Hate is hate, so what's the debate?

I'm a Christian.. That means a few things about me..

I hate people who don't agree with me, I believe I am right all the time no matter what the facts say, I'm a hypocrite, I am naive, I love to judge everyone but myself..

Do these sound accurate?

Okay so I completely understand why people think these things. I do.

I don't like religion, never have. Jesus didn't like it either. I feel like it's people's way of controlling things and other people, it creates a chest puffing battle of who is more righteous. I guess that's in our nature, we, in some ways, know not what we do.. But ignorance is no excuse because it is easily remedied by truth. So what is the truth here?

Jesus Christ, who I strive to follow and who is the whole reason for Christianity said a few things.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward in heaven will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men." Luke 6:35

"Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many." Mark 10:43-45

"Do not judge so that you will not be judged. "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Matthew 7:1-5

Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more." John 8:1-11

One thing is certain from reading these.. Jesus was teaching us to love, not Judge, to be fair and be like servants and not condemn each other. This was Jesus Christ doing and saying these things so as a Christian I can't argue that these aren't at the core of Christianity. So why are these things the opposite of people's ideas of Christians? When I say I am a Christian I feel like I am accountable to Christ and his teachings. I want to try to always love people, I strive not to judge or to hate.. I think that should be a fundamental part of being a Christian, being accountable to his teachings. Unfortunately religion has made Christ's teachings whatever it wants and tends to ignore the most basic principals.

I think I should also state here as a bit of history that I am a pastors kid but I hated church. I questioned God and Jesus at almost every turn as I grew up. I drank all the time, partied, and didn't care or even really think about Jesus or his teachings. I came back to Jesus in my life just recently really and it was on my own with out any influence from anyone after thinking about it for many many years. I am stubborn and think to much.. I just wanted anyone reading this to know some back story.. Okay so on with the yabogaloor!

I love what I am and I love what you are (Because love is love is love is love)

Everyone should be entitled to their own beliefs.. Whatever makes them feel fulfilled. Whatever gives them a reason to wake up in the morning as long as they aren't hurting anyone or forcing others to do anything against their own free will (Which I think is a God given gift). There is a lot of beauty in life. A Muslim can enjoy the same sunset a Buddhist, an Atheist or a Taoist enjoys. The only issue is when they argue over where the sun came from. Why can't we all just enjoy it? Even if I saw the sun formed by a giant monkey in a sailor hat, what harm could it do for me to let someone believe it came from a microwave if that's what works for them. I am still entitled to talk about the giant monkey but I really don't know what yelling at the person who doesn't believe it does.. It just causes tension and distance between two people/groups of people and then leads to hate. It also violates their free will (which again I think is a God given gift).

Focus Joel...

So I am a Christian and I realize so many "Christians" set a bad example, but they are ignoring or twisting what Jesus actually said if they are judging or making people feel bad about what they believe. Jesus would not be happy about that. He was already annoyed at the religious people at the time.. Check out what he said to them..

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness..." Matthew 23:25-28

hmmmmm... Would Jesus say the same thing today to a lot of "Christians"?

I guess it's like this.. If you want to hate someone for being something that you don't agree with then maybe just start a religion called the haters because all hate is the same and at least it could be organized. We shouldn't argue over who to hate, where the hate should go, who's hate is more true.. It's all just hate and if you are hating you aren't helping... Wow that's clever you can quote me on that.

I strive to be what Jesus Christ wanted of me (non judgmental, Loving, accepting, forgiving, honest) and that is why I am a Christian.. You can be all those things with out being Christian too I just choose to follow Jesus.

Choose to choose whatever you wanna choose.. Please just don't hate.. It ain't groovy.