It happened to me…
Filed under Religion
I'll put it down here. I get it that you are all way way more experienced than I am. Had more salt than I ever swallowed rice, of course. I get it. You know more about babies than I do. Because you're older, you've been there, done that, and you know it all.
But…
- Give a little space for me to breathe
- Let me eat what I want to eat
- If its something my mom feeds me, don't tell me I can't eat it. I have a mother too you know, I love her and I kinda, well, trust her more than I trust you. Because I can't accept the possibility that she could mean me any harm (after all I'm her only kid, and she won't kill me).
- Don't bloody try to convert me into pentecostal extremism. What on earth is the difference between 'I believe in Divine Healing' and 'I stand for Divine Healing' anyway? You call yourself Christian? Get a mirror and look at yourself.
- What right have you to tell me that you are going to heaven because you have been personally saved by the spirit (as evidenced by nonsensical babbling) and I have not?
- BTW, didn't you see this 6 month old bump in front of you as you preached your mashed up version of the gospel and badmouthed the Methodist church?
I am not brave. I am just very honest here. I just believe that somethings have to be said. Since I'm on it, lemme ask a few more things:
- Do you honestly, honestly believe, that only the people from your church are going to heaven?
- Do you honestly honestly believe that only the King James Version of the bible is the true bible?
- DO YOU EVEN READ THE BIBLE AT ALL? Or do you just sit together heads bowed and shake yourselves into trances and then proclaim that the spirit has befallen all of you and therefore you are way way more blessed than the rest of us?
Seriously, we have major issues to handle here on earth. Since I do read some parts of the bible, I'll attempt a mini-your-style of dissecting literalism in the bible, can?
- In Genesis 6 it is written (please go and check your KJV):
1And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
- If I sort of interpreted THAT literally, I think it also implies that before God got upset with us, He gave us longer time to live on earth. Literally, that probably means that we were supposed to live for 500 years to 1000 years (Noah lived for a long long long time, remember?). So this world is NOT supposed to be bad mah.
- But for some reason, when I attend services at extreme fundamentalistic churches, the message is always about how evil this world is, and how we should keep praying until the rapture happens so that everyone who is evil to us will be thrown into the lake of fire, and all the perfect for Christ people will go and heaven and laugh happily ever after. *super duper morbid ok*
- I AM SO NOT CONVINCED THAT GOD IS SO EVIL AS TO BANISH EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T SUBMIT TO YOUR MANMADE THEORIES OF WHAT GOD WANTS, INTO THE PIT OF FIRE.
Personally, I happen to believe that God made Creation for Himself to enjoy, for Him to commune with all of His Created beings inside, Man included, and that our biggest task here in Creation is to take good care of Creation and sayang everybody and take good care of everyone. Not point fingers at one pregnant woman and demand that she stand for divine healing and tell her that if she doesn't accept the truth she will go to hell. Not spend time talking and bitching about how other people who pray to other Gods are all going to burn in hell. Not joking and laughing at the practices of other religious groups.
It happened to me okay. God, Your overzealous followers have simply, no regard for respecting other people, and giving people space.
Seriously, I know sometimes we think we're being led by overzealous Muslim fundies. But those of you in AOGs, Fundie churches, be truly honest, if the roles were reversed, and you led this nation instead, would you allow temples and mosques in the country?
Seriously.
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Sep29
September 30, 2009 at 8:59 am
I agree with you. Any religion is equal. Religion basicaly promotes love. Love ropes in other goodness in people. Love of mothers, lovers, etc. promotes peace and understanding.
If you religion does not emphasize so, your are preaching the wrong one.
Diversity is meant to create variety and colours to our world, not as barriers in moving forward dwelling in races and religion politics.
Grow up people!!
September 30, 2009 at 10:15 am
I’ll never forget this anecdote a Brethren friend of mine shared with me.
At a Pentecostal ‘Spirit’ gathering, a lady goes into ‘Spirit Mode’ and starts speaking in tongues while shaking. And the leader shouted gloriously ‘Praise God, let the Spirit fall’ A German guy, husband to one of the Pentecostal atendees told the crowd back that she was actually cursing God in German. They had a exorcism (‘deliverence’) service for the girl there and that.
Why not just praise God in your actions and deeds and words?Is it ‘spiritually superior’ to speak in tongues. What about the other gifts and talents God has given us?Refer 1 Cor 12:29,1 Cor 14:4,1 Cor 14:27-28! God be praised, and God alone.
September 30, 2009 at 12:31 pm
For one,
“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
—Romans 10:9-13
As long as u confess with ur mouth and believe with ur heart, u are saved.
For another,
“The Holy Spirit gives life to the believer who is now dead to sin.” Rom. 8:1-11 (v. 11)
“[14]For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays, but my mind is unproductive [it bears no fruit and helps nobody].[15]Then what am I to do? I will pray with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will also pray [intelligently] with my mind and understanding; I will sing with my spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me], but I will sing [intelligently] with my mind and understanding also.”
- I Corinthians 14:14-15
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”
NIV – Rom 8:26-27
Both praying in understanding and in tongues is important, edifying man and urself.
September 30, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Thank you for this. We’re so fortunate that you’ve read up and researched on the various religions in this world (and maybe comparative religion studies, too), earning you the right to define the ‘right’ religion.
Don’t you know it’s easier to praise men than God? It’s kinda easier to do it when you’re churching (depending on circumstance anyway), but when you’re outside, no. You might either be labelled a religious freak, or a righteous bigot, or worse, they may dig out all your weaknesses and call you names. (Like, “how dare he even calls himself a Christian,” or “what a hypocrite!”)
BTW, how to praise God in action and deed?
This is why I am always thankful for Epistle of James 2:14, 24, 26, Philippians 2:12-13, and Matthew 7:21-23.
September 30, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Can’t believe you experienced this recently.. nasty.
At the end of the day, it is God that decides who goes to heaven, though we are to act accordingly to his word and walk with Him closely. Not just talk and judge.
It does state in the Bible:(For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:2)
Something we Christians should always keep in mind.
September 30, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Love your write up and thumbs up!
October 2, 2009 at 2:51 pm
like the fact that u’re a christian but not blinded to see the mistakes everyone could have done, including christians.
August 10, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Claire,
Reading your series of posts on Religion.
Everyone needs to take a step back when quoting the Bible. While that great book is the guide for Christian’s with more than 30,000 Christian faiths, all with slightly different readings on Biblical translation there are going to be big disagreements.
One danger overlooked by many, is that to truly appeaciate the Bible one must realize that English and native language versions are translations from the original Greek. Much Greek language in the Bible describes concepts that does not translage well into English and other languages.
Many fundementalist encourage individuals to understand the Bible on a personal basis. Leading to even more interpretations.
One has to step back and ask, how many ways can the Bible be interpreted?
I do not believe that each individaul is up to the task of knowing how to interpret the Bible.
What do you think?
David
August 10, 2010 at 6:57 pm
I agree with you David, that we’re not given individually the definitive role of interpreting the bible. Also that the bible is not meant to have a single, one, defining interpretation only to be adopted by its believers.
Unfortunately everyone loves to be right, and even in the case of how religion should work, what God is really like, many people like to impose their values upon others. So this is, really a vicious cycle, and I’m always caught in the middle of it. It doesn’t help that many of my own family members are such devout Christians also intensely fervent about their desires to proclaim God’s goodness to the world.