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What is the purpose of these blogs, people ask me. Well, I guess in a way I feel like I've wasted a large portion of my life indulging in religion and it's a way of expressing the thoughts that have built up over the years. Some Christians reading these blogs might be able to relate to what I've gone through, others are stuck in their fundamentalism. I've been in both camps.
For anyone who is beginning a Christian journey.
Speaking from the experience of someone who's spent the last decade studying Christianity and trying to learn everything about it as much as possible... Don't waste your time. Be in it for the friendships and the support - not to learn or understand about God. Sometimes I wish I never knew all the things I do now, because ignorance is bliss, but I got on this track of questioning and doubting because there was a catalyst event that caused me to question my faith. If that never happened I could easily see myself as deluded as every other Christian I meet in Church today. And they're great people, but to put it bluntly, extremely ignorant about their faith.
How could there be three days and three nights before the sun was created on the fourth day? Where did Cain's wife come from? How could Cain build a city at a time when there existed only three people? And where did his son Enoch get his wife from?
Don't even ask about Heaven because there is no such place in the Bible. There are, however, 'Heavens' mentioned. Today Pentecostal Christians see Heaven as some place you go to when you die. In the 16th Century the phrase 'Heavens' referred to the feelings of awe and wonder of God's great mysteries, such as the sea leading to the edge of the Earth.
The conclusion I have come to is that we simply do not know. Don't try to take the Bible for its word, because faith ultimately then becomes believing in things you know aren't true. In Alice in Wonderful Alice says to the Queen: "I couldn't possibly believe that"! And she replies: "Perhaps you haven't had enough practice. Why, I have believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast". And this is the attitude a lot of Church leaders expect you to have. If you lose the buzz of enjoying the worship music because you've heard the same: "Shout to the Lord" songs a hundred times and don't get all charismatic anymore, you don't have to work harder to get into the worship. You've just simply gotten tired of that song.
Christians are people who want to have good hearts, but the more you focus on all the spiritual things, the less the focus is on good works. And good works is something I see so lacking in Christianity today because they put all their energies into evangelising. I used to have a cello player in my band who told me - if you want to be a famous musician, why don't you just focus on talking about animal rights and the environment? Because that was something we were both passionate about, but she wasn't a Christian. And I think I must have spent about quarter of an hour trying to tell her why it was so important that turning your heart to God had to be the main message in our songs. I probably would have punched myself in the face if I could go back and meet myself back then.
I went to a cell group a few weeks ago and the whole study was on selflessness, and they even used examples of helping the homeless as what being selfless was all about. But then when I asked the leader of the group whether he actually did any of this, he was like: "oh, well I'm studying at the moment but I'm going to do something about it in the future", and that's something I hear a lot from people who tell me: "why do you care about animal rights, shouldn't human rights come first"? And then I ask them if they actually do any of this themselves, like whether they sponsor a child, and they'll give the: "I'll do it one day when I'm more financially secure".
There's an endless supply of Christians who will have a million answers and think it's cool to get all spiritual and talk about how God's love is something that's invisible and so amazing and theorise about how Heaven is somewhere where you can eat as much as you like and not get fat (speculation - they're incredible at speculating with no Biblical authority but preach a feel-good romanticism message) but being a Christian should ultimately be about being a good person, not "having a relationship with God and accepting you're a sinner and need to believe that He rose on the third day". Just focus on being good, don't ask questions about trying to understand God, and stay happy.
That's what's lacking in a lot of Christians today, especially new, young Christians, because they come to Christ thinking God's forgiven them and it's all fun and entertainment, can't blame them as this is the message that Churches put forward today, and then they have this absolutely warped sense of social justice 'cos they're taught that it's not about good works but funny how giving money to the Church is a good work that is always necessary at every Sunday service.
Church leaders are more than happy to talk about Heaven and salvation, walk into any Church and ask how to have a relationship with Christ so you can go to Heaven and I have absolutely no doubt it will be complete and utter speculation. And the key word is speculation. And it'll be feel-good speculation, with a bit of "only God knows we just have to trust Him" thrown in there. And that's all it is.
If you don't know the answer to a question, such as if God made you then who made God, chances are neither do your pastors. And chances are, everything they know is just stuff they've made up in their own minds to try to answer that question. A big struggle I had with my faith was trying to strip down and destroy everything I ever learnt in Church, because I realised I had all these views that were formed completely based on what I heard other people say, not out of reason, logic and knowledge. A poem that I think reflects a lot of Church thinking today goes like this:
God is on the throne
The fact is known
The manner of it is unknown
Faith in it is necessary
Enquiry about it is heresy
  
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I didn't read your last post...I'll be honest; but I took the time to read this one.
You're the first guy on the side against Christianity on this forum I've run into that I agree with wholeheartedly. Actually the views you express in this blog almost completely parallel mine.
