Christians claim to be "Loving", yet they are intolerant of things unlike them.?

Question

Why do I walk past churches and get the most disgusted looks. I have purple hair, tattoos and peircings. I believe in the same God they do, and volunteer through-out the county... I understand my example is extreme... but why are most Christians so intolerant? Its like they don't care to hear my story, and my beliefs which are closely related to their own... they just want to count my soul on their chalkboard as another converted...

Answer 1

I find tolerance from Christians - just as I "tolerate" you putting down those that you admit are like you. I have tattoos and piercings. I know that some people are sooo sheltered that they are shocked to see piercings. It gets people curious sometimes as to - didn't that hurt?!?!?!?! WHY would you hurt yourself... they don't see the purpose. So what? I enjoy the art that I have on my body. I do think that there is some Biblical teaching regarding tatoos and I think that there are some people that have a concern about tattoo'd and pierced people being rude or crude to them in front of their "impressionable" children and they have a right and responsibility to protect innocent children. A few give many others a bad reputation. I was in the military and I knew very few men that were unfaithful to their wives, and yet many military men have a reputation for their infidelity. Is it fair? no. Life sometimes isn't. Even Jesus stopped the religious of His time from harming a "bad example" "law-(especially of their time)-breaking prostitute by challanging the one without sin to cast the first stone when they were not just judging her but going to the truly extreme of going to kill her as punishment. God doesn't judge you by your hair color. God has counted every hair on your head. God will judge your heart. And God will also judge their hearts and perhaps God will find that they have falsely and wrongly shunned you/looked at you disgustingly/maybe even gossiped about you... if you chose to look how you want than accept that you chose to be outside the norm. Are you trying to get shock from them? One thing I've done is go to church on a Saturday night in a tye dye shirt, gottee, and baseball cap and had been working during the day and I've gone Sunday morning wearing a suit and tie and clean shaven. People don't recognize me. Try something similar.... get your hair a natural brown and dress up in a nice dress and then change your hair and wear leather and piercings...whatever you want. Did you (your mind and your soul/emotions change just because your clothing did? no, certainly not. We aren't saved by our outward appearances. One of my all time favorite chapters in the Bible is James 1. The relevent information that he says is at the end of the chapter and in to the second chapter. It basically says that if you favor someone because of the way they are dressed even by offering them the best seat and having the poor man sit on the floor that it is wrong! It goes on to talk about it more so check it out. Be a positive alternative example to people that wouldn't know any better. Perhaps God will you use in powerful ways to soften hearts to help the poor and needy as you say that you are voluntarily doing. At the end of James 1 it says something like that is called a pure religion to look after orphans and widows in their distress AND (emphasis mine) to keep control of your tongue. (Please do not be so quick to judge others yourself either) They will not know how to help you unless you are open and real about what your needs (emotional acceptance) are...God is love and we are to love one another as Christ did for us.

Answer 2

Greetings. I am a believer in God, his Son, and his Holy Spirit. However, I find I am hesitant to call myself 'Christian'. The Christians that I know are the most hateful, ignorant, bigots that ever walked the face of the earth - and you can't say that that is one or two. Try 200 or more. Hello. I am The Pope and I went to a 'Christian' school where they told me that my Catholic friends were going to go to hell. I spent the next six years pissing them off and standing up for my Catholic friends when they got tired of doing it for themselves. How is that Christian, and how is that tolerant. How are you, as a Christian, spreading the love of Christ - his loving teachings - by being hateful back to the atheists, Muslims, and agnostics ( no offense to those three groups) when you have been told time and time again to turn the other cheek? How is this question even turning the other cheek? I understand that people are not tolerant of Christianity, but when you stop and look they aren't of Muslims either. They aren't of Atheists. There are some pretty hateful questions about every religion floating around out there, so take that into consideration. The point of this board being anonymous, the questions being so hateful, and the people being so narrow minded is because people put up with a lot of religious crap all the time. They have to have someplace to go, and some people to agree with them. Sometimes, when no one agrees with you, when you have to keep quiet, when you can't voice your opinions - it is a living hell. Welcome to the real world. Try to be tolerant of others, kind, courteous, and loving - and you might just be surprised about what you get. Have a very happy Christmas. Salutations, The Pope

