Why are so many supposedly religious people so hypercritical and intolerant?

I agree.

A long time ago I thought that love was something that you reserved for some special set of people that you had judged worthy of it.

After a while I got to thinking about what Jesus had said about turning the other cheek and loving our neighbor I put the two together and realized that he had made no exceptions in these statements. It became obvious to me that he intended that we exclude no one from the love that we are supposed to be giving. I started thinking about my idea of love and suddenly realized that I had not been loving anyone at all. I had simply been judging everyone and every thing.

Judging someone worthy of love is not love, it is only judgment. I actually started to cry when I realized this. I saw just how much of my life I had wasted being judgmental, thinking of myself as a Christian, when I was actually doing just the opposite of what Jesus had asked us to do.

I thought about the verse judge not lest ye be judged, and I understood it for the first time.

I realized that I have a lot of catching up to do. So many opportunities were wasted. I now try to apply the love that I have for the world in a universal way like Jesus asks us to do.

If I start to feel afraid and think that I see someone that I should not love because of something I have thought or heard I try to catch my mistake as soon as possible. I tell myself that I have forgot the truth and have fallen for the same old trick that had cost me so many opportunities to be loving in the past. The horror of this realization is often all that is necessary to bring me back to my senses and make me drop the judgmental nonsense I was thinking.

I still have a lot to learn about love, but at least I’m making progress.

Love and blessings

Your brother

don

love and blessings Don

love does not mean you have to accept their lifestyles, or go again God. I will always choose God and not man. God cares about all those things you have said. Stop confusing God with people. You will be called to account to Him one day. Best be ready. To say there is no hypocricy in the church is ridiculous. But there are also very devoted and dedicated Christians as well. The same is true for non christians. The real issue is, is God real or not. Seek Him, I think you will be surprised.

There are people who are willing to look outside themselves for an idea of what is good but there are others who assume they are good and then try to push their own ideas on other people.

In most cases people will behave in a way regardless of religion and then justify their actions by claiming their religion demands it after the fact. Then the people who believe those words pass on the new message.

I agree with you, this is the reason why I left church too. Most of their rules are, "do as I say, not as I do". Many others judge you by their own convictions.....which to me is wrong also. For example, if you feel that God doesn't want you to have a tattoo, then that's your conviction. I don't feel that way.....and it doesn't necessarily mean that I'm going to hell because I have a tattoo. Like the old Poison song.....give me something to believe in.

I am Christian.

I have no idea how many non-Christian so-called Christians are out there - but I am not one of them.

Christ Himself told the Pharisees that they were all about rules and traditions, but had only darkness in their hearts. I care little about the idiosyncrasies of religion.

I am sorry for your negative experiences.

Christianity is the belief that Christ is the Son of God and that love and acceptance is essential for the spirit.

This is what I believe. If I didn't, I couldn't call myself a Christian.

It is not easy to love, and that is you also left your church. It is hard to tolerate. The church is the hospital for sinners.

I found a wonderful non-denominational Christians church, where the Bible is the center of teachings. They lead people to a life changing relationship with God.

I believe that we are here to learn to love one another. And when we do, we want to help each other out. I follow Jesus, because I want to be with Him in eternity.

Generally the above points etc. come from the old testament, as a christian I would follow the teachings of Jesus, rather than the old testament that illustrate the older ideas of the ancient Jews. Anti-homosexual, actually comes from the book of the Romans - a book of the laws of the roman courts (old testament)

In the light of Jesus' teachings, Jesus (New testament) taught his disciples to....Love your neighbour as yourself - the golden rule. If you don't love yourself, the general notion is to Love and respect everyone (accept and love people as they are) but maintain self-discipline and not to punish/judge those who sin/persecute you but to pray for them

its been that way since the dawn of time

look at the crusades for example

the inherent 'my god is better than your god"

+

religious zealots

=

war

not only that but look at televangelism and the fleecing of the general puiblic who fall (for whatever reason) victim to the crocodile tears of the likes of Oral Roberts in the late 80s, as he told his congregation that if they didnt raise 1 MIL for his church, (god) would recall him.

there must be positive points to religion (i guess)

but more people have died in the name of religion than any other reason of intolerance on this earth

we are supposed to love others, but doesn't mean we should respect their beliefes, such as gay marriage, abortion. we can't support respect their lifestyles, if they are against what the bible teaches. IF they are good people, but of a different religion, then it is okay.

Jesus said to enter heaven you must be born again(saved).He never said to be religious or be of any denomination.The religious people killed him.He wants a personal relationship with you.