@Brian764,
Brian@764;41472 wrote:Its not realistic to expect everybody to love Christians, in fact Jesus long ago said that if they hated Him, they will hate you(Christians). And also, some under the banner of Christianity have done some unchristian things to some people. I have seen and listen to how some who call themselves Christian, go about doing what they call God's work/ministry(here in New York City on the trains) and frankly find it offensive.
Too many of these supposedly Christians, push, impose, make to feel guilty and make God appear as if He can't wait to punish those wicked sinners gospel....they preach a gospel of fear rather than what it is, a good message. Jesus came with a message, and He preached it.
It is interesting that Jesus never told the disciples that He was going to be crucified until at the end of His three and a half year ministry, and He defiantly did not directly tell any of those who did not believe in Him, that He was going to die for there sin, even though He did in a round about way. So what was He preaching/telling them for the most part of those years? He was preaching about His kingdom, which He will set up on the earth and that He was calling those who were predestined by the Father to be apart of that kingdom. He was constantly giving parables of what the kingdom of God was like. Jesus never try to force His message on anyone, nor did He condemn those who did not chose to become His deciple.
Christians have had a way to tow since the beginnings of Christianity...nothing is different today.
What we see today are more "false" Christians....who wear their Christianity on their sleeves, for all to feel their false piety and religiosity, and marvel at their ability to quote scripture...while they tell others, whom they feel contempt for (gays, alcoholics and drug users, women who have had the misfortune of abortion, or abuse, liberals, and Democrats, or anyone viewed as "the other), how "unsaved" they are, and how they need to follow the Bible to the letter of the law, without applying common sense or intellect, or even questioning how it applies to their lives....no just obedient sheep, unquestioning, robotic...not unlike Warren Jeffs' flock, who looked the other way when he did unspeakable acts against children and women.
Christ, himself, was about tolerance and acceptance of all peoples...even of those who sought to harm him....the Christians today are about as far away from him as Satan is.
<< Matthew 7 >>
New American Standard Bible ?
Judging Others
1 ?Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 ?For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 ?Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother?s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 ?Or how can you say to your brother, ?Let me take the speck out of your eye,? and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 ?You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother?s eye.
6 ?Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
