The Fall of Christianity
Every now and then as a writer you hit "the sweet spot" or I should say "the hot spot". Even though I have spent years blogging my thoughts about faith, religion, life, and spirituality, I seldom find that one thing that stirs people up to the point that my writings get read by the masses. The last couple of weeks with my blog "Bruce Jenner" and then my follow up "Caitlyn Jenner" I got some attention. Thank goodness it was both positive and negative, which is fine, I value opinions either way. This morning I would like to write about another controversial topic that I have covered before but this time I will take an angle that I have previously avoided. The topic is "The Fall of Christianity".
If you have studied the history of Christianity including the Bible you will see an amazing and epic journey unfold. There have been good times over the centuries and their have been tough and embarrassing times as well. I have read in history to where true love has guided the movement and I have read where money, power, fear, and wars have guided it too. Either way Christianity has survived to the here and now. Where does it go from here and that is the topic I would like to broach.
Looking back in time Christianity has played off of many variables to gain a foothold in our human faith evolution. We as humans are all seeking that higher level which will guide us to the afterlife. Christianity at it's inception provided us that road map or at least I should say it provided us hope. The map over the centuries became so watered down with influence and agenda's that to some extent it lost it's original meaning.
Unlike anything else in history Christianity has had its fair share of highs and lows. The peaks and valleys come to us because the movement was left to us humans to be carried out. That has led to much interpretation, inspiration, desperation, and deterioration of what the original message contained. As humans we absolutely must inject our emotions and beliefs in that we choose to teach or preach. That in and of itself has created a division so vast that it is near impossible for mere man to bridge it.
As churches in the same religion compete for members we also see clergy with good intentions get lost in the politics of church and soon the flame that was burning wanes to a small ember. Why does it have to be this way? In my simple assessment it doesn't but probably always will. No one seems interested in the human aspect of faith, they only seem interested in what they think the Bible says. With that as the only guidepost it leaves whole segments of society with no road map and no hope. You wonder why we are seeing "The Fall of Christianity". The same thing that they seek to guide it is also destroying it from the inside out. We see committees and faction inside churches trying to protect their own interest regardless whom in may hurt or push away.
In today's society thank God we are enlightened. We have information at our fingertips that was not available to past generations. Now, as it should be, people have questions that deserve answers. We can no longer get away with saying things like "just have faith", "never question the Bible", or "God answers all prayers". The questions have always been there but until recently religions could avert them with fear. The fear based faith drove Christianity for years and now it is driving it away.
People want to be heard, the want to feel a part of something that is bigger than the money and social aspects of church. The want to share an expression of love that this generation truly needs. Even though I am 53 I see clearly that it is our generation that supplies the tools for hate, bigotry, and division to grasp for a foothold. It is the youth generation, the young adults that have a much higher power of enlightenment that we could learn from. I believe you will see a peace and love movement around the world driven by people that challenge what we have forced them to believe. They will save the globe in ways we never imagined. Hate will be replaced with love. Where we see ditches they will build bridges. Where we see obstacles they will see opportunity. Where we THINK satan is infiltrating their minds I pray we will live to see the day that we understand that the true God that creates and loves is guiding them as he tried to guide us. Our selfish behavior that has given way to religious greed and politics will find that it has no home in the world that has found a way for love to flourish.
Just thoughts from an old faithful hippie.
Dale
If you have studied the history of Christianity including the Bible you will see an amazing and epic journey unfold. There have been good times over the centuries and their have been tough and embarrassing times as well. I have read in history to where true love has guided the movement and I have read where money, power, fear, and wars have guided it too. Either way Christianity has survived to the here and now. Where does it go from here and that is the topic I would like to broach.
Looking back in time Christianity has played off of many variables to gain a foothold in our human faith evolution. We as humans are all seeking that higher level which will guide us to the afterlife. Christianity at it's inception provided us that road map or at least I should say it provided us hope. The map over the centuries became so watered down with influence and agenda's that to some extent it lost it's original meaning.
Unlike anything else in history Christianity has had its fair share of highs and lows. The peaks and valleys come to us because the movement was left to us humans to be carried out. That has led to much interpretation, inspiration, desperation, and deterioration of what the original message contained. As humans we absolutely must inject our emotions and beliefs in that we choose to teach or preach. That in and of itself has created a division so vast that it is near impossible for mere man to bridge it.
As churches in the same religion compete for members we also see clergy with good intentions get lost in the politics of church and soon the flame that was burning wanes to a small ember. Why does it have to be this way? In my simple assessment it doesn't but probably always will. No one seems interested in the human aspect of faith, they only seem interested in what they think the Bible says. With that as the only guidepost it leaves whole segments of society with no road map and no hope. You wonder why we are seeing "The Fall of Christianity". The same thing that they seek to guide it is also destroying it from the inside out. We see committees and faction inside churches trying to protect their own interest regardless whom in may hurt or push away.
In today's society thank God we are enlightened. We have information at our fingertips that was not available to past generations. Now, as it should be, people have questions that deserve answers. We can no longer get away with saying things like "just have faith", "never question the Bible", or "God answers all prayers". The questions have always been there but until recently religions could avert them with fear. The fear based faith drove Christianity for years and now it is driving it away.
People want to be heard, the want to feel a part of something that is bigger than the money and social aspects of church. The want to share an expression of love that this generation truly needs. Even though I am 53 I see clearly that it is our generation that supplies the tools for hate, bigotry, and division to grasp for a foothold. It is the youth generation, the young adults that have a much higher power of enlightenment that we could learn from. I believe you will see a peace and love movement around the world driven by people that challenge what we have forced them to believe. They will save the globe in ways we never imagined. Hate will be replaced with love. Where we see ditches they will build bridges. Where we see obstacles they will see opportunity. Where we THINK satan is infiltrating their minds I pray we will live to see the day that we understand that the true God that creates and loves is guiding them as he tried to guide us. Our selfish behavior that has given way to religious greed and politics will find that it has no home in the world that has found a way for love to flourish.
Just thoughts from an old faithful hippie.
Dale
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