“Religious belief is a fine guide around which a person might organize his own life, but an awful instrument around which to organize someone else’s life.” ~ Richard D. Mohr

I’ve got quite a few American friends who are self-professed conservative Christians. They believe that Christianity is the only “true religion”, and that all who do not believe as they do are wrong and “damned to Hell”. Many of these people are well-intended — they sincerely believe that Hell awaits those who do not worship Jesus as the only Son of God — they really do want to save all “heathens” from the endless torment that they believe is a consequence of that mistake.

Fair enough … Each person is allowed their own set of spiritual ideals; each has his or her own Path to God — and if these folks want to privately condemn others &/or try to save them, that’s fine by me.

Of course, this gets a little tricky when they try to use the political system to force their private beliefs onto the public at large. And many do so in part by claiming that the United States is a “Christian nation”, often citing America’s “founding fathers” to support their beliefs.

Hmmmm … I wonder what the “founding fathers” themselves would say about that:

Thomas Jefferson ~ “I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus, very different from those who call me infidel and themselves preachers of the Gospel … The morality of Jesus as taught by himself and freed from the corruptions of latter times is far superior … I will never by any word or act bow to the shrine of intolerance or admit a right of inquiry into the religious opinions of others.”

John Adams ~ “This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.”

Benjamin Franklin ~ “I think vital religion has always suffered when orthodoxy is more regarded than virtue. The scriptures assure me that at the last day we shall not be examined on what we thought but what we did … I cannot conceive otherwise than that He, the Infinite Father, expects or requires no worship or praise from us, but that He is even infinitely above it.”

George Washington ~ “Of all the animosities which have existed among mankind, those which are caused by the difference of sentiments in religion appear to be the most inveterate and distressing, and ought most to be depreciated.”

Abraham Lincoln ~ “The Bible is not my book, nor Christianity my profession.”

Of course, what the “founding fathers” believed is not really the point, and I certainly do not want to imply that there is anything wrong with the Christian religion.

But just as I am unworthy to criticize the beliefs & opinions of the Apostle Paul that form the foundation of modern-day Christianity, so too are all Christians equally exempt from condemning religions that are different from their own.

Indeed, to truly follow The Way of Jesus Christ, it is critical first and foremost to remain “humble as a child” (Matthew 18:3 et al); a state of being we cannot ever hope to attain while we are critically judging the beliefs of another.

It is said the Eve tempted Adam with an apple. Let not the modern-day church tempt you with the much bigger apple that is the arrogance that is born when we judge another.

Please consider this gently …

Please act accordingly.

“But I say, love your enemies … In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in Heaven … By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you show Love for one another.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:44 + John 13:35)

“There may be more things in heaven & earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” ~ Shakespeare

Filed under: Questions for Christians by Scaughdt