Answer 3

Sweetie, I am a christian and I am not judge mental towards others. Let's be honest for a moment. when you dyed your hair purple and got tattoos and body piercings you knew people were going to look, no, stare at you. Now, you have every right to dress,color your hair and have body art and piercings.With that in mind I would say to you, you are responsible for the reactions that your action invokes. You know that a lot of people especially older ones aren't going to accept that or even want to get to know you. It may not be fair, but it's the nature of the beast so to speak. Certain denominations are more open minded than others. I am United Methodist and we tend to be much more open minded than our Southern Baptist counterparts. I will tell you this, I would take the time to get to know you if we were in a position to sit down and talk, but if I simply passed you on the street the first reaction I would have is probably to turn around and do a double take. First impressions whether right or wrong are a very real part of our society.That is something that is unlikely to change. God Bless.

Answer 4

I am a christian but I to have noticed that most churches tend to be very judgemental. Sadly some of the most tolerant people I know are my pot head friends who wouldn't go near a church. I have often wondered what would happen if Jesus walked into a church on a Sunday morning. There would probably be some stares and disgusted looks at a savior who didn't look or dress like them.

Answer 5

I too get some of the same looks. I am a born again Christian and saved, but from my previous "before saved life", I was married to a biker who sold pot for a living (I am no longer with him now), but anyway, being in that type of lifestyle, I got tattoos and such. When I see certain people that go to certain churches, I see that they notice my tattoos, as I have a big one on my hand. I have learned that these people are not real Christians, because the ones that are in my Christian circle of friends understand my past and know that God has forgiven me and that Jesus is my saviour from sin. This is all that is important to me and that should be the only important thing to you. Your beliefs.

After getting saved though, I did start to dress modest and cover the tattoos as best I can because it does have a part in the Bible about modest dressing.

Answer 6

I know. I have dark black hair and love heavy metal. Apparently, I worship satan. Which comes as a shock to me, because I didn't know it.

Anything that is different is unchristian apparently. Thats just the way it is for some reason. Also, purple hair sounds awesome. I know of at least two ppl who have that. Stick with it! Don't let their intolerance change your hair! Hair is all we have left!

Answer 7

It's hypocrisy, plain and simple. It's what they're good at and have been perfecting for hundreds of years. They're intolerant because they can get away with it.

I have met tolerant and intolerant Christians and the tolerant ones are actually a rarity. Why that is, no idea. Other than alot of them use the Bible to back themselves up when the things they use as "proof" aren't even applicable. And yet they don't follow the things that God (or actually Paul in most cases, who actually taught in direction opposition of Christ) tells them not to do.

Answer 8

I'm sure that they don't like the purple hair and tattoos -- but they still care about the person underneath.

It seems to me that you might be walking past churches -- with your purple hair and tatts and all -- for the express purpose of provoking a reaction.

You can then come on to this site and complain about how "intolerant" they are of you. But that's exactly the sort of reaction that you probably wanted to provoke in the first place.

So, before throwing around "intolerant" accusations, think a bit about what you might actually be doing to instigate things. Seems like you're doing plenty to bring this on to yourself.

.

Answer 9

If you intentionally walk past churches just to see what the reaction will be, then you bring it on yourself. It's not only "Christians" who give you odd looks In fact I'm sure it's a lot of different people you walk by. You seem to only focus on "Christians". In the bible it says to not tattoo, pierce the body, because whatever you do to your body you also do to god. Just because you believe in god does not make you a true christian. In order to be a true christian you need to pray and ask God through Jesus Christ to forgive you of all your sins and transgressions, and ask Jesus into your heart, pray daily for others, and yourself. Read the bible daily, attend church weekly, and be baptized, baptism is just an outward showing to others of your life changing decision to be a born again Christian. But you must repent, pray for forgiveness, accept christ in your heart, live a christian life. God bless.

Answer 10

Each men have free will,we must respect it.We mustn't whant that others mens love us,we must have throw our facts the Love of God.
The souls are on differents steps of evolutions,what is ,in this moment important for an men,can not be so important for other men,who can be over that step.If we was on that step,now it is our past,but we will respect an men who need more time for stay on that step.
The Christians too,are on this way for learn their soul to be good,most of them don't meditate to God.
Must be careful ,to who we told our problemes,not all mens will understand them.(exist mens who are on the 10 step from 40 years ).........Be trust only in God,in The Name of Jesus Christ,in an realy dedicate priest,who can help you.