Is it Christianity that bothers you or is it Christians.?

Question

Honestly, I am not sure. I believe that the man Jesus lived and he was a great teacher. So it you add the gnostic gospels and throw out Paul, I might accept some of the bible.

I am afraid I could never accept the gay bashing though. I am one of those that thinks it is none of your business who sleeps with whom. We are born with our sexuality it is not a choice.

I would have a problem with my way is the only way. Now I know that most Christians believe that is not true, so I'll give you that one.

If you believe in a God, what is it that bothers you?

Answer 1

For me, it's Christianity itself, the people who follow it would be much more accepting if some its teachings weren't so intolerant and divisive. I can't fault people for following what they believe to be true, but I can fault intolerant teachings for making people intolerant. For me, I'd rather fix the problem than fix the symptom, and the problem is that people believe these teachings to be the word of god exclusively.

Once they understand how their belief came to be, they can open their minds and look to the higher purpose of making the world better for everyone in it, instead of the selfish view of getting themselves and their loved ones into heaven. Their children still have to live in this world, and new cures for old diseases can be found. Alzheimers, amputation, and all manner of physical and mental maladies can be cured if we remove the restrictions caused by public outcry against the research that makes these cures possible.

The world can work together for the benefit of all if they can get past the separateness caused by differing belief systems. There should never have been a 9/11, nor a Holocaust, Inquisition, Crusades, North American Slave trade, or countless other atrocities. These things were brought about by the seeds planted by religious teaching that stressed separateness instead of togetherness with all. And this is the reason I dislike religion, and why Christianity bothers me.

I can be friends with anyone of any religion and accept them for who they are, as long as they are willing to do the same. The problem is that certain religions teach against this, and tell you that non-believers are evil and not to be associated with, but conquored and subjugated, or even killed. Of course, most Christians in the U.S. don't follow those doctrines, and I'm grateful for that, but the fact remains that this is what is taught in their holy book.

I see a definite disconnect from the reality of life going on for others after you die that is inherently cause by religious belief. People are so concerned about the afterlife that they forget that the world we live in will continue far beyond our lifespans, and what we do today affects how future generations can live their lives. Imagine how technologically advanced we would be had the dark ages never occured in Europe after the switch to Christianity. Today, we could already have the means to regrow lost limbs and perhaps would have already made the switch to all electric cars that don't pollute our atmosphere.

I know this has been a long post, but I feel passionately about this, and I really had to get it off my chest. I hope you understand.

Answer 2

I have problems with both, with exceptions. The religion itself teaches that a follower needs to spread the word about God, and lays down some pretty heavy rules for how a person needs to behave, all the while making the statement that the one and only pathway to God is through Jesus Christ. This is a problem, because:

A) There's more than one religion out there, and it's arrogant to say that they are all wrong unless you've seriously evaluated them--which most Christians have not.

B) As hinted at in statement A, we don't all follow Christianity. That means the rules of Christianity don't apply to all of us. It's wrong to stand in front of medical discoveries and lawmakers just so that Christians can mold the world in their own image.

C) As hinted at in statement A, many of us are very comfortable with our own beliefs, and don't need some Bible thumping loudmouth telling us we're wrong--yet never having anything even resembling proof of that assertion.

D) Again, as hinted at in statement A, not everyone gives a good damn how Christians think we should be behaving. Most Christians don't even act the way they demand others act.

Now, there are some Christians who recognise all of the above, and act accordingly. Those are the Christians I have no trouble with--in fact, I even encourage them. The religion that THEY practice causes no grief when it's kept to themselves.

Answer 3

Some Christians bother me, for sure.
I believe that Jesus not only existed, but that He is God in the flesh.
I would be comfortable adding some of the gnostic gospels. Poor Paul. He makes a couple of remarks about women, and BLAM! Forever after, feminists are outraged at him. Really, Hun...do a word search through Paul's letters on the words woman, women, wife, wives. Other than the gals at Corinth, who were, after all, harbor gals, and probably pretty rowdy...Paul really gives women more rights than they had in regular Jewish society. Of course, he did tell his protoge, Timothy, that he, personally, didn't like for a woman to preach, or teach...but you'll notice that, in many other places, he is grateful to women who do, indeed, fulfill these functions. Paul may be a bit sexist, but then, he lived in a very sexist age. Paul's letters have been used, however, by a male-oriented society, in a very bad way...misquoting and twisting his words to fit their agenda, totally ignoring the FACT that Paul stated that men and women were equal in the eyes of God, and also equal in the marriage bed. If Paul were alive today, I think he'd be in more danger from hordes of angry women than he ever faced from the Jews...
Gay-bashing. Hmm. Well, I agree that we should not try to impose our rules on others. We certainly should NEVER belittle, or in any way, harm a person just because they don't think the way that we do.
And I agree that it is none of my business who sleeps with whom...
although I do have to wonder how part A fits into slot B...OUCH!! I can't help but wonder if the owner of slot B might not need some help...
but, other than that, yeah, I agree.
However, I do NOT agree that homosexuals are "born that way". I think there is more nurture than nature going on there.

