My take on the negative attitudes towards xianity on DU

The suggestion was made to me that this topic might be more appropriate for the Lounge, so I am posting it here where it won't necessarily be associated with previous flame wars.

There is a recurring theme on the General boards when it comes to religion. There is a lot of anger at what we see every day done in the name of religion, and in this country Christianity most prominantly. And then inevitably, the question comes up, why is religion, and particularly christianity so demonized? I believe that there are som very simple, easy and fairly *legitimate* reasons why Christianity is criticized so profusely here, and yes I hold christian beliefs:

1. It is the most commonly professed "religion" in this land (the United States)

2. People don't easily differentiate personal piety from institutional Christianity. Institutional Christianity has been a pretty sorry lot for an awful long time, sporting corruption, greed, bigotry, oppressive attitudes and exploitation for a long time. The Pharisees that Jesus spoke out passionately against in the gospel stories? Yeah, he would be speaking out against the "religious" leaders of the day to day and the "Christendom" of modern times if he was alive today.

3. The Christianity most easily, most vocally seen by the non-Christian public is the "Christianity" of Roy Moore, Pat Robertson, Jerry Fallwell, and other hateful, hurtful, unloving, uncompassionate, ungentle "servants of god." Our saying to them "but they are not really Christians!" rings a little hollow to people after decades of these folks swearing up and down that they are Christians

4. The combination of neo-pharisaical Christian institutions with anti-Christ public figures profession to be Christian results in a public who sees a very aggressive, angry, bigoted, unloving, closed minded, intolerant, vengeful, combative, and hypocritical "Christianity" reported to it live, via satellite, 24-hours a day 7 days a week...

I don't blame anyone for having an extremely unflattering opinion of modern day Christianity in America.... I just know that they're missing a couple important things, and I hope that perhaps I can bear witness to the reasons why a person might hang on to a spiritual Christian faith despite all the sad misfortunes and embarrassing hypocrisies of other professing Christians I just mentioned...

I know I am one such person. I don't hang on to spiritual beliefs out of fear or anger or a need for a false sense of certainty. I hang on to spiritual beliefs because they make me a happier person, have taught me about compassion and love, have giving me a healthy feeling of peacefulness even when all the word around seems far from it. If I talk about that with anyone else its only because I'm happy, and I hope that others can be as happy as I am. Happiness seems to be a real rare comodity these days. And despite my own sufferings, I can honestly say that I feel happy in my heart and tender towards others - this is what spiritual faith has fostered in me.

That's why I hang on to it. And while I completely understand why insitutional christianity is so demonized so often, I cannot reject what has made my life so much better, simply because a lot of people abuse it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=23716

pmbryant
DU Moderator

inform others that they are Christian? I cannot think of another religion or atheists informing me of their (non)religious beliefs.

Personally, I do not care what a person has chosen to be their religion. But some Christians have the need to constantly inform others of their religion. If those Christians really think about why they do that, they will realize that they are attempting to control others and agendas.

I am not a Christian and generally resent others "using" their religion in this way. I am not obligated to practice any religion, but that is what many Christians expect - whether through censoring of anything that "offends" Christians or setting agendas as in the Bush admin.