Slipping Away

Well Merry Christmas to everyone.

Though the origin of Christmas puzzles me... the actual traditional Christmas seems to have had nothing to do with Christ at all... Didn't the Bible suggest that he was born more around September anyway?

The tree makes no sense... The only reason it's a Christmas tree is because it's a tree used on Christmas, it has no ties to the church whatsoever as far as I can understand...

I don't know. This isn't good. The more I analyze my faith the more it starts slipping away. It's making less sense to me everyday.

I've encountered certain situations that told me without a doubt that there IS more than just life... so I'm not doubting that there's a God of some sort...

What I'm doubting is this religion. Christianity.

It's not making much sense anymore... and it's losing credibility with me. All these rules... it makes me wonder just how much of modern Christianity is actually related to the Bible itself, and how much is just tradition formed by leaders of the church...

I'm growing wary of the hypocrites. The ones who wear on their sleeves their "love" for Jesus Christ, but have lust in their heart, deceit in their minds, and hate on their tongues.

Aren't Christians supposed to love EVERYONE? Regardless of differences?

Certain people are annoying... but does that mean we should treat them as less of a person?

We're not a perfect people. That's impossible and it's why Jesus died in the first place, according to the Bible.

Yet it seems as if too many people are fallnig prey to the deadly sin called "sloth".

"Yeah, I know it's wrong but eh what can ya do, right?"

So if you know it's wrong... try to not do it. At least then you're making a concious effort to AVOID sin, even if you fail at least your heart is true. But to just accept sin because you are too lazy to put yourself in an awkward situation... It's borderline sloth/apathy.

I didn't go to the Christmas Eve service last night. I didn't go to church this morning. There is no church on Wednesday because apparently God is on winter break... and there is only an hour of church next sabbath-I mean Sunday-er... sabbath.. same thing... because I guess somewhere in the Bible it says something about keeping your Americanized holidays holy and putting aside the Sabbath in order to do just that.

I'm to blame too. Kind of. I didn't go last night or today because frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

I'm fed up with the gossip which I am guilty of taking part it. Why do I allow myself to talk to others about what I think about another? It's WAY too easy to get into a conversation about somebody else. I just need to state that I'm not comfortable talking about it and butt out of the conversation when it comes up.

I'm fed up with the hypocricy that is all too common among my "Christian" family. You don't have to SPEAK to be a hypocrite... By claiming the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you're taking an oath to be Jesus in the flesh, since, well you know he died so you could get into heaven and all... and he still needs works performed here on earth (that's your que)... so when you take that oath and then go and deny your calling or do things that go AGAINST the Bible, you're a hypocrite. And so am I.

I can't take one more communion service. Half the people taking communion are only doing it because that's what they have to do in order to reach 12 noon and go to lunch. I'd be suprised if the lot of the congregation was actually cutting covenant with Christ.

I'm tired of Altar calls. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE CALLED TO THE ALTAR.

I'm tired of being asked to stand during worship. I should be able to sit and worship Him. Sleep and worship Him. Drive my car and worship Him. Asking everybody to come to church and listen to some crappy music and then be asked to stand to worship Him only instills the thought that church is the PLACE for worship and does a great deal to help us forget that we should be worshipping Him with every breath and every move.

Once a year we do a food drive because "Tis' the season" and all, you know... Yeah. As if these families couldn't use the charity all year long.

God is not on a schedule. If people cannot sit in the sanctuary for 5 minutes longer, then they are free to leave. We shouldn't have to shut down church and kick everybody out just because a few people have places to go.

CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE A PRODUCTION!

I'm tired of the lighting, the musical intros and outros and exclaimations... how just when the Pastor is wrapping up his sermon in a very emotional fit of cry and arm flailing, the keyboard fades in and brings it all together... NO. We don't need that. There is no need to make a production out of it. That ruins all sincerity of the moment.

When I'm talking to God I don't need a pianist to emphasze my prayer.

It's ok to make a mistake on stage during church service. If a mic hand off doesn't go as planned, don't try to play it off. Let's not forget the children either.

I'm TRULY sick of these freaking childrens plays. They hardly have any lesson and seems to be mainly just a showcase for peoples children. "AW LOOK AT HOW CUTE THEY ALL ARE!" Yeah that may be but this is church, not a freakin elementary school production. Admire their cuteness later, right now you should be praising God that this childs life is in His hands and that this CHILD is devoting their time to teach YOU about the gospel.

Tradition is killing the church. Dare I say it... RELIGION is killing the church. People are getting so caught up in what NOT to do that they're not paying ANY attention to what they SHOULD be doing.

We SHOULD be worrying less about how we look and focusing more on clothing the naked. We should be worrying less about where to go to lunch and more about how to feed the hungry. We should be thinking less about the next youth group paintball trip and more about sharing Jesus with the community.

We're a selfish religion, and I'm sick of it. Tradition has tainted Christianity and I just can't take it anymore.

At this point I'm more inclined to walk AWAY then try to stand up and do something. The last time I stood up and tried to make a change... My "Christian" friends attacked me and berated me and let me know that they see nothing wrong with the way things are in about as harsh a way as possible.

So what do I have to say about that?

FUCK IT.