Religion

It seems as if many of my friends are spitting out their thoughts onto Facebook. I greatly respect a person who can put their thoughts into words, a coveted skill by many. Some want to write their everyday thoughts and share them with the world daily; I’m surprised they don’t list when they use the bathroom, and others pick their words very wisely. If I shared what went through my head everyday, I’d probably be shot or something, so I’ll just share every once in a while.

Today I went through Wikipedia looking at all the different religions that people can “choose” from. There are four main groups consisting of Abrahamic religions, Indian religions, Far Eastern religions, and Ethnic/tribal. Three and a half billion people follow Abrahamic religions, which consist of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. They believe in one deity, or the oneness of God. Indian religions originated in Greater India; they share beliefs in dharma and karma. I would say Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism are the main Indian religions. Far Eastern religions consist of Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto, and Far Eastern Buddhism. Now I can continue to list off all these religions, but you can go look them up yourself.

Recently I’ve really thought about how Christianity really blows.

I mean think about it, Christians are supposed to give up everything they have to something they can’t even touch or see. In return, they receive “love”. This love can be seen has pure luck to some, blessings to others, and sometimes just simply disregarded. There’s also this really confusing part about how three people are really just one. Ok, what? Gandhi once said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Why is it that the materialism of affluent Christians contradicts the claims of Jesus Christ? I mean at times, the example that today’s Christians set are probably the biggest contributory factor resulting in atheism.

I’ve heard some Christians say that “Christianity is simple: love Jesus.” But wait, what about the trinity? If I just love Jesus, am I doing wrong? Or do I love all three already when I love Jesus.

Why are we supposed to be spoon fed milk like little children to grow up in our salvation (1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:13), but Paul is miraculously turned from his ways on the side of the road, and became most notable of Early Christian missionaries? Unlike the chosen twelve apostles, there is no indication that Paul even actually ever met Jesus before the crucifixion.

There are also so many divisions of Christianity, all making up different denominations. If we all believe in Jesus Christ, why are there so many different viewpoints that make up separate religions?

How is our personal outcome of eternity, which is forever, based on the very short time that we are here on Earth? That doesn’t make any sense to me…

There’s so many confusing aspects that I can get caught up in. Then people try to Bible Bash the hell out of you, which totally pisses me off. What are they really witnessing? I guess I can honestly say that I know almost nothing about Christianity, even after going to church my whole life and attending a “Christian University” for over a year. So finally coming to the end of my career at a Christian University, instead of being so confident in what I believe in like I thought I would, I’m at the complete other side of the table. Like I said, I curiously just searched Wikipedia for religions; I mean come on now. It’s almost as if I’m sticking my fishing pole into life, and seeing what bites the worm. And the worst part is, people in our society actually do this.

Ever heard of Scientology? Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, and rumored even Will Smith are followers of “the study of truth.” Has anyone actually looked up what L. Ron Hubbard’s religion actually is? Again, I’ll let you read for yourself, but I’ll give you a preview:

The purpose of Scientology is to know; to achieve complete certainty of one’s spiritual existence and one’s relationship to the Supreme Being. In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith, the tenets of Scientology are expected to be tested and seen to either be true or not by Scientology practitioners. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. There are also secret “upper” levels of Scientology, which are only available by invitation from the church, after a review of character, ethics, and contribution to the Aims of Scientology. Among these advanced teachings, one episode revealed is the story of Xenu and his Galactic Confederacy. Xenu is introduced as an alien ruler of the “Galactic Confederacy” who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in a spacecraft. He then stacked the people around volcanoes, and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together and stuck to the bodies of the living. The alien souls continue to do this today, causing a variety of physical ill-effect in modern day humans.

Wow.

People believe this.

To me I never seem to come to the obvious answer that I’m hoping for. Most of you who are reading this are probably like, “What? Um is this kid stupid?”

Yes the answer should be obvious if you have grown up believing the same thing your whole life. And if that is your personal case, believing it because you grew up with it, then what different are you from a Muslim who has grown up with the Muslim faith. That’s like voting Republican or Democrat just because your parents do. You say you really believe in what you vote for, but do you?

I can say that there must be this “Jesus Christ”, but only because I have had recent experiences where I feel like I have had conversations with Him.

Yet, I still seem to be unsatisfied with Christianity.