I've found myself in the midst of an odd phenomenon that I have no explanation for. Lately I've been having to explain Christian religion to Christians. Is there really such deficiency in their knowledge and understanding of their own religion and history that I - a definite Pagan - have to explain to them why they believe what they believe, what their god is, what the stories in their bible mean, and how these stories are intended to be received by them? Even my father, who told me when I asked him as a small child why he never went to church with us - "they're not going to teach me anything I don't already know" - has had to be schooled by me. And HE was going to be a minister at one time!
Hey! Better me than Fred Phelps or John Hagee I guess but I still want to know why they have so little knowledge and understanding of their own religion. There's also a recent trend within Christian churches and classes that includes trying to incorporate Hebrew language usage into their vernacular to create an atmosphere of great authenticity - it's laughable especially since it's all so sadly inaccurate. The number of followers of Christianity who know nothing about their religion (and I'm not talking about fundamentalist interpretation - just knowing who's who in their scripture and understanding the historical aspects of the stories) is really appalling. I could argue what should be their perspective better than the majority of them but I won't bother. It's not my job to educate them but it does get tiresome trying to have a reasonable conversation about their own religion when they know nothing about it. I don't need them to understand dates, major players of all regions during these times, or to be able to name of scripture -chapter and verse. Just learn SOMETHING. And if you really want to learn something truly interesting - study it from perspectives OTHER than just Christian ministers who continue to perpetuate the ignorance with their meager understandings! My own mother came to a battle of wits unarmed and when she heard my answered and was thus thoroughly confused by it she "offered" to take my perspective to her church and give me the answers she could cull from her mentors there who are most certainly steeped in nothing but Christian (mis)understanding!
Look, I don't usually criticize Christianity on this blog. It's not my religion and frankly I don't care. I have nothing bad to say about Christianity per se` though the practitioners of that religion do chap my ass on occasion. But perhaps if they spent time actually learning about their religion they'd have less time for damning everyone else to some eternal hot place. In fact, they might learn just what that "hot" place is supposed to be, who does(n't) reside there, what is considered the reason(s) people are sent "there", and what the purpose of it really was. The answers would be shocking to them for sure!
Just a thought.
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2 comments:
I know what you mean. I grew up in a pentacostal family with a pastor as a grandfather. I am thougoughly a pagan and my Mom isnt so longhaired, skirt oriented, sans makeup any more lol...shes more of a non church going christian now. But I have christian friends and I dont know who knows more about their god. them or the pagan lol! It really is sad. After explaining the god, holy spirit and jesus thing a million times I almost feel like letting them sink. but that wouldnt be very pagan of me. :)
This is common in other established religions too. There is a doctrine that people do not know about or understand, and there are also various sects with more doctrines. I think people try to fit in, but since it's not really their thing they put no effort into trying to understand what they are trying to stand by.
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