Religion is interesting and complex, bringing about a different set of emotions and reactions in everyone. This article will focus on the Christian religion because of the common misconceptions and misuse of the faith.
The ideas behind Christianity are pure, but the varying interpretations of the bible have been damaging to millions. The advice in the bible is solid; do unto others as you would have others do unto you, believe in and worship something bigger than yourself, and follow the Ten Commandments. It outlines rules of what it means to be a good person; for example, do not lust after spouses or objects that are not yours, do not lie, steal, kill or cheat.
Reality is interesting compared to the ideals of the Christian faith. It is common knowledge that priests have had relations. Something less commonly recognized are the small things that go on in the Christian community that in no way correlate with what the pastor teaches on Sunday morning. Examples that will be discussed in this article are donations, acceptance, and alternate agendas.
As a not for profit entity, churches rely on donations from parishioners to maintain the church. This is both admirable and important, but a line needs to be drawn at some point. Churches should be taken care of and pastors should earn a living, but some churches go to extremes, allowing pastors to profit off of church members, buying expensive cars and going to casinos while telling parishioners they are stealing from God if they donate less than ten percent of their gross income. Jesus never profited off of his followers and pastors should remain pure in their preaching, not expecting to profit either.
Jesus and his disciples set an example to accept followers regardless of their occupation or background. Too many churches today are commercialized, only accepting a certain type of person into their church. Often, gay and lesbian Christians are not welcomed in a church because of their lifestyle choices. An interesting paradox is that sinners are not typically welcomed into a congregation. Isn't church a place to repent? Isn't it a place to be cleansed of sin and begin a new life loving the Lord?
Two things are certain in an election. Friends will disagree over issues, and politicians will use religion to get votes. The conservatives are especially susceptible to this, pulling God into wars, healthcare, scientific research, government and schools. The Christian religion becomes so entwined with politics that pastors and priests across the country were wearing their political symbol of choice on their shirts and using their power within the church to make an attempt at changing votes.
Religion is beautiful, sacred and private. Christianity means something different to everyone and all Christians have individualized relationships with God. Religion plays a part in the hearts of followers and determines the way in which people conduct their lives. Those who consider themselves religious should rethink their actions; rethink the misconceptions about donations, acceptance of others and politics. Try to make a difference in life. Religion should remain pure and simple, as God intended.
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