Reforming Christianity

I've been researching the teaching of the Elect, as presented in the Bible, which is a really interesting topic. It refers to the redemption and salvation of people, but it doesn't actually explain it. Personally, I believe the elect are initiates who are set aside to teach, but ultimately the teaching has, in my opinion, been perverted to mean people who have been saved. There are two main ways of interpreting this teaching: 1) Prescient - God foreknew before laying the foundation of the world who would by free will choose him and his saving grace, and 2) Augustinian - God in his sovereignty "elected" those who would be saved, not us. Reportedly, the majority of born-again Christians believe in the former, however this denies God's Absolute power. That said, is it unpalatable to believe that we do not have free will, and besides, if we have no choice in our freedom then why bother to even care about helping others? 

We are restored through our faith, and there is nothing written where we need to do anything in order to "earn" our room in God's mansion. While I really like Apostle Paul's letters, he writes some pretty horrible things about sinners that are inconsistent with what Jesus said. I had an "ah-ha" moment, where I realized that while we are powerless over whether we believe or not, we can still spread the Gospel. Just because we are saved, it doesn't mean it is not at times an arduous path as we make our way back to God. We all need to be refulled from time to time, and it is through the exhibited faith of others where we can be inspired.

While perhaps I have no say in my interests, or what I choose to believe, it's more important to recognize that it is not easy. It is not easy to be a Christian, and I have strayed because of this. But I do not stray because I can't carry my cross, I stray because I cannot function properly when I "behave" and "think" like a "real" Christian. It is not easy to be part of a system where there is so much inconsistency, irrationality, intolerance, with warring sects of members who think they must fight to the point of demised relationships, in order to be "right" and therefore respected. 

How do we honestly feel about Christians? Do we hate them, do we envy them, do we want them gone, do we want to be a part of the movement? Christianity as a whole is doing everything wrong, and I have learnt from personal experience that it can be heartbreaking and soul crushing. But there are moments of reprieve, where I am relaxed and refocussed on what it means to be a true follower of Christ. It's been over 400 years and we are due for another Reformation, but not another denomination. The literature needs to be revised, this is the only way. 

It is all too easy to be let down by Christians, and the religion takes advantage of our human nature, which is that we will in full believe a lie if we have to. People inherently know when they are being deceived, when there are illogical conclusions (things that are being taken literal instead of as a teaching tool), or when there are contradictions in instructions. The devil's tactic is to confuse, and there are prime examples of this happening in the religion. Accepting evil causes us to act in and disproportionately. Compassion takes second place to "resilience", and justifications are conjured in order to feel righteous in going against the core teaching: Love.

The Vatican has done a gross injustice to society and nearly catapulted us back to the dark ages, and the Protestants made a huge mistake when they broke from the Catholic Church and didn't reform some of the teachings. With the global revolution and technology, I think all born-again Christians should be given the chance to be on a committee and have a vote as to what happens to the literature, creed, and rites. This is proper given our digital evolution, where we are all connected and equal. It's time to become a real follower of Christ, it's time to really get saved, to release from our demons and be freed, and to build a future that helps everyone, even non-Christians. Let the Catholics and the Evangelists keep their traditions, but let those of us who are harassed begin anew. The world is looking up: it's being healed despite war and rumours of war, and now is the time us heretics have a chance to lead.

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"But when (John the Baptist) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, 'Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees." Matthew 3.7-10