"With all due respect to those dear people, my friend, God Almighty does not hear the prayer of a Jew."
--Bailey Smith, a founder of Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition, speaking during a Religious Roundtable briefing in Dallas, Texas, on June 26, 1994
"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war."
--Ann Coulter, Newspaper Column, September 2001.
"When I, or people like me, are running the country, you'd better flee, because we will find you, we will try you, and we'll execute you. I mean every word of it. I will make it part of my mission to see to it that they are tried and executed."
--Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue, speaking of doctors who perform abortions, in an address to the U.S. Taxpayers Alliance, 8/08/95
"I do not believe the homosexual community deserves minority status. One's misbehavior does not qualify him or her for minority status. Blacks, Hispanics, women, etc. are God-ordained minorities who do indeed deserve minority status."
--Jerry Falwell, USA Today. Quoted from: The Religious Freedom Coalition.
"AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals. To oppose it would be like an Israelite jumping in the Red Sea to save one of Pharaoh's charioteers."
--Jerry Falwell
"God Hates Fags!"
--Rev. Fred Phelps
The name of Jesus has been misused enough. I am tired of it. There are people in this country who are being damned to hell by "Christians" for their religions (and judged by how extremists have misused these other religions), for their alternate lifestyles, for anything that is deemed WRONG in "Christian" eyes. As an active follower of Christ (Note: I am no longer comfortable saying Christian, as Christianity has become anything but following the ways of Christ), I wish to speak on behalf of those of us who do NOT hate, and do NOT think everyone who is different than some people's conception of the sinless man is destined for damnation.
It is not Christian to hate people of other faiths, and let no one tell you otherwise. It is not Christian to hate people of other races or nationalities. It is not Christian to hate people for having alternate lifestyles.
Religion has become an evil thing, a way to judge others and not look at self. We are not gods, we have no power to damn. If Jesus were around today, he would NOT be a Christian. Furthermore, God is love. If God is love, shouldn't we be sharing God by loving, rather than evangelizing by pointing out sins and destiny for hell? Can't we take a moment to recognize the similarities between all religions, how culture has molded many of these religions as a way to reach God, so each of us can understand God through a recognizable path? Can't we understand that none of are completely right, and none of us are completely wrong? Can't we understand that by condemning, we are driving people further and further away from God? If we deny someone the chance to know God, we are in fact, damning ourselves.
I am sorry for the hate that the religious group I have identified with most has bestowed on other religions and lifestyles. I am sorry for the condemnation and murders "in the name of God" that has been a part of my religious group's whole history. I am sorry that my religion, like other religions, has claimed to be the only one and true religion, like other people are stupid and naive, and couldn't possibly know anything about God. I believe in Jesus, I want my life to look like his. I believe He sacrificed for the good of MANKIND, and I honor that sacrifice. I breathe in the love that he shared with others, especially the people that had been deemed sinners, and were considered repulsive. Jesus loved on them, he did not damn them. I identify God through Jesus. I also believe there is truth in what others have experienced through their spirituality, even when it differs from my experience.
I believe that extremists have done a wonderful job of turning people against God. God has been misrepresented long enough. God does not hate. No religious group owns the corner market on God, sending everyone else to hell. Those that spew hate at people in hopes of "saving" them, DO NOT KNOW GOD. It is love that saves, it is hate that kills.
God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."
1 John 4:12, English Standard Version
5 comments:
hey crissi! i just read your blog and realized that i just had to post~ so here goes: a follower of christ is more than someone who has an opinion about "religion" or JESUS~ I too refer to myself as a follower of Christ rather than a "church member." I urge you to draw close to JESUS and see things through HIS eyes when looking at the signs that offend so many like the ones you posted on your blog~ Christ urges to "forgive them for they know not what they do." Satan would like nothing more than to keep you in a state of apathy for them which leads you further away or at least has the potential of leading you further away from Christ. I also urge you to read the scriptures clearly and see that it wasn't my idea, a pastor's idea or another follower's idea but JESUS' own words: "I AM THE TRUTH THE WAY AND THE LIFE." JESUS said no one gets to HIS Father except through HIM. There's a battle going on for souls... this life is but a blink of an eye compared to eternity! My prayer is that you will continue to be a follower of Christ through faith and works, spirit filled with the love~ that agape love Christ has for you! Christ instructs us very clearly to GO and make disciples~ claim his divinity and please continue sharing his word through your lovingkindness with others! Lori
Crissi,
You are completely right, god doesn't hate, have apathy or feel disgust for his children he loves them. I think you get god, god knows you get him too. Satan, smatan...god gave you your own mind to have free will. Your actions are not that of Satan, Bush or Ronald McDonald. God does think people use him and Satan as an excuse to kill, mame, rape, and go to war. Trust me your heavenly father thinks this world has gotten his simple message of love misconstrued. I sometimes feel like this world has become so pious that it can't see it's nose to spite it's face.
