A Rant: Where Am I Wrong?

This is going to be a bit of a rant. It may not even get posted. It all depends on how I feel when I get done writing.

Anyways . . .

I've become annoyed, frustrated, puzzled, etc. with some of my fellow followers of Christ. I don't know them, but I read about them, hear them on TV or radio, see stories and commentary about them online. Who are these people that are causing me trouble? They are the Christians that are so critical of the Church, Christian organizations, Christian political activists, and fellow believers that it makes you wonder if their whole goal in life is to bring Christ down from the inside.

Don't get me wrong, the Church needs to be criticized from time to time. I've been critical on other blogs about the health and wealth gospels. I'm obviously being critical right now. It is far from perfect. The Bible has many stories about churches that were not representing God. Christian organizations too can miss the point, but that does not mean that we should go looking for their faults just so we can tell everyone about them. I differ on the means of many Christian political groups, but not the ends, but that doesn't mean I want to see their whole group fall off the face of the earth. And just because the guys sitting next to you has a more literal interpretation of the Bible doesn't mean he is anachronistic or ignorant, or that you should wait for him to fail, so you can rejoice.

Personally, I think the Bible answers every question of importance in my life. I also think that the message of the Bible trumps scientific studies because God and his power and principles are by definition immeasurable. I disagree with some Christian groups like Focus on the Family from time to time. However, I do not feel as though I should rag them for failing as the world measures success or failure. My job as a believer should be to point out their failure as it relates to the message of God. It is correct for Christians to point out false prophets like the Phelps and other preachers or groups that speak of things that contrast the Bible, but when did it become our job to attack people who we wouldn't dare call false prophets just because we don't like their agenda or the way they "do" church.

Today, Christians seem to look for reasons to attack other believers or groups of believers. My personal opinion is that they do this to appear either spiritually or intellectually superior. I think they are missing the point. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Bible isn't about intellectualism. It also isn't about appearing to be a more spiritual being than everyone around you.

Many Christians seem to have taken on the personality of the media. They look for juicy stories to tear people down rather than looking at the good in people. Yes, you may not agree with a given Christian political group on 100% of their issues, but does the 70% that you do agree on benefit the Kingdom of God? If so, is it worth your time to tear them down on the other 30%. Maybe the guy sitting next to you thinks abstinence only is the best sex education policy. Sure, there isn't a lot of scientific evidence to support it, but should we throw away God's principles for human science just because it makes us look more intellectual to our peers?

Perhaps I am way off in my little rant here. I am just getting tired of Christians who spend their time criticizing other Christians (I realize that is what I am doing) and never mention to good of the Church, Christian organization, Christian activists, or Godly people. I know "religion" is suppose to be bad and that saying you are a Christian really doesn't mean anything today because most people claim to follow Christ, but at some point, don't we need to stop arguing amongst ourselves and get to work? Criticism is important if its goal is to keep us inline with God. But does criticism help us if it is done not for the purpose of aiding the faulty, or spreading the gospel, but for propping ourselves up above other Christians?