Introducing a New Series Called Bad Church

Welcome to my newest Christian Series, dubbed Bad Church. I picked this title for it's human characteristics and qualities. It is really just a metaphor, intended to scold the leaders of Western religious dogma, for not being better teachers and leaders of the Christian faith. As a rule of thumb here in the West, when parents scold a child, they referred to them as being bad. "You bad girl, or You're a very bad boy" are common English phrases used towards kids, when they have gotten themselves into a bit of trouble. Some kids might even be smacked on the hands, if caught with dirty fingers in the cookie jar or something, and then earmarked as bad behavior by the adjective word being exerted afterwards. Whatever the case maybe, bad is used to underscore the event in protest. Well you can say that this new series of mine, is a personal protest against, what I believe to be bad church behavior at our expense, by many of it's dogmatic leaders through out the history of the movement.

During the first two hundred years of the Christian faith and doctrine, early church elders tried desperately to ordain a ministry under a single seal of representation. Unfortunately over time, greed got the best of these religious leaders, and this representation was no longer a positive way of seeking truth, but rather a way to create facts. These miscalculated opinions, cited as facts, soon developed into church dogma. Because of this power, and because these men were weak in their greed, it is my opinion that many of our church elders lost their way and so too, our church lost it's way. The fact that this is still going on should come as no surprise to you, but, what you do from here on out because of it, defines yourself as a Christian (in my opinion).

I also carry the thought that in the wake of this mess, the historical valve of our church has suffer the most. History should not be reported, nor written down with the intention to miscued and hide the truth. Sadly, this is exactly the case concerning the history of the Christian movement. Do you know the real truth from the stated facts, as reported differently in some instances by our own Gospel writers? Why does John write the names of the women standing under Christ's cross, and why does Matthew and Luke only make reference to the women? Well..., if you knew the history surrounding the event, you would know this answer. But without this history, you would have no idea that the Gospel of John's mother was there. John calls her by name, Matthew refers to her as Mary's sister. But that only takes care of one of the women. So, who were the other women there? Better yet, what were their names. I would think since you call yourself a Christian, you would know exactly all four of the women's names without Googling them now. Furthermore, without looking in the bible Christian, I would think you'd also know exactly how each one was related to each other or to Jesus. What did it mean for them being there present at Christ's termination? What did it mean politically to the Roman guard in charge of crowd control, and to the Roman tax collectors collecting fines and burial fees? What did this representation signal to the Roman soldiers slicing through Christ's side cavity, before untying him from the cross? What people what? But wait........., Matthew and Luke don't tell you as much. Ok, why? You call yourself a Christian, so tell me why?

Well for one, Luke wasn't there. Luke wasn't an original disciple. He was probably taking the M-Cat at the time, since (we all know that) Luke was a Greek physician. And Matthew...., the book of Matthew was written down by yet another Greek, a scribe, a mere two hundred years after the death of Christ. History folks is important. It is essential to our belief, and yet it has been nothing but a means for individual gain, rather than a means "to Christ " and being Christ-like in our life's missionary.

You know, it is really no wonder why, Christians have a hard time "rationally and logically" defending their religious beliefs and faith. The Christian faith has no viable history anymore to reference too. It's nothing but a hodge-podge of Christian dogma, which only exists because it somehow found it's way through the many torrid affairs of fighting men opinions, and lost metaphors. This is why we have so many different Christian sects and churches. Do you honestly think it is really necessary to have so many Christian sects? No truly, it is not necessary.

Remember, churches fit the needs of men not the needs of Christ.

Thus, it is my hope to help shed light on many of the different Christian perspectives that bind us together, in hopes to better my fellow Christians knowledge of their faith. I have always wanted to help bring in an educated fold of non-believers to the faith, and ultimately to help balance out some of the lost knowledge that makes Christianity a Christian thing. Meanwhile, turning unknown Christian history into basic, common knowledge to be shared by other Christians, which in-turn aids them in making sound, educated, decisions on what it means to be a Christian.

Christians, especially those in the Protestant and cult-like Christian sects as a general rule of thumb, don't teach any of the factual history that make up the humble beginnings, of our faith into a religion. We are taught the stories of the old testament through out our Sunday School careers, but the know-with-all's of our Christian foundation isn't learned. I find that shameful. How can someone dare to call themselves a Christian, when they clearly lack the basic understanding of what it means to be a Christian? That's like someone saying they love beef, without them never seeing a cow, or eating a piece of beef in their life. To most of us, making such a distinction without the firsthand knowledge of knowing what beef is, or what it tastes like is ABSURD! And yet, over a billion Christians call themselves Christian without any basic information telling them how to know the things that make them Christians, and the differences that bind the Christian faith as one verses another.

