+Christ is risen!
So, this is between meditation and venting, so bear with me. I invite you all to comment and discuss below.
It did not bother me until recently, the double standard of society. We know that we live in a society that says, “Believe what you want, it’s cool, it’s your personal conviction. To each his own, dude.”
If you have a Muslim friend talking about Islam, it’s cool. Your Buddhist buddy blares on about Buddha…well, it’s fascinating and accepted. Someone else is into Wicca, that’s even cooler, but if you’re a Christian, you’re a bigot, close-minded, and opinionated, so best to keep that aspect of your life strictly to yourself and not share it with others.
But are they really being open-minded? or are they actually asking you to please not say something that’s different than what they think because it makes them uncomfortable? In other words, they’re very opinionated about their own version of life that they are uncomfortable and unable to accept that you have a different understanding of life. They want you to tolerate everything but they cannot tolerate your views.
So, we all know that stuff, we notice it, it sucks. But the question to ask ourselves is, do we care about the Truth? If I care about the Truth, it may have uncomfortable consequences. The Truth does create division sometimes, because there are situations that have a clear right and wrong. To pretend that we are all saying the same thing (what the culture would love for us to believe) is, well, a lie. But If I believe something is true, there are consequences.
When Abraam discerned and heard the voice of God and knew that it was truly His voice, the consequence was estrangement, long journeys and wanderings — yes, blessings, too — but, lots of difficulty, because not everyone around him believed what he did. If everyone believed in the same God as him, it would have been infinitely easier.
So one must ask oneself, “Do I believe that Christianity is true?” I mean, really ask yourself that question. Because if I do, there are consequences. If I do not believe, there really is no point to behaving in a certain way.
If your answer is “no”, then you need to ask yourself, “why not?” You need to confront the reality of Jesus Christ and find out if He is God, and answer the question that He asked the disciples, “Who do YOU say that I am?”
Because when that question is answered, then like the twelve, no so-called open minded friends can stop you from living in that reality, just like the Twelve Apostles, twelve nobodies, changed the world because they knew that Christ was more than opinion. He is real. He is risen.
What say ye?
There is no doubt a double standard. What type of consequences are you referring to when you say there are consequences for accepting the Truth? Do you mean an uncomfortable opposition to those that don’t accept the Truth?
I mean that, if I believe that something is right or wrong, there has to be an effect on how I act. If I really believe that smoking is wrong, it is not logical to continue to smoke. I understand that addiction is another matter altogether, but just trying to drive the point home. If I believe that Jesus is God, well, there are things He said that have consequences. He said that He is *the* Way, so I can’t then try and pretend that I think that all religions are saying the same thing. He said a lot about a lot of things, and if what He is saying is true, then the consequences should be apparent in my life.
Agreed!
Word, homie!
So this is a 2 part comment/question
1) are you making the point that if we truly believe that God/Jesus/Christianity (pick one) is real then we should conduct are selves as such? And except that others may treat us a certain way because of it?
2) Now I’m not a world traveller and have not had the privilege of meeting people of different religions on there home turf, if you will, however I have the pleasure of meeting people with different beliefs and extrodanarly different cultures than my own and even have met and spent time with people of my own culture and no belief at all. Now in all of these encounters I find one thing to be common they believe that they are just as right as I am. This being said I have never been in some great religious or cultural debate with them, it’s always been on the friendlier said of both of us trying to understand the others beliefs .
Do I believe that Christianity/God/Jesus is true yes, absolutely, however from what I can determine they also believe they are right or true, I have never been made to feel badly or wrong about my belief nor have I ever made anyone else feel that way (to my knowledge)
Don’t get me wrong I do think there are “bad apples in every bunch” and that there are indeed extremists that are intent to make you agree with them or treat people poorly because they are not of the same belief, but if that is the kind of person they are they can have there opinion and I can move on and not be a part of that belief.
I can continue to act as my beilf dictates without having to compromise about it.
Living in Canada has definatly afforded me the ability to have opinions and faith that I so choose and I’m aware that in a lot of places this is not the way it is, but I think that’s why I choose to live here, because for the most part I can believe whole heartedly in my faith and allow others to do the same and still continue with these realashionships and not feel as if I have to give up a part of myself or ask others to, because they believe differently then I.
