Are we a Christian nation?

A good while ago our current president caused quite a ripple when he made the statement that America is not a Christian nation. Oh, how the conservatives shouted and decried, citing our historical heritage, the churches that thrive today, the fact most people say they are religious. Some folks are still spitting that sound bite out.

But...he is right.

Wait, wait, put the pitch forks down and listen for a moment.

I want you to think about what is on prime time television every night, what movies are box office successes, what books sell well.....hmm...getting a little uncomfortable?

I had a pastor growing up, who was/and still is, I'm sure, very wise. When I asked him as a young pre-teen what was acceptable for a Christian to watch on tv, or in a movie...he answered me this: "Beth, as a Christian, Jesus walks next to you every minute of everyday...whatever you do in life, ask yourself, is it okay to do this in front of Jesus? Would you be embarrassed to watch this movie with Jesus next to you? Would you be uncomfortable to listen to this song with Jesus there? If you are comfortable, you're okay, if not...you're not." Later on my Dad compounded on this by saying I'd be in good shape if whatever I watched/read/listened to I'd be okay doing so with my parents there.

Those are two powerful guidelines for me. And I can say that they still guide my choices and that though I will have much to talk to God about on the day of Accounting* I don't think my viewing habits will be of great importance.

This country claims to have a vast amount of religious people, according to a study I read today over 87% of people in America claim a faith. 76 to 79% claim Christianity.

That's a whole lotta people.

A controlling majority, if it wanted to be so, if it were serious about it's faith.

But you see....those numbers MUST be false...people must be telling falsehoods to the survey takers.

For if we were a nation that were that religious, with Christians, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists (the 4 largest groups) taking their faith seriously...the following would happen:

~Television would focus on showing wholesome programs, television shows glorifying adultery, murder, cheating, the mob, etc....would not have a market in which to thrive, and would not, therefore be created.

~Music lyrics would be a whole lot cleaner. Sure, there would be underground rock/rap, etc with the violent lyrics, the cursing, the degradation of women, but it wouldn't be mainstream. And when these musicians came to perform, their dancers would not dance as they do now.

~Romance writers like Danielle Steel would be out of business, and adult magazines would be sold in paper bags to a small minority, not on the main racks of Borders.

~There would be almost no lawsuits, for the Bible tells you not to sue another believer, but to work it out.

~There would be no, or very little hunger in our country, for all four of the biggest faiths teach us to feed the poor and have compassion on the needy.

~Alcohol sales would plummet, drugs would part of a very small counter culture.

The list goes on and on. You get the idea.

Now, before some of my other friends panic and start telling me about how bad a religious nation could be, let me say this.....I am talking about if people truly lived the Christian faith (for the 70 some odd percent that claim to be such).....

If we did as Jesus taught: to love our neighbor as ourselves, to want the best for all those around us, to not judge but to help and care for, to help to heal, to feed, to clothe, to be meek and gentle.

I know...it doesn't sound a lot like the majority of Christians in this country. That's because the majority of people who claim to follow Christ in the United States are Pharisees. Legalistic, judgemental, holier than thou, lofty...and often just pains in the arse. They care not for the poor guy on the corner, they pretend they don't see them. They want the AIDS clinic shut down because it doesn't affect them and they don't want their tax dollars going to it. You know what Jesus would do with an AIDS clinic...(if He didn't just go in and heal everyone there)...He would volunteer. Jesus would help the guy on the street corner, not treat him like dirt. Jesus might not like your musical tastes, but He loves you, and would find a way to relate to you.

The only people in the Bible that I recall Jesus having disdain for are those who thought they were so good they didn't need Him- people like the Pharisees. And I don't imagine He looks down at our nation today and is impressed.

We have churches that want to tell you what to eat (no meat, no this, no that) or tell you not to dance, or to wear special underwear or to only talk to certain people. Legalistic anyone? And then we have Churches (often some of the same ones) who distort the Bible....who tell you it's corrupt or only partially inspired, that you need to follow this part but leave out that part.

In answer to that I say this: Jesus said that the Bible is the Inspired Word of God, all of it true. (Period, no if ands or buts.) If you don't believe Jesus on this, then you are saying He is a liar. And if He is a liar, then how can He be the Son of God? And if He is not the Son of God, then His death on the cross meant nothing, and He did not rise, and you are dead in your sins and have no hope for eternity. Make up your mind...follow the Bible or not, but make a choice. You cannot sit on the fence forever....someday you will die and you will face judgement. We all will. And if you are not for Jesus, you are against Him.

Then you get the Churches that want to add on new books (when Jesus in Revelations tells us NOT to do that) or make up new levels of myth and story which contradict the Bible....and those
"churches" are leading people to hell.

Our nation is caught up in apostasy. Legalistic churches, churches that are so liberal they've water the Bible down to nothing but a 30 second feel good commercial (hey, you're good, I'm good, God loves everyone and we're all okay!), churches that spread false teachings based on false "prophets" and false doctrine. (BTW....if your church teaches that they know when Christ is coming back again..GET OUT. No man knows the hour but only the Father, and they are just leading you down the wrong path.) If your church teaches you to despise people, get out, Jesus told you to love. If your church teaches they have "secret" revelations from God, get out...Jesus said the Holy Bible is complete in itself and to neither remove or add to it.

There are true Christians in this country...your find them taking soup to their sick neighbors, reaching out in rough communities, working with the youth, taking care of the planet that God entrusted to us, nurturing families, loving those they meet. There just aren't enough of them, they are over shadowed by the Pharisees and the feel goods and the cults masquerading as Christians. There is a reason God says there will only be a remnant...because that's all there is. That's all there has been throughout the history of the church....through most of history the church has been hijacked and men have done terrible things in the name of faith, things Jesus would never condone, things that will have to be paid for.