(:
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Korea (South)17174 Posts
why cant reaper ban no more
i'd snd him str8 to hell
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You've got good points, but you aren't writing to convince people. You're just, as it were, "preaching to the choir".
So you might as well hold off, right?
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Rekrul was talking about banning me for making these posts. If you aren't interested in Christianity, don't read them. But there are some stories that come from posting these blogs that I think make posting these entries significant, because many people are growing up with Christian influences in their lives and it screws them up, makes them not understand things, and you know, it's worth talking about.
Reposted without permission, but here is an example of a PM I've received:
+ Show Spoiler +Hey, I read your blog today and wanted to talk about it. It's probably not even going to be a clear or concise response, just a related rambling of my own. I'm pretty much in the same state of "dead" or apathetic Christianity weaning into straight unbelief as I have been for most of my life, with periods of somewhat zealous, but definitely not fanatical, belief. Being brought up in a Christian household, I was never a deeply spiritual person, I heard all the bible stories, listened to hundreds of sermons, been to tons of youth conferences, but lazily have probably spent less than 5 hours of my life reading the bible. So I always feel unqualified and ignorant when talking about biblical matters. However some of the realization you came across (the hypocrisy, the phoniness, the intolerance (although if i recall correctly, christianity doesn't really preach on tolerance) of a lot of Christians) have also occurred to me. The saying "it is difficult to remove by logic an idea that is not placed by logic" also seems particularly significant to me as I have found it difficult to outright reject the notion of Christianity as it has been ingrained into my core. I suppose the logical thing to do would be to dispel all my previous theological belief and set out on some sort of quest to find God. Of course, I'm too lazy to do shit like that, not to mention I wouldn't even really know where to start.
So anyways, here's my question for you. You believe Christianity is flawed in many ways, but do you still believe in the existence of God? of an afterlife? of something that created the Universe out of nothingness? Because maybe its just immaturity or human nature on my part, but I am scared shitless of the idea that after I die, I will cease to exist in a void of nothingness. And whenever I feel that fear, I comfort myself with the impossible dilemma of how the Universe came to be. I comfort myself by saying something must have created the Big Bang, something must have set the Universe into motion. And I am comforted in this, something must come from something, something cannot come from nothing. However, when this happens I know its illogical of me to just assume the Christian God is the one who has done all this, but I guess I am just too lazy, not to mention clueless on what to do at this point in my thought experiment, so usually I just ignore it and go back to my life being apathetic and cynical about Christianity, while desperately hoping in some sort of afterlife.
Sorry about the blocks of text, I don't even know what the point of writing all this is, I guess its cause I can't really voice these concerns to my church, and its a subject none of my friends really talk about. Anyways if you read all that bullshit, thanks. And if you respond thanks even more.
Here is what I replied:
Thank you for your beautifully honest response to my blog. Death scares everybody I think, including Christians, because you're either afraid that there might be a God if you're a non-Christian, or afraid that there isn't actually a God if you are a Christian. Both sides are afraid that they might be wrong.
I don't have the answers... I think you should post what you've written, perhaps you might get some good advice from the other posters?
Can anyone give some good advice for the above poster?
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They were closed for a reason, you know.
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Korea (South)17174 Posts
Christianity helps more people than it hurts.
Everyone in their lives live some sort of lie in one way or another.
With christians its obvious.
With you it's pretty obvious too. No one cares. Not christians, and especially not non christians. So do urself a favor and stop dwelling on ur past and stop filling the blog section with nonsense. Ur not saving anyone.
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dude, i could give a response to just about everything you write there (not an answer necissarily, but a response) cause i've been there, i know what's going on...
but, i don't think you want to argue it out, and from experience i think most people who go with these kindsa arguements are actually just looking for excuses.
at the heart of christianity is an attitude which says, "God is in control of my life" which is a REALLY hard thing to live with, and something not a single christian has ever got right. ever.
but we're trying. we're selfish, hardhearted, bigotted, judgemental, holier-than-thou, hypocritical.... (you get the point)
but we're trying, not making excuses to just regect the whole thing and go back to an easier life. cut us some slack
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All your questions can be answered. The problem is, you stopped looking for answers.
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On September 04 2009 06:22 Rekrul wrote:
Christianity helps more people than it hurts.
Everyone in their lives live some sort of lie in one way or another.
With christians its obvious.
With you it's pretty obvious too. No one cares. Not christians, and especially not non christians. So do urself a favor and stop dwelling on ur past and stop filling the blog section with nonsense. Ur not saving anyone.
stop talking like you know everything, and stop talking like you know what other people think or care and not care. People do care. So if you dont like this blog, dont read it, its an interesting topic and it should be discussed. If you dont like it, leave it!
