it can't all be fun and games...

So when I started this outlet, it was not intended to just be a comical release of frustration. I also intend to use it as a way for me to express myself on more serious, thought provoking issues. I enjoy conversation, thought provoking conversation at least. I enjoy the give and take of it, which is what I hope these type of posts can become. The comedic ones are more snap reaction rants. I still like to hear from readers no matter what the tone. On to my thoughts...

I would say, amongst most people that I interact with, that I am considered a liberal conservative. I don't often agree with some of the official stances of the church. I think a lot of this comes from my rather strong feeling that we are so screwed up. By we, I am talking about Christians. I spent a few years in an environment that had a heavy focus on an interpretation of the Bible that focused on, in my opinion, legalities. How we should or shouldn't organize. The method of salvation, the idea and discussion regarding baptism, roles of individuals in the church. I have been parts of discussions since moving on from that environment where some of the same topics are discussed. I will say that I have no problem with discussing the topics. I see the value in the discussion. I think that too many times we do not have a clear understanding of what we really believe because we do not take the time to verbalize it. We do not put the thought into the expression. We think we know what we believe, but we have a complete inability to share those beliefs because they are not organized into a stance. When its not organized into a stance, we can not properly share, we can not discuss, because we don't know what we believe.
Anyway, as I was saying, I think these topics have a place. My problem comes in with the fact that to many times we are Christians spend so much time on this stuff. "Should I be dunked or sprinkled, and how old do I need to be?" "I have already been baptized, I don't need to do that again." "I am not going to listen to a woman preacher, its just not Biblical!" "Gay marriage has no place in this country..." We spend so much time on this stuff and bypass, or worse forget outright, that the whole point in these beliefs that we have, the whole point in this one we claim to follow is love. We forget that more important then proving that I'm right and you are wrong, more important that winning, is loving. "They will know we are Christians by our love..." Not by our well organized debate. Not by our pamphlets, or our flyers or our sign out front with the not so witty word play. Its how we interact with each other, its how we love one another.
So stop telling me how I'm wrong, and start sharing with me love. And I will try to take my own advice. Christianity is not a political party, I have opinions based on what the Bible teaches me, what I understand to be the way Jesus handled things and instructed me to handle things.

--aaron