That picture above me is Jesus Christ and as a Christian, I believe in him and the rightful churches that have been bestowed on this Earth.
As I shook a tube of Italian dressing last night and thought about the Friday night mass, it got me to thinking about the whole Global Church. This was only my 4th mass I have been to. As a mixed denomination Christian, the catholic mass is very hard to follow, much less did I understand a lot of their concepts and beliefs. But that also got me to thinking as well, though we have different concepts and beliefs, we still believe in the one Jesus Christ. The bible is no set of rules of life that you follow. The bible is a good news book that people use for strength and guidance. The bible has certainly guided me through the worst of times.
I am a mixed denomination (Methodist and Lutheran) Christian who believes in Jesus Christ and "the big dude upstairs." I always thought of the Earth as like a house, you got your first floor, which is life, the second floor which is heaven above, and the bottom floor (or basement) as hell.
Today, I would like to talk about the ever growing Atheist Nation and the continued prosecution of Christians and their beliefs. Then I'd like to speak about the Global Church.
According to reports, there are nearly 45,000 christian denominations, and there are only 200 total denominations (0.004%) that can claim absolute continuity in the church. Among those denominations, we are all seeking the same thing: Jesus, his love, and how we get to heaven.
As of right now, we don't know what the after life is going to look like until we pass on and partake of our reward in the end. Christian followers believe that we will earn our place in heaven when the time comes.
-- The ever growing Atheist Nation and the continued prosecution of Christians and their beliefs --
Atheism is growing at an extremely alarming rate in the United States. In fact, it's going as far as News Outlets are calling us an ATHEIST NATION. Even Ben Stein, who is a jew, who is an excellent defender of the Christian denominations is saying: This just isn't good news.
Atheism has risen more than 6.1% worldwide in the past 2 years, and while the number seems very small, it's an alarming rate that's got religious officials jumping out of their garments.
You know what scientologists believe? Scientologists believe in the afterlife, you basically just watch a video of your life, and in the end, your soul drops off of the coast of Los Angeles. Ok, no, that's not how it works. Any scientology believer needs to just be ready to be sent to hell because all your church has become is a money/cash grabbing church who rests beliefs in E-meters and being a Thetan or whatever... Good lord, I even flipped off the HQ of the Church of Scientology in Clearwater, Florida... A money grabbing religion... that's all scientology is.
As a church goer, my money that I offer goes to the church's well-being and is a gift to the lord most high. Did you know that many millionaires and billionaires just don't believe in god, all they care about is their money, and not the well-being of our world?
Well Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett... You pathetic people need to understand that money DOES NOT make the world go round. Your foundations haven't done anything to help our land and not only that, they forget churches who can really use the money.
The nation as a whole is turning atheist or agnostic... I wholeheartedly believe that we are turning into an atheist/agnostic nation. Why is there a war on Christians and their beliefs? Why is it that they got to use political power and the supreme courts to rid the world of Christians and their ideology? The 1st amendment of the constitution is what grants them that power.
We look at many cases that the 1st amendment has had an affect on Christians. Most of which are cases that involve the forthcoming holiday of Christmas.
One case basically told a school that having a Cross on their window was very offensive, however they were allowed to keep a jewish menorah and a muslim crescent and star... Ok, that don't make sense. Menorahs and the Crescent and Stars are religious symbols. For them, oh that's ok... But when one person sees a Cross or a symbolism of Christmas, it's basically: OH, THAT'S OFFENSIVE!!! SO WRONG TO HAVE!!!! This must go to court!
Another case involved a christian-turned-atheist girl who told a Cranston, R.I. school to take down a banner that had been hanging since the 50s that given as a gift from a senior class. She said it offended her greatly. The school refused and after taking the school to court, she won a judgment, forced the state to pay her bills, and the banner was taken down. Ok, if it offends you? Go to another school! Get lost!
The worst case was found in Toronto, Ontario, where a school was forced to cancel it's Christmas concert because a woman found the word "Christmas" offensive. Oh please. 1 word? Yep, it offended her to the point where she sued the school, she won a judgment, the concert was canceled, and all symbols of Christmas had to be taken down. However, Hanukkah and Muslim symbols could stay. Wait, those are religious symbols too, how do people not see that!
I am not a racist and have nothing against Jewish or Muslims. Not a bit. But why is it that Christians are being treated differently in these cases?
I guess in the end, Christians are always wrong.
Christian's win percentage in court cases involving this sort of stuff is probably lower than 10% because some way... the atheist and non-believer population will find something albeit either small or large which discredits it and the court goes against the Christians.
