http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/13/bakker.brown.commentary/index.html
What the hell happened? Where did we go wrong? How was Christianity
co-opted by a political party? Why are Christians supporting laws that
force others to live by their standards? The answers to these questions
are integral to the survival of Christianity.While the current
state of Christianity might seem normal and business-as-usual to some,
most see through the judgment and hypocrisy that has permeated the
church for so long. People witness this and say to themselves, "Why
would I want to be a part of that?" They are turned off by Christians
and eventually, to Christianity altogether. We can't even count the
number of times someone has given us a weird stare or completely
brushed us off when they discover we work for a church. (Watch how self-proclaimed punk preacher Jay Bakker has found his own niche in the Christian community  ) So
when did the focus of Christianity shift from the unconditional love
and acceptance preached by Christ to the hate and condemnation spewed
forth by certain groups today? Some say it was during the rise of
Conservative Christianity in the early 1980s with political action
groups like the Moral Majority. Others say it goes way back to the
300s, when Rome's Christian Emperor Constantine initiated a set of laws
limiting the rights of Roman non-Christians. Regardless of the origin,
one thing is crystal clear: It's not what Jesus stood for. His
parables and lessons were focused on love and forgiveness, a message of
"come as you are, not as you should be." The bulk of his time was spent
preaching about helping the poor and those who are unable to help
themselves. At the very least, Christians should be counted on to lend
a helping hand to the poor and others in need. This brings us to
the big issues of American Christianity: Abortion and gay marriage.
These two highly debatable topics will not be going away anytime soon.
Obviously, the discussion centers around whether they are right or
wrong, but is the screaming really necessary? After years of witnessing
the dark side of religion, Marc and I think not. Christians
should be able to look past their differences and agree to disagree.
This allows people to discuss issues with respect for one another.
Christians are called to love others just as they are, without an
agenda. Only then will Christianity see a return to its roots: Loving
God with all of your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself. The
Apostle Paul describes this idea of love beautifully in 1 Corinthians
13:4-7: "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or
proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and
it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about
injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives
up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every
circumstance." But don't take our word for it; look at what
Jesus and his followers stood for in his time and what Christianity
stands for today. Then come to your own conclusion.
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