Fellow Christians, Why are (some of us) so mean...honestly?

Question

I'm not here to offend anyone. I'm a Christian and I love the Lord and everyone else. In fact, Jesus even tells us several times that the greatest commandments are to love the Lord with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love others as ourselves. I also believe in calling sin what it is and not compromising. But I don't understand why lots of Christains think that gives them the right to be flat out mean and ugly to other people (both Non-Christains AND fellow Christains). The Pharisees and religious leaders did the same thing, and Jesus rebuked them more than anyone else. Why? Because it was the attitudes of those religious leaders that kept people from knowing God. It is no different today.

Also have we forgotten that we are all sinners? I mean praise God He has forgiven us, but that doesn't mean we don't still make mistakes, and it doesn't make us better than the next person.

Mr. Mister,
I think you have it backwards. When I was new to the faith and not strong in the word, I was much more zealous and quick to go against someone "in Jesus name." Not to say I am so strong and wise now, but the more I do grow, the more I learn that God does not need us chopping anyones ears off (Peter was rebuked for that) or fighting anyone. We don't have to be tolerant, but we don't have to be ugly or obnoxious either. What we can do is share the Word and let it speak for itself. Besides who are we to think God needs our "help" the word is powerful, not us and our little attitudes.

By the way I'm not even talking about disagreeing with a person's beliefs. To disagree with a person and even rebuke them is one thing. I dont' even have a problem with that. What I'm talking about is personal attacks outside of the Bible. Why not just be nice and stick to the word?

Answer 1

That's a great question and I have often wondered about that as well. We have been given so much. Saved from sin and death, yet so many of us have this idea that we can look down upon others. Jesus told us to take the log out of our own eye before we worry about the speck in someone else's. It's human nature to think we are right and others are wrong about everything, and for some reason many Christians feel that they have the right to be that way. Hopefully the new generation of Christians will change that and get back to the way God intended.

Answer 2

It is about maturity as a Christian. We all fall short from the glory of God.
I am Christian and I have experienced the attack from fellow Christians as well as from Atheists. I forgive. Sometimes we are also talking about very hard issues here, and without a voice, black on white might sound like an insult, even when it is not meant to be like that.

I see all the time questions like this "Why mean Christians are sending people to the hell when some one is not believing what they are believing?"... Is there ever an easy way to say that the Bible says: Jesus is the truth and the way and the life and no one will enter to the Father's house expect through Him...and if you end up in hell...it is your own choice. No one is sending them to hell. God wants everybody, but He will respect the free will!!!

As we have many choices here on the earth, there are only two choices what comes to eternity:hell or heaven. And you get to choose! Fair enough?

We Christians are not perfect. We NEED Christ, and we admit that. It is not that we do not sin, it is that we accept that we could not make it to the heaven without the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. And we deal with our sin issues. We admit that we have a sin problem, and the blood of Jesus cleans our sins.

To be mean...honestly...somebody could see that you are being mean right now...does it make you mean? We try to be Christ like, and it is not easy. We plant seeds, God can change your heart when the free will is used right way. He can also correct our mess. And we do make a mess. That is why I rely on God's understanding. I serve Him. I am His servant, and I do not totally understand His business. But I put my trust and faith in Him. And I know that I am in the winning team!

Answer 3

I believe that we forget to walk in love. Even when Jesus became angry in the temple He didn't sin. Do we, when we defend our faith, know the Word well enough to discuss without arguing? Unfortunately not, alot of times. One of the things that we don't realize is the Pharisees and the Saducees, that Jesus discussed scripture with were learned people. Did he answer with hate and vehemence? No, He answered with a profound knowledge of the Word.
We can have that same anointing, with the Holy Spirit.

and btw... I don't believe I am a sinner any longer. Once we have been saved, we are saints. Do we stumble, sometimes. But we live in righteousness because of the blood of Jesus.

one thing that i teach about witnessing, when you see a beautiful garden it was planted with a small trowel by someone on their knees. not with a backhoe and a bulldozer!

Answer 4

well just because someone is in this section of the forum doesnt make them a Christian. I noticed alot of what I see in this forum is junk. Those that bash others is not saved or is either out of fellowship. But I do agree on calling sin, sin. The best way to handle most questions I have found is take them to the word of God, and if they have a problem with it they can tell it to God.

Answer 5

Well...everyone is not perfect. I'm a christian and there have been a few times where I've been mean but because i am a child of God, I ask the Lord for forgiveness and to have Mercy on me because sometimes I don't even know I'm being mean. And that's what Christians need to do.

Be Blessed...

Answer 6

Thats a good question, but to put it plain and simple I just think its human instinct, even the most angelic person can turn mean in an instant if someone goes against their beliefs or if they have had day. Hate and jealousy have always been there since the beginning of time and probably will be our downfall in the end but somethings just are.

Answer 7

I think the "meanness" you speak of is actually being over-zealous. People who come to Christianity are given a certain zeal to seve the Lord and are commissioned by Him to perform a certain service in life. Many people simply choose the wrong path. Does this make them sinners again? No, it simply means that they are unqualified for the ministry THEY CHOSE to perform
instead of letting God lead them where HE WANTS them to be. They get so caught up in what they're trying to do for God on their own that they're blinded by their zeal and frustrated by the lack of results, not realizing that it may be God's way of telling them to change their tone or "stand still and see the salvation of God" through His eyes and let Him direct their paths into the ministry He sets out for them to perform in.

