The ultimate result in life is well known. Keeping that in mind should make day to day life less stressful but for some reason, we sweat things. Instead of being a part of the solution the world needs, we find streets lined with people holding signs stating that Jesus Love You! This is what I saw when I drove into the parking lot of a WalMart in Trussville yesterday. There must have been around a dozen people holding their signs and another 20 or so signs stuck in a line on both sides of the strip of road leading in to the parking lot. Much passion and money is spent in the promoting of religion. Signs along our highways. Huge crosses in front massive church buildings. Billboards urging folks towards a belief system. I cannot help but think of how far all that passion and money would go in actually doing good for our world. Providing health care for the needy; water and food around the world. With the money that is spent towards promoting a religious belief and military we could make great strides in solving some very basic needs on this planet. Money for research: just how much progress could we make? And little children are brought into the world, toted off to religious services and praised for becoming warriors. If they were raised as Jesus taught, they would want to end the suffering around the world with their talents and monies instead of sitting in that enormous building and feeding their resources to the system. Seems to me that these resources, if directed as Jesus taught, might well bring about a planet where war was less an issue and poverty dwindled to obscurity. But a large portion of our population seems intent on ignoring these needs of our fellow humans while believing that there must always be an enemy to fight - someone out to GET US!!! No, we are not that smart. We live in a bubble of beliefs. To me the best way to promote ones beliefs is through resolution of issues instead of large facilities built at great expense to gather the zealous believers. If the message is so good and the teachings are so great then why such fervor? Should not the content of the message and the actions of the ones carrying the message be compelling enough without all the icons, creeds and idols? Would not a selfless approach to spending those resources in actually doing something draw a more positive image to the message? If you were one of those impoverished people on this planet, one of those in need of the most basic of life’s sustaining needs, would not the sight of these beautiful houses of worship and streets lined with expensive billboards proclaiming the belief, turn you off? Would not realizing the amount of resources wasted on such and the passion focused on it convince you that the LOVE part of the Jesus’ message is just lip service? My little message of love and non-judgmental service to my community took next to no advertising effort. The mere fact that I hold each couple in great respect and serve them for who they are without condemnation spreads the goodness of the message of L-O-V-E. No money was spent on large facilities or signs and billboards to promote the message. No threats of eternal punishment; nor well-orchestrated musical events needed to be presented to get my message to the public. The simple message of love and willingness to serve has taken my message throughout the entire southeast without billboards and without fancy literature or brochures. I am truly convinced that if the message is worthy of being heard, no advertising budget is needed and no streets lined with passionate folks promoting the message to passersby are what He wanted for His followers. Did not Jesus himself get his message out in without a fancy building or an advertising budget? It was an examination of Jesus ministry that led me to my philosophies stated here. The message carried its own weight. People are hungry for a genuine message, not a message of doctrine, discrimination, intimidation and hate. Not a message from men and women playing God and attempting to control the planet through their interpretations of this God. Especially not a message from people affiliated with those churches, who drive past the poorest of poor and roll their windows up, lock their doors and speed past while claiming they love. Passing by the very people with whom Jesus spent His quality time. The adage is that “Action Speaks Louder Than Words”. The actions of the church and its supporters speak volumes and their inactions are being heard. That is why the churches are losing members, closing doors and cutting back. Yes, it is hard to see this while in the center of the Bible Belt - but it is happening nationally (even worldwide). And it is happening here but at a much slower pace. Those who want to serve as Jesus taught need to read the Holy Book – really read it – and follow the path He started. He didn’t advocate attending a “church building” or giving money to that “church”. He advocated giving to the POOR AND NEEDY – how much of the money you give to the church goes elsewhere? Why aren’t you following Jesus’ example and making sure every penny you can spare is going directly where it will do the most good? That church created the doctrine that dictates that you should meet in that building and give to that same church for the church’s expenses – yes, some of the resources you expend goes to those in need; wouldn’t it make more sense for all of it to go where it (and you) is needed? Read the Book and get your directives from It, not from an interpreter who only gives you the edited version of the Bible promoted by the doctrine of one of the 30,000 denominations. If there are that many denominations that are different in their interpretations of the Bible, somebody has got to be wrong. Find out what YOU should be doing by following the directives given to YOU (not churches – they didn’t exist) by God and Jesus! Read the Book! As once stated: Thousands of people are leaving the church every day and finding God........
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 13:38:59 +0000
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