Which is driving more people away from Christianity: the Bible, or Christians?

Question

I'm asking because I noticed that most Christians I know do not follow the beliefs they claim are central to Christianity. This got me more interested in studying the Bible. The contradictions, brutality, theivery, lying, and perversions in the Bible finished off my belief. I'm a happy pagan (leaning toward Wiccan) now.

Answer 1

I'd say the bible. Although a lot of Christians are totally off the mark on Christian behavior, it's the bible that generally drives people away. If more Christians lived by the general rules they claim to believe in, they'd probably gain more followers. Very few who study the bible with an open mind accept it as true, unless that is what they have been previously taught.

Only people too lazy, or stupid to do their own homework (read the bible) would allow another person to seriously influence their decisions. A person who is serious, with some level of intelligence would ignore the riff-raff and read the book him(her)self. That is why I still believe the bible to be the best answer.

Answer 2

I would have to say it is the Christians since the Bible can't explain itself. Those who believe they have all the answers about the idiosyncrasies and the inconsistancies of the Bible slam their hands on the table and tell you that you have to believe every word in the Bible and if there is something that doesn't make sense you must apply blind faith. With this type of answer it almost make sense why so many people are duped by religious scams.

Back when Jim Jones used his charisma and the idea of blind faith to lure all those people to South America where they were killed makes more sense now! These people had been taught not to question the word of the Lord and to trust their minister because he was a Christian. Little did they realize what was happening until they were drinking kool-aid and praying that God would explain why they had to kill themselves.

I for one would never have gone, nor would I have turned over my finances. I refuse to trust anyone who has not proven themselves to me.

Answer 3

I think you pose an interesting question.

Christianity seems like a fundamental component in American history. If you look back over history, you can readily find religious immigrants crossing the ocean to practice their religion freely. However, as time passed and diversity has swept over the United States, you find those who practice religion resistant to new or different ideologies.

To get to the point, I believe Christians push people away from their religion although it is an integral part of American life. If you take the core message of the New Testament, from my limited understanding, let love and justice guide your actions, then you find Christians fall short. In my humble opinion, some Christians lack the tolerance of Christ.

Furthermore, The contradictions are too numerous for me to document at this time, but why are Christians so harsh towards homosexuals or women who abort their pregnancies? Shouldn’t they, by their very doctrine, embrace these people, all people, and grant them grace and mercy?

Beyond contradictions in scripture, Christianity has become a political instrument. Religion seems to divide the country, believers want a “religious” man in office and nonbelievers want a “secularist” in charge. Each sides has its agenda but few appear willing to compromise. With that schism visible in voting behavior, it seems to me that religion polarizes people rather than bringing them together.

Besides, shouldn’t religion primarily reach out to those lost from the flock?

Answer 4

Christians

Answer 5

Even though the Bible is full of all those things you say, it also has some pretty good teachings (accuracy debatable), so I would say it's Christians.
No matter how dedicated they are, how full of love for Jesus, how happy they are in their faith, they are also filled with a judgemental attitude that goes right along with most organized Christian religions and is so pervasive they don't even see it themselves. You can see evidence of it right here in your answers.
I think that attitude, whether it's obvious or just under the surface, is what drives people away from being Christian. The Bible says that judgement is reserved for God, but nobody acts like it.

Answer 6

Only a fool judges a movement by it followers. You have to judge it by the character and actions of its founder. No one has anything negative to say about Jesus Christ.

From some of these ridiculous posts, it sounds as if you have never even met a true Christian. You are either with Him, or against Him. Simply saying it with your mouth doesn't mean a thing. The Bible says numerously that you must serve Him spirit, soul, and body. News flash:

"If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth."

Answer 7

False Christians, there are some who look toward false Idols thinking it is God, rather than looking at the Son to know God. I hope I can strengthen your faith. Maybe through some of my logic?:

The bible to me was made by God,He proves this by showing his renown influence on people across time, people will ask me, how?

Firstly, all of his prophecies are fulfilled throughout the bible, and all the Bible consists with a numerical code that is constant throughout all the men's speech in the Bible, showing he affects many men's lives throughout time, meaning he is Lord over time, this is the code :

When translated back to the Old Hebrew text, in which numbers represent letters, all the Bible's sentences have the occurrence of adding up by digits into rows that read 7,11,7,11,etc. all throughout, that alone should be proof of him influencing speech, but examine the odds of this occurring naturally and the chances calculate out to 7 billion, and the chances of this occurring? 11 Trillion. Crazy, right.

Another example?:

All the Names from the Bible when translated back into Old Hebrew spell out the story of Christ himself extraordinarily, starting,
"I will appoint a man, a man of sorrow,"

Another?

Beginning in the book of revelations where the statement was made, "Let him who has an ear understand, calculate the number of the beast ,it is the number of a man, that number is 666",
Every 666th letter spells out;
Satan the Accuser

There are many more codes so elaborate that men can barely explain them, check out the Mene Tekel Bible code.

I am just trying to show what has been shown, but is ignored. I hope you change your views on God.Contact me.

Answer 8

Probably Christians. Reading the Bible means you actually have to make an effort to pick it up, open it, and read. On the other hand, you can be minding your own business when some loud, proselytizing Christian approaches you and as usual acts like a pest.

Answer 9

This seems like another statement more than a question.

I also think you are wrong about people moving away from Christ. The rate of Christian baptism has been on the increase for a number of years now and the churches are getting larger than they have ever been.

Have a nice day

Answer 10

I guess it depends on your perspective. Sometimes I find the Bible to be source of spiritual and comforting information. Other times....I prefer to connect with other books or music or nature.

I don't see a need to belong to a religious Christian organization in order to appreciate the old books, or the original mother nature.

Most importantly....be yourself and enjoy your life!

Peace!