No matter what, the Christians always seem to lose.
--- Our Global Christian Church ---
As a whole, there are 2.9 billion Christians worldwide which is a huge population.
But as a group, no matter what Christian denomination we are, we have to stick together. That's all because of a strong global church of Christ. Yes, we may have different denominations and beliefs, that's understandable, but as a whole, we are the global church.
Catholics have a strong belief system and they flood the churches as they are devoted servants of Christ. They are governed by Friars, Fathers, Priests, Cardinals, and the Pope. All of whom are devoted servants of Christ as well. The population of the Catholic church is more than 1.6 billion and that's a LARGE CHURCH RIGHT THERE. Very large. But don't they believe the same god that other denominations do? Yes.
Lutherans were considered the Anti-Catholics under the time of Martin Luther who questioned the Catholic Church. They are governed by Reverends, Very Reverends, Bishops, and Most Reverends. Their population currently sits at more than 474 million followers and the most are located in Germany as unofficially, their national religion is in fact Lutheran. But don't they believe in the same god that other denominations do? Yes.
Methodists seemed to be almost "outsiders" in the doctrines of faith. Founded by John Wesley in the early 18th century, they are governed by the same group as Lutherans: Reverends, Very Reverends, Bishops, and Most Reverends. The population of the methodist religion sits at 80 million worldwide and to be frank, it's still relatively a new religion. Most methodists can be found in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. In fact, Maryland and New York have the most methodist churches per capita than any other state in the United States. However, don't they believe in the same god that other denominations do? Yes.
Baptists and Southern Baptists believe that immersion only for professing believers will find their way into heaven. Founded by John Smyth in 1609, they are governed by the same group as both Lutherans and Methodists: Reverends, Very Reverends, Bishops, and Most Reverends. Their population is 100 million worldwide with the largest coming from the Southern Baptist Conventions. Alabama and Mississippi have the highest concentration of Baptists in the world. However, don't they believe in the same god that other denominations do? Yes.
As in all of these denomination examples, the congregation that comes together are servants of the lord. We are all out doing our own thing, however, we are still keeping that faith in our hearts by praying and doing just things. We're not out busting up atheists and agnostics for what they don't believe in, but why must they trample us?
The Global Christian Church needs to come together to make this place befitting for everyone to live in regardless of beliefs and denomination. It doesn't matter what denomination we are under, what matters is that we are the group that believes in the big dude.
-- Are we losing our grip? --
Christians attendance in church and memberships have gone up more than 20% since the start of the 2000s. Christianity is not dead and will never be dead. Christianity is no joke, it's pretty powerful stuff.
A great example of this would be the movie, "The Passion of the Christ", believers and non believers were going to see this harrowing, however shining example how Christ suffered on the cross. And what's incredible is that the New York Times reported a MASSIVE explosion in memberships and renouncement of atheism.
Such examples - Increases in Membership
Catholic Church: 24.6% including a 707% increase in persons want to start catholic conversion classes.
Methodist Church (MWC): 269%
Lutheran Chruch (LWC): 200%
Baptist Church (BWC/SBC): 411%
Renouncement of atheism and renewed belief in God: 40.5%
Global Church attendance: 34.6% (Up by more than 20% they previously thought)
The Passion of the Christ was probably one of the toughest movies to watch. While yes, graphic, extreme gore and violence overshadowed it, Mel Gibson was making a point about how Christ suffered on the cross for all Christians for the forgiveness of their sins. Which there is a maximum truth in that.
While we Christians all don't believe in the same things, we all believe in the same good lord. It doesn't matter what we are. We believe and we ask that shouldn't be prosecuted for our beliefs. Leave our beliefs alone. Quit using politics and the courts as a way to destroy what atheists believe as a "myth."
Pope Francis has even reached out to atheists and agnostics, saying it's time to stop prosecuting the Christian doctrines of faith of all denominations. He's right, we need to stop with the court cases that harm the Christian way of life and the utter beat down of other faiths against others.
Just recently in the news, 36 Christian Churches including 5 Eastern Orthodox churches in Egypt (even 3 that were around since the 1400s) were burned down by the muslim brotherhood. The first thing out of my mouth was: "Christianity is losing again..."
People just need to keep the faith and keep it strong. Believers need to stay strong and keep that very strong faith of good with them.
Like they said: "God is great, beer is good... and People are crazy." Yes people are crazy.
And people need to stop acting crazy.
~ Joshua
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