Aidpage members,
I have been reading along with other members lately, the posts going back and forth about being a Christian versus being an Atheist. At times it has gotten really nasty and its hard to ignore. I would like to address the issue if I can and I am not trying to offend anyone. I would just like to say first off that for anyone that reads these posts, remember that not everyone who claims to be a Christian is one. Whether on this page or otherwise. In fact, I believe many people in this world, perverts, child molestors, mentally ill people, wife beaters, cheaters etc. HIDE behind Chrisitanity because it is safe. I also think its worth mentioning they also hide behind careers with authority such as Policemen, Teachers, Judges, Polititicans ect. however, its more of a horrible crime when you are using the name of God to do your perveted acts. I also think there is a big difference between being a Christian and believing in God. Many people say they are a Christian when they dont act like it at all. They just believe in God, pray and quote scriptures and think it makes you holier than someone that doesn't do this. You have a greater burden on you if you claim to be a Chrisitan because your actions can cause others to STOP believing in God and you will have to answer for this. A peson who isn't a christian has no responsibility to act like one, so stop judging them and look at yourselves because you bear the responsibility to behave a certain way when you claimed to be a child of God. And lets be real people. We are all guilty of something. We are not any better than the next guy because if you truly believe the bible, they whether you tell a white lie or murder someone, God see's sin as sin.
I think two main reasons cause a person to be a Christian. Either you were raised that way and never questioned it or some event caused you to be so devestated to come to God. In the first case, I think we become so accustomed to our rituals, Praying, fasting speaking in tounge, doing good works, etc that we automatically catagorize ourselves as being better than others because it looks good. Trouble is theres no substance. You are full of pride and judegment and are more concerned with how others see you than how God see's you or how you really are inside. These kinds of Christians truly make me sick. I grew up with them. They caused me to stop believing for a time. My parents put me and my brothers in a foster home while they sorted out their marriage problems and felt they could trust the home as it was run by a pastor who allowed his grown son to come in monthly for a visit and molest all of us little girls. I was 5 when it started. They we had to go to church and hear about how sinful we were and the whole time Im thinking, "something isnt right here." Four years later, Im sent to summers with my father side of the family ALL PASTORS..and molested by an older cousin. NO ONE EVEN MY PARENTS believed me, said I was making it up for attention because they were more concerned with what their congregation would think than to actually see if it was true. So when my parents became "Christians" and i was 13 years old, you can imagine it didnt go down well with me. I couldnt understand what kind of God would allow people that were supposed to be serving in his name, to molest innocent children. Then make me feel like I did something wrong. I spent the first half of my life running from God. When things got really bad and I hit hard times around 28 years old, I became the second kind of Chrisitan I mentioned, I turned to God in desperation. This kind of person is really dedicated at first because God brings them out of a situation so dire that they know it was supernatural intervention. But when things get back good, they forget about God and go back to their behaviors. I was that kind of Christian for about another 7 years or son. As my kids got older, I began to see that I needed to be more consistent in my beliefs and actions. I couldnt live with my fiance and go to church or curse all week and then go to church and pray. Kids see how you live not just what you tell them to do and so I made a committment to truly be what I wanted to see. No one respects a hypocrite. Im not perfect, but I dont want to be the kind of Christians Ive seen my whole life. I have had trouble finding a church that isnt fake and conforming to this culture. Either they are on the whole prosperity thing and gouging peoples pockets to further their own success or molesting kids and having affairs every time you turn around. I dont believe you have to knock on peoples doors or pray over them in public or do good works or tithe to go to heaven. I think if you do these things it should be your belief that prompts you not the churches theology or in hopes others will think you are such a great person. In closing I would like to say, dont judge people that believe in God or people that claim to be a christian. Todays Christians are like social groups, they gather for service and to drink coffee and think that makes them holy then spend the week living like everyone else in the world (or doing worse) while they sit in judgement. Kids are watching, they are our future,, if you behave like an idiot in the name of Christ, guess what? kids dont believe then what ever else they choose to believe in , you can be sure it wont be God. I have the perfect example, I have 4 kids ages 2 to 19. I never forced my older two to go to church as they got into their teenaged years because I dont want to force them to be the kind of Christian i was and see so much of, dysfunction in the home but in the name of Jesus, we all go to church..I let them choose. My 19 year old is a model and smart as well as beautiful girl. She does not believe in God anymore and I am not sure why but I accept that. I dont taunt her and tell her Im going to pray for her everytime she has a problem, I dont tell her to turn to Jesus and pray and wait when she doesnt have enough money for food, I buy her food. I pray for her in private. Take note people. Yes the bible commands us to pray about problems but it also says if your neighbor is hungry feed him or cold, give him your coat. My daughter lives with her boyfriend and when they have problems I dont tell her its what she gets for living in sin..no one needs or wants to hear that because even as Christians we have marital problems in our relationships. So lets stop using Jesus to condemn others and do as he did. He spent the majority of his time with the so-called sinners, the prostitutes and tax collectors and condemned the disciples for turning their noses up at these people. My 17 year son is the opposite of my daughter, he is becoming a missionary. He will go live in Mexico for 5 months and minister to the poor youth there. I will pay for his tuition like I paid for hers to go to sports massage college. I love them equally and do not play favorites and I respect them both and we need to understand God does the same. He allows good and bad to happen to Chrisitans and non-Christians alike, I cant explain my suffering or why it was allowed but I hold on to faith that he had a plan for me and allowed me to go through what I did for a reason. You cant expect everyone to understand or live by this and have faith in things unseen. Especially when as Christians we are the very reason others dont choose Christianity! When non-believers see us behaving worse than they would without God, why in the heck would they choose God? They are doing better than us without him. In closing, Im just asking we all think about it. Everyone that does not believe in God is not a bad person, in fact my closet friends believe in something completely opposite of me but its not my job to convict or convince them otherwise. See people for who they are...they can be good husbands and wives, parents, excellent sources of advice and responsible and give to the needy, just because they dont believe in your God doesnt make them bad. With that being said, lets try to remember the examples we are setting here and try to "aid" others here, its not called "change page" its "aidpage" give help..not religious beliefs and quotes all the time. Even as a Christian its tiring to read all the time the answer is prayer. prayer and What else? Yes prayer is good, true prayer but God isnt the Wizard of Oz. He has sent some people here an answer to prayer and they dont want it! It may be to get rid of the lazy no good bum your supporting then you can take care of your kids..it may be so stop getting your nails done and hair colored so you can pay your light bills,,,it may be to give your kids a dose of reality and stop the santa claus myth and let them know you dont have money to pay bills let alone buy expensive gifts. It sounds cruel I know but in the real world, no one rescues us. When I couldnt pay my light bill, guess what? it got turned off. I had two little kids and no help because I left an abusive situation and my parents didnt agree with my decision even though they are well off, they wouldnt help me. The desperation, prompted me to collect cans, lean how to coupon, cut corners like you wouldnt believe and do jobs like clean peoples bedpans when I had two college degree's...so until you have done all you can do ( and I dont believe you ever do all you can do,theres always another option) then stop thinking that you can sit and wait for God to send someone to knock on your door with a solution. Prayer can give you hope but you need to use common sense and dont starve to death while you wait for someone to rescue you.
I hope I havent offended anyone, I want for the phase of my life that I am in to be honest and not judgemental..those very attitudes have affected how I choose to live the first part of my life and I dont want to be responsible for my attitude affecting how anyone else chooses to live theirs.Do YOU?
