PDA

View Full Version : Hypocritical religious people


rainbow84uk
March 3rd, 2005, 4:56 pm
This is in no way intended to be a criticism of any religion or of religious people in general. But just generally it amazes me that some people will profess to be very religious and yet be incapable of following even the most basic rules or values of their own religion.

An example: I was raised as a Chuch of England Protestant, though I would really describe myself as agnostic. I don't attend church and almost never pray. But I thank God - or someone at least - for all the good things I have in my life every single day, and I mentally repent any bad thing I've done. I also try to be a good person in general, and treat other people as I wish to be treated. To me, that makes me a fairly 'christian' person...

However, I know plenty of Christians who workship fervently, attend church 3 or 4 times a week and spend all their free time spreading the word. However, some of them are amongst the nastiest people I've ever met - judgemental and intolerant to say the very least. Surely these people can see that the point of their religion - of any religion - is basically to treat other people well? To me, people who advertise their religion in such a negative way can only be doing harm to the views people have of their faith.

What provoked me to write this is that I just found out some news which absolutely disgusted me. Recently a West End musical called Jerry Springer The Opera closed in London. The show was profane and shocking, and it did make jokes about Christianity, including portraying Jesus, God, Satan, Mary, Adam and Eve in ways which have been described as blasphemous. However, to many people it was also very funny! Right or wrong, the show played for 18 months, and before it closed it put on an extra performance to raise money for a cancer charity. The show managed to raise a wonderful £10,000, but when they offered it to the charity, they were rejected. Why? Because a Christian protest group called Christian Voice were opposed to JSTO, and threatened to stop any voluntary work their members did for the charity, and to protest outside the charity's centres, if they were to accept the £10,000. The fact that CV thus denied dying people money or fractionally prolonged the search for a cure for cancer seems to have eluded them. Things like that actually make me feel sick... is it any surprise that people are turning away from organized religion?

Again, just want to stress that this isn't an attack on Christianity, or religion in general. Just on the kind of hypocritical, bigoted idiots who undermine everything their religion stands for, and are too stupid to see what they are doing.

Phew...rant over! Any comments?
Lauren xxx

Turtles
March 3rd, 2005, 5:24 pm
Man, this is a tough one. I am a Christian. I really do believe in the promise of the Bible and in the deity of Jesus. Sometimes, I , like you, get really frustrated with the church and Christians in general.

The word hypocrite comes from the Greek word Hupokrites. It literally means actor. A hypocrite is someone who acts like something that they are not. Not surprisingly, the most harsh rebukes from Jesus in the New Testament are not directed at people who are classified as "sinners." Jesus' problem was with religious leaders. These were the people that were supposed to make the invisible character of His Father a reality in the lives of the people that they served. He called them a brood of vipers among other things.

Sounds all too familiar, huh? Sometimes the most adamantly religious people are, indeed, the nastiest.

But you know what? I know the Bible pretty well. And I have a relationship with God. He has changed my life and loved me in some crazy ways. I am not perfect. I botch up a lot too. The cool thing about Jesus though, is that it is not about rules. It is about grace.

I am so sorry that you have been hurt by Christians. I am sorry that it has cast God in such a bad light. That really bites. I hope you run into some people who have let the love of God transform them!

purplehawk
March 3rd, 2005, 5:25 pm
Probably shouldn't get me started... :angel:

Let's just say that some Christians (and Muslims, Jews, and Catholics) are among the most intolerant individuals on the face of God's sweet earth.

Morgoth
March 3rd, 2005, 7:33 pm
Hey Lauren.

Whilst I agree with your sentiments I think there are enough threads out there that analyze religious folk enough and I just see this becoming a grief thread for folk with an axe to grind, which gets tiring to read.


Thanks