Who was Jesus? No..., who was he? Really? Do you honestly know, or do you just know because "your heart" knows. Wrong answer! You don't know Jesus. You haven't a clue as to who he was, how he came to be, who his family was, how they came to be. More importantly without this basic information, it is impossible for you to have a real understanding of the facts, that made him the "son of God" and thus the Messiah. If so, this series isn't for you. Because you'd know then that Christ was first and foremost a Jew who followed Mosaic law feverishly. You know the things that I'm speaking of. Be happy and glad in that knowledge, and let everyone who needs this series, know that it is here with them in mind. Because since you know, well then, you know what having this knowledge feels like inside you, and I would think you'd want to share that feeling with other people. So they too have a chance at being a true and informative believer in Christ. It is a great feeling. Just because you believe in Christ, doesn't make you a true follower of Christ, or a Christian. I cannot stress that enough.

Just because you may pay an offering each Sunday into a Christian Church coffer- doesn't make you Christian. Just the same, paying American taxes doesn't make you an American. Ask all the illegal, Mexican immigrants about that one if you doubt me. They pay American taxes, but, they are still Mexicans.... Just the same, how can we teach Christianity without Jesus Christ? No easier than we could teach American history, without George Washington! The two are too closely intertwined, you cannot teach one without the other. Here in America, children at an early age are taught American history. It is taught side by side with World History, under a collaboration of subjects called Social Studies. This is at the elementary level. In Middle school, Junior High and High School (and on up) it is separated into it's own format; with it's own text books, lectures, propriety and propaganda. It is at this moment in the first grade (age 6) when most children are taught that George Washington was the first President of the United States. As the children grow older, of course more historical information is added to the historical merit.

This basic historical referencing takes moments to memorize, but, the teachings last a lifetime. Without this simple instruction to American History, children would have no starting, reference point on the subject. Essentially, American history would not make any sense, and it would become nothing but a mere subject of "opinions" verses actual historical FACTS! Facts being the key word here, because without the historical facts, something cannot be necessarily, consecrated as factual truth. This is exactly what has happened to Christianity. It lost it's George Washington cliff notes. This right here is where the failure of (early) Christian leaders began, and when the patrons of Christianity, inconsequently began to failed their beloved spiritualist, Jesus Christ. With so much of our basic Christian doctrine, history, and principles being taught without knowing it's origin, it is no wonder there is so much confusion on the issue. No wonder Atheist arguments are usually met with hostility, and why Christians always take the more ardent and aggressive approach to their rebuttals, when discussing their faith. How can someone make a good argument, when they clearly don't know enough to make a case for their positioning? Personally, I found that incredibly irresponsible, to the point of recklessness. When you are passed out drunk, should you drive a car? When you don't know why you believe something, should YOU be the one to witness to somebody about it? NO! So, stop it. You're giving us all a bad reputation. Take on this new series of mine, and learn why it is you are a Christian. You might find that idealistically your views better fit the Islamic faith, now there is a thought for you. But if the shoe fits, wear it is what I'm saying here.

These days Christianity is nothing more than a spin-off from it's original formation. We have seen this occur quite often in our religious faith. Take the relationship between the Lutheran Church and Roman Catholic Church. The Lutheran Church is a knock-off of the Catholic Church. Many of the churches representing the faith today, are simply spin-offs of each other in one way or another.

So I ask, why are you a Baptist? Why are you a Methodist? Why are you Mormon? Why are a Jehovah Witness? Why?

Hopefully you realize that each one of these organization, at one time or another had the same teaching, and were united under the same Christian cause. You do realize that your church was never the first Christian church, and thus not the first to ponder all things Christian. The one thing that makes your church truly unique, is most likely, lost to you and the other believers of your faith. Shouldn't that concern you? My opinion should be quite obvious by now, yes..., I think it should. Because of the one common denominator shared by all churches, Jesus Christ, I liken the history of Christianity to that of a business- a business that would be commonly associated in a Pyramid scheme. At the top of the pyramid is the founder of a product, from there the company growth travels downwards, and completely build itself upon the founder and product. Therefore, all the economical enterprises found underneath the founder only share as their common factor, the product itself, and really by now of their own individual creation and philosophy. As with any business scheme, there is a high risk of fraud involved. The fraud of Christianity, is the failure to educate Christians from the very beginning, under one common doctrine. It was the one true goal of the original seventy disciples, but, the lack thereof, is what has lead led to all the misunderstandings and misnomers of our religious faith's pyramid.

Bad church, bad, bad, bad!

Needless to say, it is really going to up to you to educate yourself in all things Christian. I hope you will find this new series candid, but helpful.

Thank you for wanting to be a better Christian through Jesus.