measure yourself against them. They are not the image of what a Christian should be. There isn’t one. Every Christian is different. That is just the way that they think they have to be in order to be a good Christian. The basic tenet of being a Christian is your relationship with Christ. In order for this relationship to work you must believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died for your sins and was resurrected. You must also follow the Word of the Lord (Bible), namely the 10 Commandments. Those are the basics of it. We can’t let other people tell us what a Christian should be. That should come from inside and look different for each person. That is the part that I hate the most; people look to one another for a picture of how they are supposed to act in order to be a ‘good’ Christian. I don’t like that.

Live in a way that brings glory to God. Be caring and compassionate and loving. Don’t discriminate against others. Love your neighbors and your enemies equally. We make it out to be far more complicated than it really is.

Why must things have to be so complicated? When I think about Christianity, everything seems so clean and clear-cut, but when I go to write them down, things don’t come out properly. It is as if I don’t know how to explain myself. I keep repeating myself, or getting all riled up and going on tangents. I had over 3 pages of writing, and above is just a brief summary of it. I have been confronted by people about my ‘Christianness’ lately, and it has really got me thinking. I am going to have to do some more reading and write some more.

It doesn’t have to do with the belief part anymore, but with the aspects that follow belief. All the fun and excitement of living a Christian life, of what it means to be Christian, of bringing it back to the basics, of church and all the things that I don’t agree with. I am really enjoying this.