What's Wrong with Christianity
Have you heard the fairy tale story about the boy who cried, "wolf." He kept crying wolf to get attention and as a practical joke.
But then one day he was outside playing and all of a sudden a real wolf was there, but when he cried wolf, no one came.
Something similar applies to Christianity - not the real Christianity, but the one that you are undoubtedly familiar with.
Christians in name only have made many claims, but being without real power, they are not credible.
Those who are fooled are led astray and eventually disappointed when they discover they have been betrayed.
There is a real Christianity, but in order to find it, you have to see through the false variety. It is okay not to believe the false variety. In fact it is positively good not to believe the false variety when you see that it is false in Light of the real thing.
So if you see entertainers prancing about on the stage and using clever techniques to fool and impress people, don't be disturbed. Just see that they are not the real thing, that's all.
And this is even more important. Don't resent them. Look, if they are in error, they are misguided.
Here's an example. There is a soup that comes in a can that claims to be "good." Yet it is loaded with monosodium glutamate and genetically modified organisms (GMO vegetables). It's mostly also loaded with salt.
If you see someone who is fooled by the clever advertising, the sport star shills who sell themselves for a buck, or the clever packaging, don't you have compassion for those who are fooled? Of course you do. You don't hate them. You have compassion and you might even try to help them by pointing out, with kindness, what is wrong with what they are eating.
Some of you had parents who made some mistakes. Don't hate them.
Some of you have known Christians who were were wrong in some way and who tempted you to judge them. Some were weak and tempted you to be contemptuous.
Can you see that if they tempted you to be judgmental and contemptuous, they were not real Christians at all? If they were, there would be no temptation in them.
There is an old expression "to throw the baby out with the bathwater." It means that we must not throw away something that is good with what is not so good. Just because some Christians are in error or are not very good representatives does not mean that there is no such thing as real Christianity.
Just because the naughty boy cried wolf all the time does mean that there is not a real wolf. Just because one corporate soup is deceptive does not mean that there is no such thing as really healthy soup.
Keep searching. Keep seeking. Be aware and mindful. If you see error, don't hate the person who is in error. They are lost too. They just don't know it. One day you will realize that when you see error, it is because something is showing you the error. The light in which you see is the real truth. It quietly shines a light on things and wordless says "that's not it."
Christ spoke in parable because though some are blessed to see and understand, others have not yet reached understanding, so the parables are for them. Therefore, do not resent Christians who say the right things, but don't fully understand or live what they are saying.
Have compassion.
How do you know that you are not in error too? Wait, watch, observe. I love the story about a man who was lost in the forest. He looked and looked an could not find his way out. Then he encountered another man who was also lost. The second man said "let's get together and help each other find the way out. How can you help me, said the first man, you are lost too. Yes, said the second man, but we can show each other the ways that don't work.
But then one day he was outside playing and all of a sudden a real wolf was there, but when he cried wolf, no one came.
Something similar applies to Christianity - not the real Christianity, but the one that you are undoubtedly familiar with.
Christians in name only have made many claims, but being without real power, they are not credible.
Those who are fooled are led astray and eventually disappointed when they discover they have been betrayed.
There is a real Christianity, but in order to find it, you have to see through the false variety. It is okay not to believe the false variety. In fact it is positively good not to believe the false variety when you see that it is false in Light of the real thing.
So if you see entertainers prancing about on the stage and using clever techniques to fool and impress people, don't be disturbed. Just see that they are not the real thing, that's all.
And this is even more important. Don't resent them. Look, if they are in error, they are misguided.
Here's an example. There is a soup that comes in a can that claims to be "good." Yet it is loaded with monosodium glutamate and genetically modified organisms (GMO vegetables). It's mostly also loaded with salt.
If you see someone who is fooled by the clever advertising, the sport star shills who sell themselves for a buck, or the clever packaging, don't you have compassion for those who are fooled? Of course you do. You don't hate them. You have compassion and you might even try to help them by pointing out, with kindness, what is wrong with what they are eating.
Some of you had parents who made some mistakes. Don't hate them.
Some of you have known Christians who were were wrong in some way and who tempted you to judge them. Some were weak and tempted you to be contemptuous.
Can you see that if they tempted you to be judgmental and contemptuous, they were not real Christians at all? If they were, there would be no temptation in them.
There is an old expression "to throw the baby out with the bathwater." It means that we must not throw away something that is good with what is not so good. Just because some Christians are in error or are not very good representatives does not mean that there is no such thing as real Christianity.
Just because the naughty boy cried wolf all the time does mean that there is not a real wolf. Just because one corporate soup is deceptive does not mean that there is no such thing as really healthy soup.
Keep searching. Keep seeking. Be aware and mindful. If you see error, don't hate the person who is in error. They are lost too. They just don't know it. One day you will realize that when you see error, it is because something is showing you the error. The light in which you see is the real truth. It quietly shines a light on things and wordless says "that's not it."
Christ spoke in parable because though some are blessed to see and understand, others have not yet reached understanding, so the parables are for them. Therefore, do not resent Christians who say the right things, but don't fully understand or live what they are saying.
Have compassion.
How do you know that you are not in error too? Wait, watch, observe. I love the story about a man who was lost in the forest. He looked and looked an could not find his way out. Then he encountered another man who was also lost. The second man said "let's get together and help each other find the way out. How can you help me, said the first man, you are lost too. Yes, said the second man, but we can show each other the ways that don't work.
