What bothers you about Christianity?

[sue]

I apologize in advance if this question has already been asked.

What, if anything, bothers you about Christianity? To clarify, by this question I don't mean to ask "what is it that bothers you about Christians, or certain Christians you have met". What is it about the religion itself that you don't like, and why?

For myself, it's this:
-The emphasis on salvation. This seems like an awfully selfish approach.
-The emphasis on Christ's death. This seems like an awfully guilt-ridden approach.

[Galphanore]

I'd have to say that it has something to do with the more I find out about the religion, and the more of it's holy book and officially agreed upon views the more it appears that it is all based on belief in a murderous, jealous, sadistic child who likes to break his toys.


....I don't mean to sound bitter, really.

[leiaxe]

For me, I would have to say

1 - The idea of "you're bound for hell unless...", which looks at humanity as well, inherently bad.

2 - The very idea of redemption. How does somebody's death atone for my sins?

3 - Its past, not only in terms of its legacy but also some of its more ancient passages which are barbaric.

And come to think of it,

4 - Critical thought seems discouraged, i.e. the position that reason is fundamentally inadequate, therefore, blind faith.

[Student Nurse]

- the guilt-riddenness of being human (if I ever did anything that a Christian thought was "selfish" then I was made to feel guilty over it, even if it was just taking some time for myself etc)

- women always being told to submit and never question anything

- no tolerance for anyone who differs from yourself (being told not to have an "unbeliever" as your best friend, being anti-gay marriage, anti-abortion etc without actually hearing out what the other side has to say)

- accepting everything on faith without having evidence (ex. ID/creationism)

I'm sure my list could go on and on...

[Student Nurse]

Christianity where...

... god takes credit for all the good things you do and you're left with taking responsibility for the bad stuff.

... masturbators, consentual homosexuals and adulterers are on equal "moral" footing with rapists, murderers and child molesters.

... the old testament encourages murder. You murder your kids for talking back to you. You murder your wife for not obeying you. You murder your neighbors for worshipping other gods. Christians believe there's something in the NT that negates this and it's a good thing they do.

... 1800 year old unsupported propaganda is "fact" and modern day supported scientific advancement is "fiction".

... centuries of murdering unbelievers and heretics has yeilded a "religion of tolerance and love" that "all historians accept".

... women should just shut up and obey their husbands.



Yup. Sounds like a great religion.

I've heard some Christians say, "the bible never tells us to murder" especially since the writing of the NT. But all of what you say is correct - not to mention all the Holy Wars that occurred in the 1500s or whatever century it was!

I agree- it does sound like a great religion, doesn't it?

[Cathar1950]

Christianity where...

... god takes credit for all the good things you do and you're left with taking responsibility for the bad stuff.

... masturbators, consentual homosexuals and adulterers are on equal "moral" footing with rapists, murderers and child molesters.

... the old testament encourages murder. You murder your kids for talking back to you. You murder your wife for not obeying you. You murder your neighbors for worshipping other gods. Christians believe there's something in the NT that negates this and it's a good thing they do.

... 1800 year old unsupported propaganda is "fact" and modern day supported scientific advancement is "fiction".

... centuries of murdering unbelievers and heretics has yeilded a "religion of tolerance and love" that "all historians accept".

... women should just shut up and obey their husbands.



Yup. Sounds like a great religion.

I've heard some Christians say, "the bible never tells us to murder" especially since the writing of the NT. But all of what you say is correct - not to mention all the Holy Wars that occurred in the 1500s or whatever century it was!

I agree- it does sound like a great religion, doesn't it?

It can't be the poor press it has recived.
According to Acts God stuck a man and wife dead because they held back property or money.

[Confused]

While I agree with most of the assertion here, I will tell you what honestly bothers me more than anything else. The hypocrisy. The superior holier than thou, I am better than you because God chose to allow me to have a relationship with him while he ignored you attitude. The fact that The largest majority of them have the nerve to sit in their perfect homes, with their perfect families, and pretend that the world is just perfect. Meanwhile you have families like mine was growing up where 9 children lived in a house of <2000 square feet in North Pole Alaska, being raised by a single mother, never home because she has to work 3 jobs, never knowing if you will eat that day or if the heater will work that night. Growing up we were white trash. During the Christmas season usually the Christians took pity on us and gave us the food for a true Christmas dinner. But the rest of the year, they avoided us like the plague. Do you think they once told their children that they shouldn't pick on the less fortunate? Nope. I know this because I asked several of them. Not a single religious family ever once had a nice thing to say about us. None of us caused trouble. We raised ourselves. We had no childhood. None of us ended up in jail or are homeless. We were good kids, we just had nothing. Even now, I have been to multiple churches honestly trying to find this path to God and because of my sons issues, he has never lasted through 2-3 sunday school settings, so they say he can't come, but I can. Like rejecting my son but allowing me to be saved was some sort of prize. Few actually practice what they preach unless it serves their purpose.
How can one believe in a false faith. I can only say it is false because those who supposedly have it do a good job of not showing it.

But overall, it's the hypocrisy that gets me the most ticked off.

[McCulloch]

[Cryopyre]

Definitely the way the heaven is viewed as a VIP accessed place. Where only people from one religion will live. In fact, that is what bothers me about most monotheistic religions.

The other thing I don't like is its punishment, the way that eternal suffering is granted to someone who commits a finite crime.

[Confused]

Definitely the way the heaven is viewed as a VIP accessed place. Where only people from one religion will live. In fact, that is what bothers me about most monotheistic religions.

The other thing I don't like is its punishment, the way that eternal suffering is granted to someone who commits a finite crime.

Are you really only 14? The last thing I was thinking about at 14 was finite crime and eternal suffering. Aren't you suppose to still be in the indestructible phase like the typical teenager. I am just kidding. If you are 14 I would say that you have much insight for one so young.

[Saros]

The hypocrisy and the picking and choosing of bible verses. For example Leviticus states that homosexuality is an abomination yet it also says eating shellfish is a sin and that having slaves is acceptable. How many Christians will follow all three of those? even only 2 of them?