How I View the Deceived

Being someone who was once deceived by religion myself I can't really look down on others. I think I have always been open to God rather than having a strong affinity about what I believe as to be unwilling to let it go. However there were some times I changed my mind about things too fast.

I wonder why I've learned what I've learned and experienced what I've experienced. I ask "Why me God?" in a positive way. So much of who I am, not willing to conform to the world, willing to research and study, is just natural. I didn't try to be like this. It was easy. As I go on I realize much is because my parents loved me so well.

I've seen people be unable to entertain the idea that they could be wrong about something. I've heard of Christians on their death bed dying in misery thinking God was punishing them all because they don't understand God's love for them. My life does seem to be "There but for the grace of God go I." I don't think God will punish His children for their disbelief but He might show them what kind of wonderful life on earth they could have had if they had trusted Him more.

I guess I see people as victims of lies, even those who teach the lies are victims of them. Seldom does someone knowingly teach a lie, but they are certain about things which are terribly false. While I hate the positions and traditions that harm people I don't wish people would "get what's coming to them" based on what they believe and how they behave. What every Christian has coming to them is the love of God because of what Christ did for them. I just wish they knew it. The first step to believing the truth is to know that it exists.

Matthew 9:36 really shows me how God views the world, not with contempt for disbelief and disobedience, but with compassion. "When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

Forcing Beliefs

From Matthew 13:34, here is Jesus explaining the kind of love He has,
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"

Jesus wants people to know that He is forgiving even of the worst kinds of things. He longs to love, protect, & comfort people. Jesus doesn't violate someone's choice to reject or disbelieve Him. Those who want nothing to do with Him get what they want.

While I think it is good to humbly admit potential ignorance and suspend your disbelief the idea that someone should accept something with no evidence is absurd and that was never the way Jesus presented Himself nor was it ever how the gospel was presented in the first century.

Just as Jesus didn't force Himself on anyone it is not a good idea for a Christian or anyone else to try and force their beliefs on someone else. I mean that not only for individuals but also on on political, national, & legislative scales. Compassion does not consist of entitlement because you think you are right or fighting against something because you are afraid of it.

There is no record of Jesus bursting into pagan temples and telling them how wrong they are nor is there of Jesus going to Rome to get Caesar to change the laws and practices of the empire. Jesus allowed people to not follow Him. While it may not look like it because of the people who claim to follow Jesus, that was His way.

It is ok for everyone to have a voice but it is not loving to try to remove someone else's choice unless you are legitimately protecting another person from them. Sadly it is hard for people to understand that their personal fears do not equal compassionate protection for others.

Motivation: Compassion vs. Obligation

There is no condemnation in Christ and we are in Christ. That means not only are we not condemned but we are not to condemn others. Condemn means to "declare or judge as guilty."

Compassion and condemnation are near opposites. Compassion says "I love you and am concerned about you." Compassion also knows when to be silent. Condemnation says, "The bible says what you are doing is wrong and God is not pleased with you." Without love scripture is useless. Love is not fault finding but encouraging. Love seeks the benefit of the other person. Love does not try to get someone to conform to your perceived standards for life because you feel obligated to do so.

If you approach someone trying to "help" them thinking, "The bible says what this person is doing is wrong so my duty as a Christian is to help them stop doing it" is not motivated by love but is motivated by your feelings of personal obligation and your desire to avoid guilt. A feeling of duty is not the same thing as love and if you mistake it as love you will hurt many people.

You can help someone selfishly. Doing that is the mindset that says, "I'll feel bad if I don't help this person." Love says, "This person feels bad I want to help."