An Article or Something

This article has been many years in the making. After having finally
broken away from the WCG completely a little less than 10 years ago, I've
been floating around in a fog - wondering what to believe and what not
to believe. I've tried a few beliefs on for size, and always have found
them wanting. But throughout these years, I have maintained one thing
almost constantly - a absolute, vehement hatred for all things christian.

I want to explore this hatred, and discuss my reasons, and hopefully by
the end of this article you will understand, as I have come to understand,
that this hatred is not what it seems. Maybe, if you read carefully and
think on it carefully, you will come to agree, or at least understand
what I am trying to say.

I do want to say one thing before you start: If you are hypersensitive,
or if you don't like for people to challenge you, or if you can't stand
honest, forthright, and *blunt* criticism of your beliefs, stop reading
now and go find some mindless apologetic drivel to drool over. I won't
pull any punches, and you can't say you weren't warned.

I'm *serious*. If you think Dennis Diehl, Mike Minton, or any of the
other contributors to this site are blunt... I don't think they can
come close to what I am about to unleash. At least I hope they can't.
They are certainly welcome to.

Last chance. This is *not* for people who are going to write to Mike
or me and complain about this. This is not for members of the splinter
groups who are perfectly happy with their "beliefs" and are only here to
get riled up. I promise you, you *will* be offended. Frankly, I *want*
you to be offended if you read this. This is your last chance.

Still around? Good. Let's talk.

First let me outline how I feel about christianity. The lower case 'c',
in this case is intentional, and the reason for that will become clear
as I continue this article.

I wish to make a distinction between Christianity with an uppercase 'C',
and christianity with a lowercase 'c'. Many people, perhaps even most,
do not make such a distinction, and in fact, they bristle at even
the suggestion. They seem to take this as an insult to their God.
Make no mistake, it is.

The distinction is, essentially this:

Christians follow their God. christians (lower case, note) follow
people, things, books... anything to avoid actually doing anything good.
Christians are good. christians are evil. Christians try to make
the world a better place. christians don't care, and usually end up
screwing things up bigtime. Christians will never mention their God to
those who don't care to hear it. christians will do it whether or not
the listener cares. Christians will minister to the poor. christians
will preach to them. Christians will shut up and lead by example.
christians "Do what I mean, not what I say". It just goes on and on...

If you don't agree with this distinction, then you are probably a
christian.

Now that I've managed to make those of you who have ignored my warning
angry, please allow me to rile you up even more. No, I insist. I bet
you can't stop reading now anyway.

I realize that the idea of a Jesus comes only from the bible. I also
realize that the bible is an imperfect book - in fact, I would go so
far as to say that large parts of it are perfectly *evil*. I absolutely
reject the entire old testament, and I reject very large parts of the new.
And, honestly, I don't care much if Jesus was a man or God. I think he
was probably a man. But you know what? Jesus Got It. He understood
the difference between talking and doing - the difference between being
religious and being spiritual.

Jesus hated hypocrites. He hated Scribes and Pharisees and all of those
people in his world who said one thing and did another. He couldn't
stand them, and he did his level best to make life as difficult for them
as possible. And, in time, that got him killed. But he died with no
regrets, and he died willingly. And his understandings moved on, then
got taken out of context, twisted, and turned into something unspeakably
evil and disgusting. And that is catholicism, protestantism, and the
christian religion, and all of the evil that is derived from it.

But I'm not writing this as a particular proponent of any religion,
or even any deity. Far, far from it. I know that's not welcome on
this site, and I don't want to do that. I realize that there are a
lot of sensitive people out there who have been *hurt* by religion -
and it's for you that I'm writing this. I'm writing this to call out
"religious" people for what they are. Bald-faced, unashamed, and
unrepentant *hypocrites*.

"Religious" people are hypocrites because they teach one thing and do
another. They teach "love", yet practice hate by treating homosexuals,
nonbelievers, and pretty much anyone they don't like like utter crap.
They teach "pure religion" but can't even agree amongst each other as
to what that is. They teach "follow the bible", yet they conveniently
explain away anything they don't like, even if it's plain as day sitting
in front of them. They leave logic and reason at the door, and have
managed to replace it with something that has nothing to do with both,
yet they pretend that their faith is the most logical and reasonable
thing in existence. And yet if you challenge them on this, they are
always the ones that howl the loudest. Oh, you'll never catch them in
a fight using anything but dirty, personal, ad hominem tactics.

They are utter, pure, 100% grade A *hypocrites*.

I hate hypocrisy. So, apparently, did Jesus. So, it's pretty safe to
assume that if they're hypocrites, and Jesus hated hypocrites, that even
if he were still alive and were a deity he'd want nothing to do with them.

I wouldn't blame him, neither do I.

Hence the "christian" moniker - with the lower case "c". People who
call themselves by that name but have no idea what love is, no idea how
to treat their neighbors (even to the point of ignoring or purposefully
misunderstanding the clear (for the bible) words right in front of
their noses.

So, all that said - is it any wonder that I hate christianity so much?
Frankly, the only thing that I wonder about is why more don't.

But all that said, I don't hate Christianity. I like Christianity. But I
know only three Christians out of hundreds and hundreds of acquaintances.
Only *three*. Isn't that pitiful? Let me tell you why.

I have a friend who lives in the Netherlands. I will call her M.
A few months ago she raised money, from a concert, to fly to rwanda and
help the genocide victims there. She spent six months. And while she
was thee, she helped people. That was why she went. I don't think she
went as a missionary, or to convert people, her goal was to help them.
And she goes to a church who, she tells me, gives sermons that sound
remarkably like these rants I keep posting in different fora about
hypocritical christians.

So, how many christians do you know who would have done that?

I thought so. Probably none.

Or how about my other Christian friend - who is a psychologist and has
been helping me free of charge for many years just because she knew I
needed help desperately - a situation *caused* by christianity (and yes,
I lump the WCG in with that, because honestly, what's the difference?).
Yes, we discuss religion occasionally, but she tries to see it from my
point of view, never judges, and never tries to convert me.

Three Christians... out of hundreds or thousands of christians. That's a
horrible track record. Absolutely rotten.

And it's about right.

That, my friends, is why I hate christianity. And I bet if you keep
looking, keep exploring, and watch the behaviors of those hypocrites
who call themselves christian, you'll hate it too.

(Mike, please don't Correct the word "christianity" for capitals.
My use of capitals was very carefully thought out.)

--Russell (you may use my email address, I have no reason to hide.)

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