Answer 8

Some of us Christians are real impressed you learned the basic fundamentals of Christ.
Now, You need to learn God's Word, and STAND for Christ, just like you expect Him to Stand for you, before the Father.
You keep preaching love everyday and under all condtions and love the very own people that deny and detroy God's truth and mock YOUR God's own words.

You my friend are blind. The more in the Word you grow, the more you iwll learn what the Bible is all about.


hahahhaaa. I can't help but laugh. I have heard this "turn the other cheek" and how many times? "7 x 70".

You, my dear, friend appear to have zero clue to it's scriptural meaning what so ever. See, you are using Jesus words in your defense, and it is actually, Jesus' own words, that will eat you up. :)

In the old testament, they were too forgive how many times?
Once, you were good.
Twice, you were really good.
Three times and you were sanctified.
Four times and you were sacrament holy.

When Jesus was here, he knew that 7x70 would be a way of explanation to forgivness. He knew the people would run around with clipboards and legal pads keeping track of turning the cheek, thinking and hoping, wooo hooo here is 489, I need one more and I can smack your face off. A Christian is like the old testament first forgivness. You are forgiven the first time, you ask 7x70, meaning continue to always ask for forgivness, don't count your sins and grow weary. just like salvation, you ask one time for forgivness, and you are forgiven, you don't have to ask 7x70 to be saved. You continue to ask for forgivness non stop and no end, but you are forgiven the first and each time.
So be careful my friend, when preachers start preaching complete Truth, Christians might just eat you up bad, with God's very own words. today is living proof Christians are not taught complete Truth. Why? They have no backbone. They will make no stance, like God, instructed them to do. Preachers today, preach "love". The Gospel of Christ is about "love. but LOVE comes in 5 different meanings. A Christian can love by the sword. What? Yes my friend. It's called a double edged sword. Ever hear of that? That is not for peeling potato's.
If Christians today, were taught Truth, like Jesus set forth, America would NOT have athesits loosers removing prayer from school. Christians would NOT allow Religion taken out of schools. Christians would NOT allow "In God We Trust" taken off currency. chritians would NOT allow The 10 Commandments removed.
Why did this happen? Preachers preach "whimpy". Not, Truth in STANDING FOR CHRIST. Atheists already proved it. Christians are NOT to be stomped on and walked all over, Christ on the cross, took the stomping for us. Thats why, we will be persucuted in His name. Why? the world viewed Jesus as a whimp. He never fought back. He walked away. He took the rap and stomping so WE don't have to. Until christians learn and understand how to fight with the sword, we will have nothing left. Aheists will take it all. Ever hear of a Christian, taking up his cross? There is a TRUE meaning behind that.
No where in the entire New Testament, did Jesus go around giving out popsicles to people and begging them to follow. Paul himself was standing next too Jesus and cut a dude's ear off with a sword because he was a smart mouth. I have seen enough sword fight movies to know this...when they fight, they only do 1 of 2 things, They stick you in the heart or they cut your head off. Paul went for the head and the guy ducked, Paul ended up cutting his ear off. Jesus picked the ear up and stuck it back on the dude's head and it worked. Don't believe for one minute, a Christian can not defend the word of God, with a 2 edged sword. Atheists will have a real bad hair day if and when this occurs. I personally don't see it happening, not for a while. Maybe when Christians have nothing left, they might get the hint. They goofed and did not listen to they're very own Bible.

Answer 9

From your words this is my understanding of a true Christian and although I was raised Catholic and am no longer a follower of religion I am still a believer of God and humble myself in Gods presence in everything that is beautiful in this world.

I resepct all religious beleifs just as I expect to be respected while here and judge none as better.

Answer 10

I think alot of the arguments on here between the religious and the non religious are in many cases questions posed to "get one's goat." so to speak. To prove another person wrong or to just start strife and trouble.

There is a psychological event that takes place that I have heard called "Tanking." It occurs between any two or groups of people in a discussion or debate over the benefits or downside of two opposing belief systems.

"Tanking" is, if you can picture it, as if people involved are like two or more tanks of water connected by their differences and their discussions being the pipe (so to speak) That connects them.

Imagine the water in each tank is under pressure and when one person is winning an argument their pressure pushes down and forces the water to subside in them creating a feeling or corectness or calm in the form of superioroty, and therefore it flows into the other person's tank, therefore increasing the pressure in theirs and in them causing them to lose control, become irate or angry over the pressure someone else pushed into them in the act of disagreement or contradiction.

It is energy transference. It is like psychological bullying, most of the time people just pick sides and subject matter to be right and force their opinions on anyone not them or theirs.

It is deeply ingrained into the psyche of a man to vie, to be better than either indivisually or in groups and as far as I am concerned, anyone who participates needs to evolve. That would be including myself of course.

The moment you take an actual stand toward anything either for or against it. You create a counter point and that non violent action, that non opinion, is a trap in and of itself and is no different than the two parties arguing over the differences between them.

I fall into it all the time on here. A zealot is a zealot. and It doesn't really matter what a man choses to believe, the minute he argues it against the beliefs of another man... He is wrong by default.

God is God and "if we do not praise His name... The rocks will cry out." He does not need us or our belief in Him to be God! Everything is a choice! Neither is any worse or better for any other reason that it is what will decide your own fate. Why argue personal choices?