+Christ is risen!
Hey Krista! I miss you guys! 😀 😀
1. Yes. I acknowledge that we’ll fall, but if I believe something to be real, it should impact how I live, regardless of consequences.
2. 😀 Everyone believes they are right, exactly! If I didn’t believe what I believe to be right, why would I believe it? (tongue twister) Of course, that’s rational. I’m glad that your friends were cool with that, but I have been meeting lots of people who aren’t cool with Christianity because it convicts them. They are respectful insofar as that I don’t disagree with them. 🙂
So, if I am able to articulate and show well that I don’t hate homosexuals but I don’t think that homosexuality is in accordance with God’s will, then they are adamant that I keep my mouth shut about that, but there’s apparently nothing wrong with them speaking about how right it is for hours.
Or, if I believe that religion is very important to me and that I see my life through God’s eyes, and that for that reason I need to marry someone who is also a practicing Christian, they don’t like that. They are adamant that God and people are separate things and that it must be so. Well, sorry, that is your belief, have it all you want, but it is not mine. It’s that kind of attitude that I’m getting at. What say ye?
Do we have an obligation to point out they are wrong? Why can’t, as Krista said, we just practice our belief, without compromising it…but also without telling others why we are right? Your tactic may be pleasant, but the unfortunate thing is too many “Bible Bangers” have left a bad taste in people’s mouth because of their “holier than thou” attitude.
+
I don’t think we have to point out the wrong and spend our time telling people how bad they are, rather I’m saying that we need both to stand our ground and to also not always be on the defensive. Even better, simply “be normal”. For example, if there’s a conversation going on, I shouldn’t be petrified to have a perspective. I just feel that often what we’re being accused of, is exactly what the accuser is doing. To walk around and point out how unrighteous people are isn’t Christianity. 🙂
I can’t honestly say I have had the same experience in fact it’s been quite the opposite for me (maybe I don’t get out much)
I have a good friend who considers himself to be agnostic , now in my opinion that’s just lazy and non commital, and he is well aware of my opinion as I have expressed it to him (probably on more than one occasion) now that being said it was at a time in which we were openly discussing our point of views on the subject. I accepted his point of view as his choice, not mine, I accepted that that is how he chooses to live. Maybe the reason this friendship works is because we don’t encroach on one another’s beliefs, when my children were baptized him and his family were invited to attend knowing that this was a part of our faith and that they didn’t have to attend if they were not comfortable, they were indeed there to show support and be a part of our “big day” even tho it was not in anyway a part of what they believed in, they were there because it was important to us, because they cared more about us as people and friends and less about what the differences in our beliefs were.
This might not be the case with most people or a lot of people, but I have a variety of close friends, people both Marc and I grew up with and I think it’s safe for me to say that we are probably the only ones that go to church every week or for that matter at all, the majority are not religious some are atheist, some are catholic (non practicing) some pentacostal etc now it’s obvious I’m not any of those and although I may not share their beliefs I respect who they are as people and there choices in how they live as they do with mine!
I think the reason these friendships work is that even tho we might not always agree about our beliefs we respect them we don’t excpect other to participate in things that go against what the other believes we respect the boundaries. We keep it simple I don’t hide what I believe but I also don’t go pushing them to believe it, in return they do the same.
I also work with a Muslim girl, we get along great it obvious we come from different beilf a and backgrounds and have even had a conversation about what the other believes once again there was no issue with our differences we just accepted that there were differences.
I fear that a lot of times in people’s eagerness to be right we forget to accept what is. I can’t force a homosexual to be straight, I can accept them as a person and choose to think of them as such.
This doesn’t mean I have to agree or condone it just means I have to be compassionate and accept there choice as there own and not allow there choice to have any bearing on mine.
This does not mean I have to take part in things I believe to be wrong (you won’t see me protesting for pro choice) but you also won’t see me snubbing my nose or unfriendliness someone who is.
I don’t disagree that there aren’t those who wish to impose there opinion on others and do so forcefully, but maybe that’s when it’s time to end the conversation an choose to walk away
Btw we miss you too…can’t wait to see you!
Word, Homie!