love you girl,
Michele
Hey Sis! Long-tme-no-talk. How are your folks doing? Tell them "Hi" and give them my love.
I can certainly understand the point that you are trying to make sis; there are soooo many out there who "claim" Christ and "Christianity" who have no true resemblence to the Jesus that we see in the Gospels or to His earliest followers--the Apostles.
While I do agree that many do and say things in the name of Christ that I myself consider repugnant--I am not about to bow to their attempts to redefine who the Word of God says that HE is and I'll further not allow them to define who I am as a "Christian!" either.
How many times have you heard someone take the name of the Lord in vain? I guess we need to come up with another name because THEY have misused and misappropriated it. No more claiming to worship "God"...how about "Shillashock-alicka" or some other name that they are very unlikey to adopt or even be able to pronounce! What can be replace the name of Jesus with??? Hmmm, how about "Sssssshhhhhh" so at least if they misuse it then it just sounds like they are wanting everyone else to be quiet around them! That would be harmless enough wouldn't it? No..we would never even consider abandoning the "Name of God or of Jesus" because they are FOUNDATIONAL to not only what we beleive, but also for who we are! Additionally,
Phil 2:10-11 says "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Some things in life are just not negotiable--regardless of the use or misuse of them. Sure there are many JUDGEMENTAL people out there (I recognize the guy on the left in the picure as Ruben Israel--a known hater--who I pray will genuinely get saved)The problem with what they say many times is not that it is not "correct or right", but it is in what spirit or attitude that it is said. I teach people all the time: 'It is more important to be RIGHTEOUS than it is to be RIGHT". You can't be righteous apart from being right--but you can be right apart from righteousness. The Word of God tells us in Galatians 5:19-21
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." It is preety clear as to what will "disqualify" a person from being "saved" or from spending eternity in heaven with Jesus--sexual immorality (including fornication, and homosexuality)impurity (other things that defile such as masturbation, pornography and self-mutilation) idolatry (breaking the 1st two commands to "have no OTHER God's -- that would include Buddah, Krishna, and a plethora of others)then we get into the others like hatred and discord and jealousy etc... They all IF CONTINUED in and UNREPENTED and TURNED from will serve as one's escort into eternal hell. That is some tough stuff--but He did pay a HIGH price to set us free and to deliver us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS that He might manifest His righteousness in us through faith in the finished work of the Cross. You know sis, I have seen people from nearly EVERY IMAGINABLE SITUATION saved, delivered and redemmed through faith in Jesus--from drug addicts, to homosexuals, to legalist haters, to liars and adulterers--the problem is all the same--SIN--or that which seperates us from God--and the answer is the same as well---Faith In Jesus!
ooooh Crissi.. you go girl..nothing like this kind of post to bring out the preachers in the comments...
Crissi is an awesome young woman of God and I certainly appreciate her love and compassion for people. When she and her family drove into New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina with a load of relief supplies--its was just incredible! It was people such as her that kept us encourgad during a very strenuous period! Thank you Crissi. My prayer is that she will continue to hotly pursue Jesus--indescriminate of what other people---whether they be "later-day-haters" or "emergent-churchers". Any "deviation" from the simple message of the Word of God will eventually lead us away from the love of God that was most visably displayed for us to see upon the Cross of Calvary. "Bring out the preachers?" How about, "Bring out a friend"
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