I've had a strong calling to me tonight to become a preacher.
Of course, that would probably be retarded, but I've got soo much on my mind lately when it comes to religion, so I figure here is as good as any other place to state my opinion and my beliefs.
If I can get one person to believe with me, I must be doing something right, huh?
I've looked at the world today.
I've looked to the left.
I've looked to the right.
And I've looked under my bed. (No Boogey-Man).
It upsets me, it really does.
Atheism is not new to the world, nor was it ever uncommon amongst people within the past few years. But it just seems to me that the amount of people that have no faith in anything is so high anymore and it's really upsetting.
p0rn p0rn p0rn (I just wrote this because i figured it would keep your attention. Pervert :-P )
I've never REALLY tried to change anyones mind about religion. I'm a Christian, despite not going to Church. And no, I'm not one of those people who SAY they are a Christian, but really don't seem to believe any of the crap they say. I AM a Christian, and anyone who has a deep conversation with me will understand that. I don't wear nice clothes all the time, I cuss like a sailor, and I've had my share of sins. I sin everyday, and I don't doubt it. I try to do my best, and it is all I can do. I do the best I can to better myself in His eyes, and I know that He sees that.
But before I get to that... let us look at some signs of this.
Society just seems to slowly be breaking down. I try to be optimistic but unless things change we are going to fall down hard as a society. I don't think we can predict the end of the world anytime soon, but I do almost predict a fall in society within my lifetime.
I know a young lady who is only 15 years old and is already sexually active.
I also know a girl in the 6th grade who has had a 6th grade boy tell her that he wanted to have sex with her.
Is this not ridiculous?
And there is a book (I believe) looking at the belief that highschool and middle school kids have replaced relationships and love with... lust and sex.
Could this be true?
I fear it is.
These are people I know. 15 years old and having sex? This is from a person I've known for ATLEAST 6 years, if not longer. I've known this girl since she was .. damn young.
And the other girl in the 6th grade, same thing. I've known her since I was in the 10th grade or something, and these 6th graders are already thinking this? In my 6th grade class, people were more concerned about just saying that they were dating, and maybe a quick kiss.
And yes, there is part of me that blames this on religion being so less meaningful. People don't want to save themselves, even for a little bit.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect. I don't believe in waiting till marriage to have sex. I DO, however, believe that it does need to be with somebody that you truly love and you are truly close to (if you are from West Virginia, this would include your imediate family members... JUST PLAYING!!).
And because of that belief, I have sinned. I will try to work on that belief, but until then, I am in constant sin.
This will not send me to Hell.
And FINALLY, I get to my main point.
I blame the lack of religion.. on churches. Not all churches are to blame, but a lot of them are the same and have the same characteristics;
We live in a society now (and probably before) in which people are automatically trying to teach people to fear God.
We go to churches in which people hide who they really are every Sunday, just so they can look like good religious people.
We don't get told about how God forgives nearly as much as we are told about how he has punished.
We are told to believe that people who commit adultery are no longer Christian, and that they are just pretending to be.
We are told that Homosexuality is a crime, punishible by hatred of fellow Christians.
And this is scaring people away. Maybe not the older people, but our younger people.
It's so weird to see that the majority of the kids I know don't really care about church anymore. Youth are becoming so down on church, and it DOES depress me.
Maybe it isn't being down on CHURCH that bugs me, but God himself.
As youth, we need to be told that God doesn't hate. That is all you hear anymore. God Hates. That isn't true. Homosexuality is NOT okay (as according to God/The Bible)... but it's not sending you straight to hell. If you HONESTLY believe you are gay, then he KNOWS that. If you are a devout, gay, Christian, then you have sinned by being gay.
(My point for the following statements are to prove what a lot of Church tries to show you, and Christians try to show you. It is for the purpose of saying "This is one of the reasons people are turned off to Christianity, and also what Churches won't tell you".)
I have nothing to really back this up, but just read it.
1 Corinthians 6:9 GWT: Don't you know that wicked people won't inherit the kingdom of God? Stop deceiving yourselves! People who continue to commit sexual sins, who worship false gods, those who commit adultery, homosexuals,
So.. you read that. And this is what most anti-homosexuals use for Church reasons. This is pretty much the only thing the Bible says about homosexuality. Not let me get to the next part of this...
1 Corinthians 6:10 GWT: or thieves, those who are greedy or drunk, who use abusive language, or who rob people will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Now, this is putting people who have sinned through homosexuality in the same phrase as those who are greedy, and drunk, and use abusive language. I've heard some of the old cranky men in church AFTER they leave. They cuss like something gross!
So... homosexuality is in the same category as that.
Abortion would be the same as murdering somebody, and "Thou Shall Not Kill".
If you realize that abortion is wrong, or that you've aborted a child for a UNJUST reason (don't argue rape or incest, because those are quite justified reasons for aborting a child), and you've repented, then you have shown something to God. You've shown that you are sorry for your sins, and you are going to try to become a better person.
And, according to the Bible, homosexuality is a sin. God doesn't hate, or he wouldn't have sent his son. Sins are forgiven. If you truly believe you are Gay, God will see through that. People will sin until they die... and as it goes..
Romans 3:23 KJV: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
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My rant wasn't very good, but I hope I made some of you think.
You can't just fall into Churches anymore. You can't let them turn you away from religion, turn you away from God. Whether you are gay, aborted a child, you dress different, your cuss a lot, or you're ugly (hehe)... God is going to treat you differently than a Church might.
Churches need to start something new. God is Love, God is NOT hate.
And if I can get anyone to learn to have Faith. Not believe in the negative things about life that Church tells you, not just look for "Physical proof", and to stop the millions of people that try to discredit God, Jesus, and the Bible... if I can teach even just one person that you just need FAITH, I'm going to be happy person.
God is NOT church.
Nor is He physical.
But you need to have faith. Look around you, because once you realize he is REALLY there... you know it. You can see it in little things, and you can feel it.
I hope people soon learn to not try to prove or disprove God, because it's just causing difficulty. The only proof you need is life, the miracles in life, and the Bible as your guide.
So if you go to Church just because you are "supposed" to, I ask that you actually listen to the words of the scripture, not just the preacher. Don't listen to the people trying to interpret God and the Bible, listen to your heart, as cliche as that sounds.
He's there... you just need to open your eyes.
...
I've never REALLY tried to change anyones mind about religion. I'm a Christian, despite not going to Church. And no, I'm not one of those people who SAY they are a Christian, but really don't seem to believe any of the crap they say. I AM a Christian, and anyone who has a deep conversation with me will understand that. I don't wear nice clothes all the time, I cuss like a sailor, and I've had my share of sins. I sin everyday, and I don't doubt it. I try to do my best, and it is all I can do. I do the best I can to better myself in His eyes, and I know that He sees that.
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