When did Christianity become a religion focused on our rights as followers of Jesus? Why is it so prevalent to demand to have our way in society, to be in control,
to practice our religion so vigorously, often viciously, and to demand
others conform to our way of thinking, doing and being? Why, in essence,
have the teachings of Jesus been turned upside down? He calls us to
exhibit humility and mercy, live with grace and forgiveness, not
practice our religion just to be noticed and to put the needs of others
ahead of our own. He commands us to love all, even our enemies. Is
Christianity in our country lining up with what he requires?
Religion seems to have commandeered politics or perhaps politicians have
hijacked
Christianity, but the mixing of the two is muddying both, and the murky
results are suffocating what is best about both institutions in this
country. I cannot remember a single instance of having my religious
rights violated, and I wonder how many other readers who are followers
of Christ can name a time when they have not had the freedom to practice
their religion. If Christians are truly being oppressed in the United
States, I have yet to see it.
It seems the right to pray
publicly, whenever and wherever anyone desires, is at the crux of what
irks so many, but what did Jesus say about that? Here is what he said,
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by
them...When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites, for they
love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so
that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward
in full. But you, when you pray, go into your
inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret,
and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." (Matt.
6:1 and 5-6) What part of this scripture seems unclear? What other
evidence can anyone present to claim Jesus intended prayer was meant to
be a public spectacle?
Many are demanding a right which Jesus
never bestowed. Prayer is to be a reverent, sacred and private matter,
not an exercise in drawing attention to ourselves. Even within a church
worship setting, we are warned not to make a commotion with our prayers.
Spiritual matters, in general, are to be cultivated in the quiet places
of our hearts and minds, the result being, when believers are in
public, their peaceful, helpful, loving attitudes shine forth, not the
political bloviating we've seen in recent days. Jesus did not establish a
religion designed to demand our rights be upheld. He proclaimed a Way
which means we are responsible for
treating others as we wish to be treated. Let us stop demanding rights.
Instead, let us do right.
This is the point I've been driving for some time.
ReplyDeleteAnd we just have to keep on drivin'!
ReplyDeleteThe part that galls me is that (as you said) "Many are demanding a right which Jesus never bestowed" - and doing so precisely in the name of the One who never bestowed it.
ReplyDeleteI find it fascinating that folks actually believe nonsense like this: "The Rev. Terry Hodges of First Baptist Church in Odessa, Missouri, and reverend of Mike McGhee, the sponsor of the bill during the legislative session, stated, 'For first 150 years in this country Christianity enjoyed home-field advantage. That's changed and now there's a hostility toward Christians.' "
Really?!? In *Mizzourah*? One of the many buckles of the Bible Belt, in the heart of Jesusland?...
What this boils down to is what Mel White described in "Stranger At The Gate" - creating a false enemy "them" that all of the folks who think they are "us" can be against. And when reasonable people like you say, "There is no 'they' - you could have prayed just as easily on August 1 as you can now," the 82% of Missouri voters who voted for this will say, "NOOOO!.... you LIE, you KNOW that The Church is under attack! That's why we need our guns, you know... to protect our sacred way of life."
Of course, the folks who are lined-up as "them" are no more threat to the "us" people than the Jews were to Germany. But once there are "them," then the "us" of the world can mobilize, galvanize, and trample "them" without guilt - because "as everyone knows, they are the enemy."
It makes me just want to weep, sometimes.
Steve, I do so appreciate your comments, and they are absolutely accurate observations.
ReplyDeleteIt is heartbreaking to know how Jesus prayed, in his "last prayer" (disciple's prayer) for the unity of his followers, and to see how far away we are from the standards he set.
As for hostility toward "Christians," that is likely to become a self-fulfilling prophecy...I certainly don't have any warm, fuzzy feelings towards Hodges and McGhee and those of their ilk, and many others are also growing impatient with the behavior of those claiming to follow that brand of Christianity (I hope).