From the Nemeton

A post came up in the Nemeton asking three questions...which I answered at length. I think I'll repost them here, as they do sum up where I am quite nicely...at least partially.

1) What is your opinion of Chrstianity? For example, how to you feel about the religion in general, about the people representing it, about Jesus Christ as a divine sacrifice, etc?

Christianity...is... *sighs* not what it used to be. Is this good or bad, I'm not sure. I've been wading through the Malleus Malificarum as iTunes time and time again chooses ironic songs relating to it, and I see so much fear and superstition that today sounds ludicrous, however, I've also seen earlier works such as City of God and the Summa Theologica which are quite inspiring. Have things become better since the 13th and 15th centuries to now; have they become worse?

I feel that much as happened during the time of temporal religious power, we focus too much upon our petty politics and our pathetic power plays to truly follow Him. I feel that we focus too much on the world's problems and ignore our own. I feel that we cannot try to enforce our views upon future generations...for this only leads to rebellion; children must be given a choice. I feel that we focus too much on a handful of Old Testament verses while ignoring the rest.

What does my last paragraph have to do with the Church? Nothing. It has to do with Christianity. Christianity, in my humble view, is not the Church, it is not the Body and Bride of Christ. It is the institution we have erected to be our guidelines, our rules, our check against falling away from the love of God the Father, Jesus the Christ, and of course the Holy Spirit...yet, I think in a way it has done just that to us...at least in the sense of what I see as modern heresies.

The worship of Christ is what I love, the adoration of the Father a life's breathe, and the sanctity of the Holy Spirit unquestioned. As a religion, Christianity is what we impose, not what we necessarily believe. John 3:16 sums up my views on Jesus as the divine sacrifice quite nicely.

The people representing it is the only point I don't think I've hit, yet I have quite a bit. I think, on average, the follower of Christ could care less about denomination, about things like whether or not they're right, and cares more about God, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Others, sadly a good sized portion, just go because they're expected to go to 'church'. Then there are the most vocal people who get attention, people like those who read the Left Behind books and are thus convinced they don't need to raise their children Christian because the Rapture is coming any day (Yes a woman at Borders told me this as I bought Glorious Appearing). People like, as I call it, The Cult of the Christ...those who are always going on about Jesus, focus only on Jesus, and never mention God the Father, nor the Holy Spirit. Yes Jesus is nice...He did die for my sins so that I might have eternal life, so nice is an understatement...however, He was sent by His Father in Heaven, and His work is continued by His followers thanks to the Holy Spirit.




2) Why do you continue to believe what you believe?

You have no idea how often I've asked myself that. One reason could be that I have been raised Christian. Another is quite possibly the fact I immerse myself in Christian music heavily...although, I must admit I can't listen to "Blessed Be The Name of the Lord" without thinking of Wicca, with every "Blessed Be" I mentally chuckle.

A third reason is that I know He exists, I know what He has done for me...and against me. His love is often hard and wrathful, even should we try to follow Him, we should not expect an easy love. For He who created the Light, also created the Darkness. He cast us from the Garden in Genesis, to give an example of 'tough love', and cursed us with short lives, pain, and suffering.

Indeed, Christ even told us that we will be persecuted for Him, in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapter Five. Why would the Father allow for the persecution of those who follow His Son; why would the Christ allow it? Is God, The Son, and The Holy Spirit sadistic and malevolent against us? No. The Father does not intervene for the 'blessing' of being hurt in various ways is a form of tough love.

I believe despite experiencing God's tough love, because I know in the end, it is for the betterment of myself and others. If I thought God was, pardon my language, a sadistic bastard, I'd be hopping on the first train heading away from Him.

3) Have you had any experience with any religion other than your current faith?

Define experience? If you mean studied in both a passing and a scholarly manner...quite a few. Both in a "religions to beware of" class setting, and on my own.

*Islam
*Judaism
*Wicca
*LaVeyan Satanism
*non-Wiccan Witchcraft
*Buddhism
*Tons of fluffy "new age" stuff...including some fun pamphlets passed out in churches on "New Age"
*Assorted others, as Veritas said, "that come across my plate"