Religious Bullying
Lately I have been thinking and studying about religious bullying and friendship. Granted the two subjects are totally different but in some ways there are similarities. It was not my intent to write about the two in the same reflection so as my fingers tap the letters I may drift away from one of them.
I believe in my heart that religion should be about the expression of love and respect yet somehow as time goes it moves toward hate almost without people noticing it. Friendships are made and broken in the name of religion. Governments rise and fall in the name of religion. Preachers love to shout the fears of hell to sinners not realizing that their act sends people away not draws them in.
It is refreshing to see people that have received Christ into their heart. They often times are so moved with joy that they just have to share their new found love with everyone especially family and friends. When this enthusiasm falls on deaf ears friendships and relationships are harmed. A large majority of the time the person with the new faith loses what they have and says heck with it why bother.
In life religion and faith will be an up and down battle. There will be times when we all have those righteous days or years and then there are times when we drift away, wake up, or simply change. Basically nothing in life is so static that time can't change it. Friendships face that same cycle as the winds of times blow us around. In the age of social media you see emotions played out on computer screens with words like :just sayin", or "you know who you are". Good intentioned friends often reply with kind words of support or share an emotion of their own. The social media neighborhood has created a haven to where people try to lash out without using names of the person they are attacking. Bullying is rising to a fever pitch in our churches as well as on our computer screens.
Where does it end? I think it probably doesn't sad to say. As people of faith we have to learn to gird our tongues and forgive those who trespass against us. Remember everyone has a story and at any given time life can be so stressful that baring it for another minute can seem impossible. The least things can trigger a mental meltdown. Our means of handling that meltdown is an explosion or further emotional meltdown via the social media network. Many will tell that it has become their coping device, I would challenge that because an expression of anger and harboring ill will can manifest itself in down right hate and division when it is played out in an arena that has winners and losers.
Bullying by the bully most often goes unseen. The person that sees it is the victim. How do you become a victim? In religion it is the righteous that cast the spell of hate on you. If you are not one of us you must be against us is the theme expressed in many churches today. Tough love as it is called can be a subtle attempt at hate. When people tell you that you are going to hell because!!! be careful at who you are listening to. Fear motivation is powerful but it does not last. What does last and moves the masses is love and respect for your fellow man. Love in good times and love in bad times. No life survives without some form of calamity. There will be many trials and errors to face. Christ knew that which is why his model of love caught on yet it struggles now to be shared in the way it was first expressed. Love for Christ does not come in the form of building committees that force the people to grow or go. Love for Christ is not about what you have in your bank account, it is what you have in your heart. The simple, broken, drunk, low down, good for nothing person (analogy) can be as close or closer to Christ than the so called righteous religious that adorns him or herself with the image of holiness.
The point i wish I could make here is to simply love yourself and one another. Let's get hate and bitterness out of our hearts and make room for love and respect. It feels so much better to forgive than it does to harbor. There is NO WAY we can move forward if we are weighed down by division. The building of the bridge starts with each of us.
This reflection was not so much written to be shared it was written to clear my head. If I share it I hope you can find some meaning in my meandering. Life is great when you are living a dream and trust me that dream can come back to life today.
peace to you
Dale
I believe in my heart that religion should be about the expression of love and respect yet somehow as time goes it moves toward hate almost without people noticing it. Friendships are made and broken in the name of religion. Governments rise and fall in the name of religion. Preachers love to shout the fears of hell to sinners not realizing that their act sends people away not draws them in.
It is refreshing to see people that have received Christ into their heart. They often times are so moved with joy that they just have to share their new found love with everyone especially family and friends. When this enthusiasm falls on deaf ears friendships and relationships are harmed. A large majority of the time the person with the new faith loses what they have and says heck with it why bother.
In life religion and faith will be an up and down battle. There will be times when we all have those righteous days or years and then there are times when we drift away, wake up, or simply change. Basically nothing in life is so static that time can't change it. Friendships face that same cycle as the winds of times blow us around. In the age of social media you see emotions played out on computer screens with words like :just sayin", or "you know who you are". Good intentioned friends often reply with kind words of support or share an emotion of their own. The social media neighborhood has created a haven to where people try to lash out without using names of the person they are attacking. Bullying is rising to a fever pitch in our churches as well as on our computer screens.
Where does it end? I think it probably doesn't sad to say. As people of faith we have to learn to gird our tongues and forgive those who trespass against us. Remember everyone has a story and at any given time life can be so stressful that baring it for another minute can seem impossible. The least things can trigger a mental meltdown. Our means of handling that meltdown is an explosion or further emotional meltdown via the social media network. Many will tell that it has become their coping device, I would challenge that because an expression of anger and harboring ill will can manifest itself in down right hate and division when it is played out in an arena that has winners and losers.
Bullying by the bully most often goes unseen. The person that sees it is the victim. How do you become a victim? In religion it is the righteous that cast the spell of hate on you. If you are not one of us you must be against us is the theme expressed in many churches today. Tough love as it is called can be a subtle attempt at hate. When people tell you that you are going to hell because!!! be careful at who you are listening to. Fear motivation is powerful but it does not last. What does last and moves the masses is love and respect for your fellow man. Love in good times and love in bad times. No life survives without some form of calamity. There will be many trials and errors to face. Christ knew that which is why his model of love caught on yet it struggles now to be shared in the way it was first expressed. Love for Christ does not come in the form of building committees that force the people to grow or go. Love for Christ is not about what you have in your bank account, it is what you have in your heart. The simple, broken, drunk, low down, good for nothing person (analogy) can be as close or closer to Christ than the so called righteous religious that adorns him or herself with the image of holiness.
The point i wish I could make here is to simply love yourself and one another. Let's get hate and bitterness out of our hearts and make room for love and respect. It feels so much better to forgive than it does to harbor. There is NO WAY we can move forward if we are weighed down by division. The building of the bridge starts with each of us.
This reflection was not so much written to be shared it was written to clear my head. If I share it I hope you can find some meaning in my meandering. Life is great when you are living a dream and trust me that dream can come back to life today.
peace to you
Dale
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