I'm not Christian, I don't believe in following the bible as law or in damnation to hell because I don't go to church and blah blah blah, but it seems I follow the ideals more than ACTUAL "GOOD" CHRISTIANS DO.
I've read sections of the bible, it's a great metaphorical work **imho**, that helps people to learn one simple thing. Don't be an asshole. Jesus tolerated other people's beliefs and feelings, their differences, and still treated them as family. So why do "good" Christians, who claim to be following his path and trying to live as he did, fail SO MISERABLY in doing so?
Is it really so hard to not walk around yelling "YOU'RE GOING TO HELL BECAUSE YOU DON'T GO TO CHURCH!"? Is it really so hard to accept that other people believe differently from you? Is it -really so hard- to be NICE to people who just happen to not be from the same church?
I've never found a single entry in the bible that condones the abuse of others because they don't follow your path. I never -once- read a segment where Jesus told someone who refused his faith "well then you're going to hell." In fact, did he not die for EVERYONE'S sins? Not -just- the ones that followed him?
The bible, and everything written in it are words, and words are subject to interpretation of man. Hence why so many -different- interpretations of the same book exist. Who is to say which is right and which is wrong? It SURELY is not the job of man, who by their own admission is imperfect and sins daily, no?
All that sums up to, WHY ARE THEY SO DAMN IGNORANT? People like this shun the outside world and cluster themselves with like-minded individuals, damning everyone around them, feeling secure that their afterlife will be a pleasant one, while the next group over does the exact same thing. If this is the world that their "God" intended, then I surely want no part in their salvation.
If you're wondering where this is coming from, it's from my situation with Tommy. His parents automatically assume I'm evil because I'm bi and non-christian. OH HEAVEN FORBID HE SHOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT BELIEF THAN US HE MUST BE CORRUPTING OUR SON! "Bad company corrupts bad morals" is all they seem to see, and they seem to ignore everything else in the process. I'm not doing anything to hurt Tommy here; he's not doing drugs, drinking, failing school, committing crimes, or anything, and HE'S SMILING, OH HEAVEN FORBID I SHOULD PUT A SMILE ON HIS FACE!
And I won't even get into the evidence from their own books that support us as a couple (and that they would likely dismiss anyway, seeing as they're apparently given free reign to interpret two ADJACENT SENTENCES in the Bible differently, much less entire sections)
Sorry for the rant, I had to get it off my chest somewhere.
Reply if you feel the need, or could possibly offer some insight, idk, I just needed a rant.
I in -no- way am insulting Christianity or any related religion, nor am I condemning them (in fact, I think Christianity, in its essence, is a great thing). What I am condemning are people who take the religion and use it as a reason to elevate themselves above everyone around them, and who are ignorant, hypocritical bastards who couldn't follow the path they claim to, if it was footprints in sand, yet still claim to be "good christians"