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On September 04 2009 06:16 BackHo[BLACK] wrote:Rekrul was talking about banning me for making these posts. If you aren't interested in Christianity, don't read them. But there are some stories that come from posting these blogs that I think make posting these entries significant, because many people are growing up with Christian influences in their lives and it screws them up, makes them not understand things, and you know, it's worth talking about. Reposted without permission, but here is an example of a PM I've received: + Show Spoiler +Hey, I read your blog today and wanted to talk about it. It's probably not even going to be a clear or concise response, just a related rambling of my own. I'm pretty much in the same state of "dead" or apathetic Christianity weaning into straight unbelief as I have been for most of my life, with periods of somewhat zealous, but definitely not fanatical, belief. Being brought up in a Christian household, I was never a deeply spiritual person, I heard all the bible stories, listened to hundreds of sermons, been to tons of youth conferences, but lazily have probably spent less than 5 hours of my life reading the bible. So I always feel unqualified and ignorant when talking about biblical matters. However some of the realization you came across (the hypocrisy, the phoniness, the intolerance (although if i recall correctly, christianity doesn't really preach on tolerance) of a lot of Christians) have also occurred to me. The saying "it is difficult to remove by logic an idea that is not placed by logic" also seems particularly significant to me as I have found it difficult to outright reject the notion of Christianity as it has been ingrained into my core. I suppose the logical thing to do would be to dispel all my previous theological belief and set out on some sort of quest to find God. Of course, I'm too lazy to do shit like that, not to mention I wouldn't even really know where to start.
So anyways, here's my question for you. You believe Christianity is flawed in many ways, but do you still believe in the existence of God? of an afterlife? of something that created the Universe out of nothingness? Because maybe its just immaturity or human nature on my part, but I am scared shitless of the idea that after I die, I will cease to exist in a void of nothingness. And whenever I feel that fear, I comfort myself with the impossible dilemma of how the Universe came to be. I comfort myself by saying something must have created the Big Bang, something must have set the Universe into motion. And I am comforted in this, something must come from something, something cannot come from nothing. However, when this happens I know its illogical of me to just assume the Christian God is the one who has done all this, but I guess I am just too lazy, not to mention clueless on what to do at this point in my thought experiment, so usually I just ignore it and go back to my life being apathetic and cynical about Christianity, while desperately hoping in some sort of afterlife.
Sorry about the blocks of text, I don't even know what the point of writing all this is, I guess its cause I can't really voice these concerns to my church, and its a subject none of my friends really talk about. Anyways if you read all that bullshit, thanks. And if you respond thanks even more. Here is what I replied:
Thank you for your beautifully honest response to my blog. Death scares everybody I think, including Christians, because you're either afraid that there might be a God if you're a non-Christian, or afraid that there isn't actually a God if you are a Christian. Both sides are afraid that they might be wrong.
I
or you could be affraid that theres zeus. Or not zeus.
Me personally im looking forward to Valhalla.
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this topic never works over net, quit it
confrimed by billions of kids and adults trying
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On September 04 2009 06:34 Sadist wrote:or you could be affraid that theres zeus. Or not zeus. Me personally im looking forward to Valhalla.
but... have you been making all the correct sacrifices to woden?
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enjoy reading your stuff anyway =)
i also enjoy the religious arguments that ensue.
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I'm a Christian myself, but I deviate from the whole religious crap. I am for real, I don't write walls of text to ensure others get saved. I just be myself and make a lot of really good friends (all of them ironically non-Christian) which eventually notice I'm different, but not because I was shaped by the church, but because I am being myself, hell, i hate religion, there is no religion, there is only reality. That is the foundation of relationships, not reading the bible ten times a day and spitting "you're going to hell!" on everybody that walks down the street, if it really was supposed to be that way, I can't image how heaven is going to be: filled with a bunch of retarded religious extremists, who in this world wants to be with those people?
sorry for the rudeness, but truth aint pretty sometimes.
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Valhalla18444 Posts
On September 04 2009 05:23 BackHo[BLACK] wrote:
there was a catalyst event that caused me to question my faith.
whoa that has never happened to me. it sounds intense though
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sorry for the rudeness, but truth aint pretty sometimes.
haha, glad someone has found the truth, thankyou for sharing, now we can all be enlightened.
/sarcasm
to be honest, apart from that line i pretty much agree with you. although i think church is important (although often painful) and i'm willing to risk people thinking i'm a little crazy by telling them about god...
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Religion, in this case Christianity, is the breaking down and understanding of human reality. The 10 Commandments refer to emotional/physical/spiritual states a man can get into if he breaks one of these. In psalms it even says don't sleep with a married woman or fear the beatings from the husband. Honestly when you take away the fluff its straight forward... think about it,,, its bizarre that we are here in the first place, why not document and clarify in which way to live this existance to the fullest. I'm not saying the bible is perfect, I don't believe that dogma, but I'm saying it's meant as an eye opener for the regular man or woman.
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I agree christians shouldn't worry about finding all of gods answers and just try to be good people. You know, like atheists.
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EPT
