Fear and hatred in Christianity

[Khelyar]

Hello all,

I have been reading through a number of the threads on the political forums, and this may not be the right place for this, but I felt I needed to respond. Not only on the forums, but in the news, on church websites, and in their actions, I have seen many people exhibit fear, anger, hatred, and violence towards others that they don't feel believe the same way they do. Many people have called out for removing all Muslims from the country, a hatred of the LGBT community, and other groups that are specifically against the standards that most of us fall in line with being a good Christian.

What disturbs me about this is, it feels like we as a body of faith are falling into the same trap as mentioned a few different times in the Bible, in particular in Matthew 7:5, which is the verse (depending on the translation) about removing the branch from your own eye so you can see clearly to remove the twig from another's. Also again in John 8:7, in relation to the woman who committed adultery.

There are over 22,000 denominations of Protestant religions across the globe. We can't even get along among ourselves to believe in the word of God, which is written down for us. We as a people have started wars in the name of religion, tortured in the name of our religion, and killed many, many people in the name of religion. How can we judge those that do the same? How can we spew hatred for those different from us, when we can't even agree among ourselves who WE are?

Let me ask a simple question. When was the last time two churches from different branches of faith in your area got together to help each other? Ran a food bank together? Just had a meeting together? We worry about politics, about other religions, about those that are in the LGBT community and how they are destroying our faith and country, but what are we doing ourselves to stop that? How are we portraying a loving God and his Son if we can't love others as we have been commanded ourselves?

Sorry for the long post, but I feel like in order to change the way things have been going, we must first look at ourselves and see where we have strayed from what God intended for his Church and his People. God bless you all.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Sorry for the long post, but I feel like in order to change the way things have been going, we must first look at ourselves and see where we have strayed from what God intended for his Church and his People. God bless you all.

All that you mentioned, probably , is prophesied in Scripture.
God knew it all along - it is no surprise to Him.
God did not say to change the way things have been going in the world, by the world governments , or by the worldly churches.
His ekkelsia
(assembly of all born again by Him,
set apart by Him,
ARE doing what He says to do;
we/they are living the life of Jesus,
following Jesus wherever He goes, even to death).

Jesus tells each individual who comes to HIM, "Turn to Yhwh, for HIS Kingdom IS AT HAND" (and it is).

Jesus never went to a group and told the group to change or repent.
Jesus never went to a governor or government or state official to change the way they do things as government (only each person to "Repent" "Turn to Yhwh, for His Kingdom is at hand").

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

I think different church denominations should unite together for the sake of community. It isn't like a retail competition where a Ford dealer is hoping to outsell Chevy across the street.
Unfortunately, I've not seen it happen. I think there are conferences where different denominations come together. But as far as acting in charity to better the local community wherein they have their church, no. I've not seen that.

It is something we should do together. What better example of God's Grace and charity than that?

Jesus went into communities where he wasn't to be welcomed and not only preached the gospel but demonstrated it to people. He showed charity, healed the infirm, raised the dead, banished demons. He gave the sermon on the mount and the beatitudes. He walked and he spoke and lived the example of his words.

His entire ministry was about repentance from sin. And judgment was his alone come the end of our lives. Be we Christian or unrepentant when we die. We shall give an account.

Judgment in todays world seems to be brought up a lot in certain discussions about worldly topics. Unfortunately, a lot of misunderstanding about that term in scripture leads to admonishments against members of the church for upholding the gospel too.

Judgment wasn't like what we think of today. Back in Jesus time the Jewish community was of one mind. There was them, God's chosen. And there were all the others. Non-Jews, the Gentiles in total.

The judgment that was warned against was the discriminatory blanket condemnation of a people from the seeming higher ranks of the non-Gentile perspective.
If we weren't to use discernment from our Christian perspective as we live in this fallen world we'd not be able to minister the gospel to those in need. Because that is what proselytizing is. It is discerning , judging, there to be a need in the world for God's good news. And taking on the ambitious task of daring to go forth into it and reaching those who may be hungry for it.

How do we do that if we tell ourselves everyone's OK the way they are? And we're not to call sin sin and in need of repentance so as to live a more righteous life.

Christians exercise judgment every day. They judge whether or not they're going to participate in the things of the world or hold to righteousness.
If a gay couple at work asks a Christian to attend their wedding, does that Christian go to the wedding?
If they're asked to come out after work on a Friday and join the boys at the local strip club and throw a few back, does the Christian go?

That individual makes a choice. They judge the invitation. And in so doing they judge who would ask such a thing of them. Even in the form of a quiet question they ask themselves. Is that person a Christian? Do they not know I am?

Judgment isn't wrong. Blanket bigotry is wrong.
We're told to use righteous judgment in all things. If we're not to judge what's that mean then when God tells us to use righteous judgment in all things? And when He tells us not to believe every spirit. But to test them. That's a measure of judgment and discernment .

We're to look at the beam in our own eye, all this my personal view of the faith, so that we realize we are equally able to better ourselves. And we do things that others can judge from their perspective as well. And what that passage is saying that you quoted in brief, is that after we realize we're flawed we are then able in humility to proceed to council someone else in the spirit of charity if we see that tree sticking out of their own eye.

 

[JackRT]

When was the last time two churches from different branches of faith in your area got together to help each other? Ran a food bank together? Just had a meeting together?

In Canada a great many communities have a ministerial association. Frequently they meet for an hour a week to discuss topics of common interest. Of course there are denominations which absolutely refuse to participate.

In November 1996 in the Toronto Star newspaper, I found an article concerning two congregations in Waterloo Ontario which have jointly built and are sharing a place of worship. The two are Westminster United Church and Temple Shalom. If this can happen, there is real hope for a healing between Christian and Jew.

 

[Hank77]

I live in a small rural community where there are three churches, Baptist, Pentecostal, and Christian. These three do get together to do outreaches in the community and put on different programs together. The pastors of these churches are good men who teach traditional values and do not criticize one another. I think we have an advantage because we are a small community and know each other outside of church.

 

[SolomonVII]

Fear and hatred in Christianity are not a big problem.

Now sanctuary cities, and the obstinance of our secular political elites to develop and enforce rational immigration laws in the world as it now exists- that is a big problem.

Hatred and fear are not big problems among Christians. Sheep following wolves into the wilderness is the problem that the Christian flock now needs to worry about the most.
Heck, some of the wolves have even convinced themselves that they are the sheepliest of sheeps.

Dennis Prager gives an example of exactly how this works.
http://www.dennisprager.com/pope-francis-and-the-decline-of-the-west/