But because there is only a remnant, worldliness runs rampant in our country, bigotry runs rampant, hate and judgement run rampant, lies run rampant, the glorification of sin is the norm.

We are not a Christian nation. If we were, so much would improve.





*Day of Accounting- even though christians who truly believe (and their belief is seen in their fruit and actions) are saved...there still will be a day of accounting before God for our actions and how we used the time, talents and possessions He gave us for His use.

Buddha, Christ and Easter Morning

I once had the opportunity to visit a small Buddhist temple in central CA where they were having quite the to-do....a small relic of Sidartha (Buddha) was on display...a finger joint if I recall. We went, for I have a deep fondness for the Buddhist people I know and if I were not a Christian, I would be either Jewish in faith, or Buddhist. I took my sandals off and went with the Abbot to where the relic was and observed it...a small bone in a glass and gold box, surrounded by flowers.

It was interesting. Not emotionally moving or inspiring, but interesting. A historical relic from a man who did change world history. Sidartha taught many things similar to teachings of Christianity, to care for the elderly and the orphan, to forgive others, to not place value on the things of this world. He taught many good and noble things, and I feel, as far as a man or woman may be good, he was a good man.

This week is a holy week for Christians....this week commemorates Jesus Christ's ride into Jerusalem, where He knew He would face death but a few days later. He gave some of His greatest lessons this week, threw out corrupt sellers and moneychangers out of the temple (wouldn't we love to throw those who make money off of religion out of our churches today?), ate a last meal with His disciples. He prayed in a garden on Thursday (which is why we recognize Thursday of Holy Week as important, the last supper and an agonizing prayer in the garden) that this cup, this upcoming horrible death would be lifted from Him, yet He accepted God's plan and went through with it. He was betrayed by one of His own followers, arrested, tried- and on Friday morning tortured and crucified. He was buried on Friday, quickly so as not to defile the biggest Sabbath of the Jewish year- Passover, and rose on Sunday morning.

If you like, I can give you a run down on evidence and proof the Resurrection happened. Of Roman guards paid to watch the tomb that fell asleep and an impossible stone rolled away without them waking. Of Jewish leaders embarrassment that there was no body to be found- and if there had been you can believe they would have showed it to the world. Of disciples hiding in fear that upon seeing the risen Christ turned bold and proclaimed the Word, going even to death for this truth- and what man will willingly die for a lie? Of hundreds of witnesses, of writings in early scrolls- even from non Christians who wrote of the Risen Jesus of Nazareth.

The empty tomb. No body. Therein lies the difference between Christ and all others. I saw the bones of Sidartha in that small glass box. There is no relic of Christ to share, no bone to peer at curiously, to remark casually what a good man He had been and to then move on.

It is because He rose that there is a difference. That death was conquered and sin could no more condemn those who trust in the name of Christ.

Many men (and women) taught good lessons. To be kind, to forgive, to be generous in charity. No other makes the claim to have taken your sin upon Himself, none other made the claim that He died in your place that you may live eternally. Other faiths, other teachers tell you to try your best and if you are good enough you shall either: be re-incarnated into a better life next time, or if you have been really really exceptional, you'll blend into nothingness, or that if you try hard enough you might get to paradise, but that involves weighing every deed, every thought, every desire on a scale....how would you measure up? Christ says.....I am God, come in love to save you from your own self....for no man, no woman can ever be good enough, ever be pure enough to share eternity with a God that is holy and pure and cannot, by His very nature, let anything even the slightest bit sinful near Him. If God is that Holy....then the sin you carry as a taint makes God your very worst enemy, for sin must be destroyed. (And we all carry sin...think of today alone...the words you said, the thoughts you thought, the good deed you could have done, but didn't. What you did that you should not have done.) Jesus says to you...I see your sin, and I know you cannot save yourself....so I who am Pure, who am Holy....I took your sin upon myself 2000 years ago....for you I let them whip me and flay me to near the bone, for you I let them drive nails into My hands and feet, raise me up on that cross where I could barely breathe, blood running down, a crown of thorns pushed into my brow. With every agonizing breath...I thought of you. When God the Father, in order to reconcile you with Himself put your sins and the sins of the whole world upon me....I felt the crushing weight. (You know when you have done something wrong...that sick cold feeling, the burden on your mind and back, that darkness in us all we do not like to look at....all of your sins, all of my sins, the cumulative amount placed upon Jesus...I think that must have been the worst thing of all.) And then, because of sin...God turned His face from Christ...the only time where Jesus was not in perfect communion with the Father...where He cried, "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me??" And then, shortly after...death.

For you.

For me.

For all.

Can you even imagine such a death?

And then...the morning, oh Sunday morning, where He rose and death, and sin, had no more power.

Jesus says...I know you cannot save yourself...so I saved you. You cannot reconcile your sin with God...so I did it for you. I paid your price, you may enter into the presence of God now, as sons and daughters, for I, with my death and with my blood, have made you holy before God.

No other teacher, no other faith, can do this for you. They give comforting teachings (sometimes)...but no hope. No way of perfect peace with God, no assurity of Heaven.

You can see Buddha in a box, I did. I gazed upon the bones, and moved on.

You cannot find Christ in the tomb, or in a box. He is Risen. You cannot just move on, you must make a choice...are you for Christ, or against Him? Will you repent of sin and cling to Christ, and be assured of Heaven, or dismiss Him? We will all have to answer for our decision someday.

Go look for the empty tomb, He isn't there. Look instead though..for the Risen Savior.