It is funny how far religion can come. In Biblical times, Christian churches would help each other. They would be joyful when a fellow church was successful in their ventures.The apostle Paul would write several churches giving them good news. So what happened?
It is what I would like to call the great divorce. The bonds of love and Christianity split into pride and selfishness. If you attend a church of any denomination they will assure you of their superiority above other churches.” The Catholics will be the chose ones for Heaven, our way is the way.” “We the Pentecostals are righteous and the other denominations will burn for not knowing our way.” I am not trying to bring down any religion or denomination rather than trying to bring light to the self righteousness that goes on today.A 2006 movie called Jesus Camp about a charismatic Pentecostal camp struck me with a comment made in it. A young girl made a remark about Jesus not loving Catholics because they did not speak in tongues or sing and dance. This was coming from a child around the age of eight!
I have visited multiple churches and have heard remarks from each about their superiority, about how many more people attend their services than the church down the street. It seems that this feeling of religious superiority has overtaken the original roots and foundation of Christianity. Rather than caring about the people(no matter what denomination) or about speaking God’s word -it has turned into a popularity contest. Paul did not send a letter to just one specially selected church rather than all. The Bible does not distinguish between black and white. One of God’s apostles was a murder as was one of his leaders; he himself roamed around with a prostitute and in one of his last moments accepted and blessed a thief into the Heavens with him. The very word Christianity means means Christ follower. Not Catholic follower, not Jehovah Witness believer, or Mormon. Simply, Christ follower. Do people honestly believe that judging against and putting themselves up against other denominations is following Christ’s example?
Church superiority and competition has escalated in these times. Religion itself has been the driving force of martyrs, wars, separations etc. All in the name of God. Not a God who points out special denominations or people but instead offers salvation to all.
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