Definition

In my search for a clearer picture of things, I have often done so by distinguishing between two things, i.e. religious vs. spiritual, church vs. Church, Christianity vs. Americanized Christianity. And now I come to another divide, in order to reach a greater understanding and avoid further frustration with a matter. For so much of this time I have pointed out what I like and dislike within the realm of Christendom. And now I come to what I believe could tie the rest of the knots of confusion for this discussion. There is a difference between Christianity and religion. I tried to explain this when I compared/contrasted religious and spiritual (religoin being an attempt to explain the spiritual, while failing immensely). I keep coming back to this example, but Plato had it right. He separated a person into having a body and a soul. The body (and bodily desires) was that which took away from the real purpose of man. He referenced drunkeness, debauchery, and hedonism. Sounds a little bit like Jesus, wouldn't you say? The soul consisted of the pure elements (or Forms) that we should be striving for; things that it will take a lifetime to reach, and yet so pure that our humanness cannot ever fully grasp. This disconnect is religion and Christianity. Religion is the body. Christianity is the soul. Christianity, if you extract the word parts, simply means "the state of being like Christ". Christianity is being like Christ. The religious side of Christianity, though, adds to this simple definition. Christianity is not a religion, but religion is trying to be Christianity.

Disclaimer: When I refer to religion, I am speaking of what Christians refer to when they call Christianity a religion...not religion as a reference to all the world's religions.

Cynicism

I look back over the past two years and how angry and frustrated I've been throughout them. I've written tens of thousands of words attacking the Christian church, Christians as a whole, and religion. I've removed myself from the church scene to a severe degree, and it has recently come to removing myself quite heavily from any form of Christian scene at all. I have become so cynical of Christians that I feel as if I don't even need to waste my time on the majority of them. Probably more than half of my writing over this time period has been along the lines of "well if it's going to be this bad, then what else am I supposed to do?" I get to college and the extent of that cyncism starts evolving into actions. The peak of my aggravation towards Christianity in high school was leaving the church that my family went to, only to find another church across town to attend. In college it's grown to not going to church, or any Christian organizations. That is why I sit here on a Sunday afternoon having just woken up, having not gone to church and writing on my laptop. It's grown into not having Christian friends (due to me not seeking them out and not giving the ones I come across much time at all), and instead plenty of friends that are not exactly moving me in the direction that I had planned on going down.

Being objective is a good thing. Being aware is also a good thing. But cynicism at its root is destructive. Cynicism destroys hope in things. My cynicism of hte church has destroyed in large part any hope in Christians. Although I like some of their books, I cannot stand some of these authors anymore that I once admired; these Christian authors that have assumed the role of getting away from the "problem of modern Christianity". It's as if they believe because they can attack one system, that it somehow makes them the ones in the right. But in reality, they haven't told me anything I didn't already know or couldn't easily have figured out myself.

Flicking the bird to the church is the easiest possible thing to do. Hating Christians is pretty easy too. Turning your back on Christian morality takes no effort at all. I come to a gorge and realize that I have been the one digging it the entire time. I have been the one destroying hope in religion, and yet this whole time I have had the desire to become a youth pastor. If I am to get to my destination, then I have got to makea change. Honestly, I've complained enough about religion for long enough that I feel as if I can take a break for a while. I need to start being constructive of something that I'm doing, and not destructive of anything else. The first part is to actually start aiming myself in the right direction.

New Year...New Quote

So that's it for the paper. When I turned it in, I had one more paragraph to end it with, but I'm not really sure it works now and I don't like it as much.

So I've been having trouble sleeping since coming home. Probably just something that's followed me from living at college for a semester. But I got a text out of the blue a little while ago that sparked a conversation until just now. Out of it I got an amazing line that I think I'll hold on to for a long time.

"Most problems in life are a result of expectation."

The same could be said about anger, frustration, and depression. Just thought I'd share this new little proverb-of-sorts. Maybe you have thoughts.