Labels are not my thing.

Blueforest said:

What one calls good, another may say is evil. For instance, according to some vastly intelligent people here, I am a bad person. Because I do not believe as they do. However, ask others and they would champion me as a pretty decent bloke. So go figure.

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Fair enough, I'm not going to argue this point.

I find self-limitations to be restricting. I want to live up to my FULL potential, not be bogged down with man-made reservations and dogmas.

I find any belief system that says, "You must do this, this and this, not do this, this and this... and believe exactly so" to be quite confining.

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Does Christianity say you must do this, this and this? One of the main points Paul makes is that we should have freedom from the law and live in the spirit. Of course there are principles you should live by, but that is just part of being human regardless of religion and is part of living in a society with laws.

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For a while now, I've suspected that something was wrong with the church. But now I know it is true. Blueforest, sorry you had to go through what you did, but thank you for having the balls enough to bring it to the surface.

The fact is, the church has failed to believe: where Christ said "Be not afraid" the church has taught fear. In doing so, it has gathered to itself a hoarde of bloodthirsty people, completely lacking in love and moral integrity, who are only interested in saving their own behinds; and yet none of them enter into the Kingdom.

Just my humble opinion? Except for a rare few, both "sides" of this discussion have been disrespectful, arrogant and hostile. Those claiming not to be Christians are surely not going to limit their choice of words because their faith asks them not to. However, if someone professes to be a Christian and claims to follow our Lord Jesus Christ then why is that person lashing out?

2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient

John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Luke 6:27-29 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also

Luke 6:32-33 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

Luke 37-38 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Let us gently and humbly represent our loving Lord. He wants nothing more than for us to spread the Good News! Let us shine our light and be the example He wants us to be.

Peace and Love

Blueforest said:

In all, I find christianity to be extremely negative and it doesn't at all resonate with who I am. So, why should I limit myself to its walls when I find walls to be restrictive?

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That's correct. If all you are doing is shopping for a hip, feel-good spiritual movement, Christianity is a terrible choice.

Blueforest said:

I find negative ideologies to be destructive to my health and well-being.

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And Christians think the injury of the soul, and its healing is slightly more important.