Religious beliefs: Christianity

July 25, 2011 (NY)

Religion has always been a touchy subject for me, having grown up in a dual-religion household: Protestant and Catholic. As a child, my parents wanted me to know both of their religions, my dad hoping I would remain a Catholic and my mom wanting me to chose which one was right for me. Problem is...I never did chose...and have been anything but religious all these years.


Don't get me wrong...I am not an atheist...but consider myself scientifically oriented and hopefully logical. I am a person that needs concrete proof that something does exist...specifically "God". The Bible alone doesn't cut it for me.


I do not disrespect anyone who does believe in God or any of the other deities...it is their choice. Trust me...there are times that I wish I could believe in God...but I struggle too hard against my own logic to attempt believing in something as vague as God. 


An interesting opinion/editorial was written by a friend of mine, which is titled "Are you a Christian?" The article brings up some interesting points, and he and I have had several conversations about various aspects of religion/Christianity and the Bible over the last few years that I have known him, but this article really opened my eyes to things I never knew before. (My studies in church school were not comprehensive as maybe they should have been and my time going to church was limited to just a couple of years in grade school.)


Recently, a pastor that I knew of, told his congregation that the reason the America is falling apart such as it is, is due to the fact that we--as a country who was founded on God's word/beliefs--have wandered away from being believers. He blames our economy and all our other troubles (rise in crime of all kinds) on the fact that America no longer believes in Jesus Christ and God. He doesn't take into account that we are now a country that is not just strictly Christian any more.


In another Sunday sermon, this same pastor feels that our children are being raised...and have been for the last couple of generations...without the knowledge of God and the Bible in their lives. This may be so, but I think that a lot of it has to do with the fact that science has brought so many things to light and made people question their religion(s) even more.


I can say that I am guilty of raising my own children without a religious background, but it made no sense to me to make them go to church when I could not find it in myself to believe even what I had been taught. I always believed--and have been proven correct--that if it was something my children wished to investigate...then they would. Of three children, two have done exactly that...and are born-again Christians and I hold nothing against them for their choices.


I think that the thing that bothers me most, however, is the very fact that each Christian religion puts the others down, claiming theirs is the "true" religion and all others are 'false'. No wonder we have the wars that we do...with that ideology...there is going to be anger, hatred and mistrust. Blend that with whatever other issues that might be going on...and all Hell is going to cut loose...just as we are seeing worldwide.


The other thing that bothers me too about many of our so-called religious and/or political leaders, is the fact that they DO lie and are very deceitful. Where does that fit into the scheme of being Christians? Talk about role models going bad...we seem to have a whole country filled with them! 


My intent here isn't to belittle anyone for what they believe...I am only expressing my thoughts and maybe encouraging some feedback from anyone that would like to add their thoughts. 


Be well...