I'm really intruiged on this one!
I've heard so many words describing it ...bigoted, hatred, indecent, lying, cheating, uncaring, blinkered, ireverent, perverted, murdering, evil, stupid, filth............
Is that what people really think of church? The church I go to is the total opposite of every description here and has doubled in size over the last year alone to the point of outgrowing our current building cos we can't get everyone in (and that's after going to 2 meetings on a Sunday morning).
If I ever went into any place like the one described above I would never want to set foot in the place again, so why does church have this image?
2006-12-21 10:57:31 · 40 answers · asked by Rakibear 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
To ihatechri...
Sorry you feel that way but actually I wasn't preaching at you!! I was stating fact!! Bit touchy aren't we??
2006-12-23 11:21:46 · update #1
It's slang mostly people are tired of Christians and their churches constantly preaching how right they are and how wrong we are. They preach not to judge but that's all they do.
2006-12-21 11:02:05 · answer #1 · answered by harmony moon 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋
There are many who call themselves Christians who really aren't. The live their lives they way they see fit and don't try to live their lives for God. Then you have the "Christians" who will try to covert anything that moves to became just like them. They shove their beliefs down people's throats and end up offending many People in the process. You also have people who look at the bible and really don't understand why there is a difference between the old testament and the new testament. Because of that they say God is cruel and that if we follow one part of the Bible we need to follow the whole book. Satan has a strong hold on the world and it's getting stronger all the time. Finding true Christians is getting harder and harder. I'm glad you found a good church. I attend a good one also but I also gone to a lot of not so good ones looking for the right one. I've had so called Christians treat me horribly and really turn me off from going to church for years. I kept my belief in God but didn't associate with any so call Christians because I felt that if that was how they were I didn't want anything to do with them. I now have found a group that are real and down to to earth and I love it. I can see that people who have a similar experience would be turned of also,
2006-12-21 11:19:30 · answer #2 · answered by firefly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People make the mistake of assuming one church will be just like any other church. I used to be a christian and I have seen the terrible ways people treat other people in the name of God...but I also know that every religion has those kind of people. I am now Wiccan, and I still have respect for the christian church, as any other church. I saw a youtube video of a sermon I think every christian should watch. Its a very good message that adresses stereotypes and talks about unity and how people are all people. If you are interested it is called "Demystifying Paganism". You can put that in the search bar on youtube.com and see what I mean. If everyone knew these things the image of the church would be less negative. I hope for a better, more unified and tolerant world of tomorrow.
Bright blessings my friend!
Amber
2006-12-21 11:04:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Christian church of which there are many denominations, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Methodist, United Reformed and so on are all offshoots of the same religion but have somewhat subtle differing beliefs. It's the official faith of the United Kingdom and somewhat 'establishment' that is why it suffers from so much derision from the masses that dislike and make noises about the government and royalty. I go to church and it's currently not fashionable to attend certain services on a regular basis. On the whole kicking the church is a very easy pastime that's gone on for thousands of years and will probably continue.
2006-12-21 11:08:41 · answer #4 · answered by Pagan Man 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because some "christians" are like what you described. Mind you, they are the minority of true Christians. There is good and bad in everyone. We chose whether we want to use the good or the bad in us. I choose to use the good. And it seems you do too and that is good.
As far as the church goes, no one in the church is perfect. I would not want to step foot into a chuch like the one you described in the beginning of your question. The church I go to is wonderful. But it takes many people to keep it the way it is. One bad apple can ruin the whole bushel, just like one bad christian can ruin a good church.
By the same token, sitting in a good church does not make you good. You have to choose being good.
2006-12-21 11:12:18 · answer #5 · answered by free 1 indeed 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you have a negative view of me? I am proudly Wiccan, and because of that statement alone people (mostly Christians) will judge me. I don't worship the devil. I LIVE the Wiccan rede "Do as thou wilt an in it harm none". I do not have a negative view of the church, unless they preach intolerance (particularly towards Wiccans). I believe that most Christians are really what they profess to be. Loving, understanding, open-minded people. I have friends in every religion you can name (except Satanism, and my views of them may be wrong too). I have a negative view of those who claim to be good Christians but will try to destroy everyone and everything that does not 100% agree with them! This is why, if you read my posts, I do not bash Christianity, just some of the practitioners!
BB
)O(
2006-12-21 11:17:34 · answer #6 · answered by Enchanted Gypsy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'll give some examples of why.
Christians have repeatedly told me that, as a Witch, I will burn in Hell for my beliefs.
Gays are not allowed to get married because the Christians seem to think it will somehow ruin their straight marriages.
The Church wants to sensor everything.
Christians cry out if they aren't allowed to put up elaborate religious displays, but are also the only ones to complain when another religion wants to do the same.
The insist EVERYTHING is Satan. Somehow, my God and Goddess, whom tell me I should cast as much love and peace unto this world as I possibly can, to help as many as I can, and to always AVOID harming others, is supposedly satan in disguise.
"Animals were put here for us to use" is their excuse for animal cruelty.
Retarded comments like "It wasn't Adam and Steve".
Want to look at it that literally, then we're all related to one pair of people and incest is fine.
The Witch Hunts!
When the Christian Church stops forcing it's rules on everyone and insisting it's the only valid religion and all others should be destroyed, then maybe people won't think so negatively of it.
2006-12-21 11:13:55 · answer #7 · answered by Miakoda 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Poeple would much rather focus on the negative,sad to say. If they see a few churches that are bigoted, hatred, indecent, lying, cheating, uncaring, blinkered, ireverent, perverted, murdering, evil, stupid, and filthy then they think that they all must be bigoted, hatred, indecent, lying, cheating, uncaring, blinkered, ireverent, perverted, murdering, evil, stupid, and filthy.
2006-12-21 11:07:56 · answer #8 · answered by Myaloo 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
many of the services are still deemed boring and stuffy, meaning that peope are put off, after all aren't we meant to celebrate God? Theres nothing worse than listening to a boring Minister preech on about nothing.
Plus all you need to do is look at the thousands of extraordinarily narrow minded christians on this web site who spew out hatred and bile about everything that is not in their eyes deemed "of god" for example Muslim, Gay, Pagan, Harry Potter. Atheists.
Why would anybody want to be associated with these morons. I know they are the minority, but they are a very vocal minority..
Basically the church is in drastic need of modernisation and tolerance. Prime example being the outcry at the gay bishop - who cares. Love they neighbour dude!!
2006-12-21 11:46:35 · answer #9 · answered by Travellin Bry 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Personal experience with more than one christian church and person can make one turned off for life.
"The church I go to is the total opposite of every description here and has doubled in size over the last year alone to the point of outgrowing our current building cos we can't get everyone in..."
Ive heard that before many times, its all the same and just another way to get converts, its getting old and tiring, go preach at a brick wall.
2006-12-21 10:59:09 · answer #10 · answered by ihatechristiansegyptiangoddess 2 · 7⤊ 2⤋
Study some history - they never piped up to object when the jews were being massacred in Germany during WW2 - going back further you have the inquisition - they started burning hundreds of thousands of women to death because they wanted to abide by a part of canonical law that said 'the church abhors bloodshed'.
The often young witches were stripped naked by the holy inquisitors and examined... geez how much proof do you want? The Catholic church is disgusting.
So you're church is popular? Yeah - and? People willingly allowed themselves to be sacrificed to death in the aztec culture to stop the world ending. When the culture was gone the world kept ticking, didnt it? What of their faith? I think you're probably already beyond hope. Good luck with your faith.
2006-12-22 04:17:23 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