Abusive Religion

[Kura Ookami]

How do you deal with abusive religion? Because it does exist and it hurts millions of people every day and has done for centuries. Jesus Himself faced abusive religion in the pharises and their rules and regulations. Religion is one of the things we need to dave people from and christianity is a religion and it can become destrictive and oppressive. I've seen it happen all too often.

Many teenagers commit suicide because religion has made them believe that God does not love them. Religion is the number one reason why wats begin and is probably the worlds number one killer.Religion without God's love kills.

How do we fight abusive religion? I wish i had the answer and that's why im making this thread. Maybe this will help others who have been hurt by abusive religion too.It's sad, but religion isnt all good, christianity isnt all good.If it's all good then why did Jesus Himself go against the christians of His day, the pharises? Even today the cheif sponsor of the terrorists who destroy everything and kill thousands is religion itself.

What can we do to fight the destructive side of religion?

[bigsleepj]

This thread is probably going to get closed because of the forum rules, but usually theological debates are encouraged on other groups (like theologyweb.com I think) because of the different views everyone have on this subject might divide the CAA. Thing is this is this isn't a issue one can just push aside and pretend doesn't happen and there are many reason this could happen. There is no neat little answer to clear this up. THere are many things that can cause this like ignorence, lack of common sense, misinterpretation of Biblical verses (usually when someone tries to justify their own prejudices), cultural differences, social problems, et cetera.

As for fighting it however, I am as clueless as you are. So much for my so-called intellect.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Christianity is a relationship, not a religion, but I get what your saying. As for the Pharisees? They were Christians on the outside but in their hearts they did not believe anything but laws and rules.
We can pray about it and lead by positive example. Remember that Satan is owner of this world at the moment, but on Judgement Day, the world returns to its rightful owner and creator, God!

[Sammy Boy]

Hello, I want to help but I understand the forum rules.

So private message me if you want to talk.

I am currently studying alternative religious movements, so perhaps what I say will have some relevance and will hopefully be of help to you.

Cheers.

[Warrior4Christ]

As for the Pharisees? They were Christians on the outside...

They were Jews. Christianity wasn't yet invented.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Yes, okay Sam. Thankyou. Smarty Pants! (lol)

[Cap'n Nick]

Well, if a person is acting in the way you described, they're certainly not acting in accordance with Christianity, or even the religion of Christianity. People have a knack for screwing up anything they get themselves into. When people sin outside of the church, it is sin. When they sin inside the church it is hypocrisy and abusive religion. This sin can be even more painful because it betrays the promises the church as an institution makes, but it shouldn't stop us from communing in the name of God and trying our best to follow his commandments even though full obedience on our part is ultimately impossible.

[Arnobius]

I think it is not so much Christianity or the Christian religion (I'm not going to debate the terms), as it is a spirit of zealotry and judgementalism among some believers that puts their opinions on the same level as Christian teachings. I have had a brother alienated from my Church when he couldn't take the intolerance he witnessed in one of these people who misrepresented her opinions as official christian teaching.

I think the important thing is not "alternate" communities or hopping around between denominations: Even the Early Church had these problems (Acts 15 shows the Apostles having to deal with this). Rather I think the important thing is for every Christian to pray to God for humility and remember Matt 7:1-5.

[Uriah]

Perhaps I better not express my feelings on this matter.. they get a little.. violent.... But for the most part, I think driving them out of the temple with a scourge of cords is a good idea.... It's pretty hard to convince them of the truth with scripture... most simply won't hear it..

[SP1]

At the risk of bringing this back on-topic to an anime site:

Discussions like we have here on CAA are crucial to our developing understanding, perhaps even empathy, for those who don't think exactly as we do. This is a Christian site, yet even we have to take theological or political discussion to another server because they can get too heated. Nevertheless, we are all here, presumably, because we have two things in common: 1) at least some tie to Christianity, and 2) we love anime/manga. Anime and Manga are, for the most part, produced by people who are not Christians. But we are, like, fools for this stuff (SP1's otaku definition). Thus in our own way we are learning to accept the good (usually) products of a very different culture. We don't wince when we see people honoring the spirits of the dead and other inumerable Shinto references. I don't throw the DVD player into the wall when I see yet another "rabid priest" stereotype, either. These are good things.

Think of what Paul had to go through the first time he brought the Gospel to people of non-Jewish background. It's called restraint.

[CDLviking]

I think it is not so much Christianity or the Christian religion (I'm not going to debate the terms), as it is a spirit of zealotry and judgementalism among some believers that puts their opinions on the same level as Christian teachings.

Quoted for truth. Putting your personal opinions on par with doctrine is akin to self-deification and should set off warning bells in your head if you ever recognize it in yourself.

[Linksquest]

hmmn... i would have thought for sure this thread would have been locked by now. Though i do agree abusive religion exists... i will not discuss it here... because of forum rules.

[~Natsumi Lam~]

i think you cant fight it... you justhave to pray because like the bible says... we dont fight against flesh and blood.... the abusive religion thing goes much deeper and more evil than each knows... only God knows where each persons root starts. And prayer is how i would deal with it. Fasting if i feel lead.

~NL~

[starfire]

Hmm...Interesting subject. I think to deal with it, you have to understand that most religion is man's way of trying to gain his salvation by works. There's nothing wrong with good works, it's believing that somehow they can replace Christ. We want to do it ourselves and not be accountable to God. He might change us.

So, the best way to deal with it is to show people how much God has changed you. As the song goes, "Make 'em feel like they're on the outside lookin' in." Maybe if they're smart, they'll realise Christ brings more happiness than prideful and empty religion.

[Doubleshadow]

Hmm, another forum I was on a had a whole thread a while back on how to deal with spiritual abuse. There were some members who had dealt with it and a couple of books mentioned that are about spiritual abuse, how to recognize, deal with it, recover from it, etc. If you need information on the topic, you could look for the book. I don't remember the name though.