OK, I'll even agree that my way is not the only way. However...and you can ask my kids about this...it is usually the best way.
Don't make me have to come over there!!

Answer 4

It has been scientifically proven that Jesus lived. Believing that he was the son of God however is entirely up to interpretation and faith. The bible should not be taken literally, but the stories should be used to teach about morality and how to live with each other in harmony. The foundation of Christianity is about cooperation and anti-discrimination. The problem exists because there are individuals that focus on parts of the bible that support there vendetta while ignoring other parts that refute there position. The bible can be used to support or condemn virtually every belief a person can have. The bible was used to support slavery, segregation, refusing women the right to vote. These three are atrocious human rights violations that every decent human being would condemn.

what bothers me is how people can be hypocritical and narrow minded when it comes to religion. The bible is not a weapon nor is it a tool to incite hate or conflict.

Answer 5

"Why do atheists flood R&S if Christians/Christianity bothers them so much?" 1. This is R&S - NOT the xian section. 2. Why do I come here? Mmmm ;) 3. I LOVE this question cos it's so rarely asked more than twice EVERY day. This gets asked so often I prepared a list… 1. *drink* 2. Cos we can. 3. For teh LuLz. 4. A-theism is NOT a religion but it IS a valid religious position. 5. Who else would answer all the questions aimed at atheists? 6. Coming here, always makes me feel smarter-saner than I really am. 7. Kid, if you and your people didn't go to such extraordinary lengths to try to convince me and my people that all that imaginary little space chappie stuff wasn't any more than primitive superstition, you and your people would probably never hear from me and my people. 8. AND, cheap points are nothing to scoff at, huh? 9. The cats banned us from their section... cos we aren't cats(get it?). 10. I'm thinking... hang on a mo'. 11. I find religion totally fascinating… 12. I find the followers even more so. 13. AND their leaders… well no one does boolshit quite like Benny and the gang. 14. Religion permeates all of our lives whether we like it or not. 15. Oh, and how about ‘know thy enemy’? 16. Cos religion is the enemy of reason – it’s not harmless, innocent, blameless, sunshine and goodness – we can NOT ignore atrocities committed daily in the name of invisible sky guys. ~

Answer 6

I think that you're right on the button.
I'm sure Jesus lived, although not via a Virgin Birth. I'm equally sure that he was a good man who tried to teach people how to live with one another. However, - miracles? Almost certainly the re-telling, over and over, of events that finally became wildly exagerated in the telling.

I guess my problem is with Christianity, and every other religion that tries to assert itself by subduing the others.

Christians may have advocated forgiveness, but tell that to the Saracens.

Any religious teaching, whether Sun God, Jehovah etc. etc., is to assist those (sometimes for the benefit of the teacher or their cult) who are without the mental capability of working things our for themselves.

Answer 7

Christians bother me. It is because of Christians that I decided to leave Christianity.

I have been challenged on many of my posts, so here is my reason for saying this:

Christians do not represent Christ. Period.

If Christians did represent Christ, they would not use their faith as a tool to condemn others.

If Christians did represent Christ, they would understand that they are only Biblically called to judge the behaviour of other Christians. Anyone outside of the Christian faith is for God to judge - not a person.

If Christians did represent Christ, they would take responsibility for the damage they have done to other peoples, countries, and faiths in the name of Christ.

After 9/11, I sat in church while a pastor said that Muslims were of Satan and that we "have the blessing of Christ" to do whatever necessary to, basically, kill Muslims.

I'm sorry, but if that is what Christianity has become, I want nothing to do with it in any way shape or form.

I will not be quiet and I will not hold back when I see posts that are judgemental and just plain nasty coming from anyone. It just so happens that the majority of those that I have seen come from Christians.

No apologies here and no prayers wanted - just live your faith and let the rest of us do the same.

Answer 8

Well to understand this fully you need to understand that Christianity is nothing more than words in a book, its what the Christians do when they transfer this word in actual life, meaning how they choose to live it. When they force it down people's throats, or back in the day killed innocent women whom they thought were witches, that's when it gets out of control. Who is to say what they believe is even accurate to begin with. I never met Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke or John so I cannot tell if these were honest people.

Answer 9

I'm not into gay bashing. I prefer not to discuss it. But if you bring it up and I state I think it is immoral than that is my opinion and you asked for it.
Gnostic gospels are by ghost writers. Their authenticity was questioned from the very start while the gospels included are confirmed genuine by the original apostles and carried from church to church in Asia and Europe.
And some Christians are bothersome. But then again, some aren't. It is true of any point of view.

Answer 10

To be honest, it's Christians. The bible is a book and people interpret it the way that works best for them, and that sometimes means at the expense of other people. Jesus was a kind and loving man, and that example is rarely followed by so-called Christians.