If you think you life is all well now- Try God and really put him first in your life, Religiously Pray every night for forgivness and your eyes will soon be opened and you will see how dark you life really has become -lost without the Spirit. Come to see the Light of Jesus- We all see better in the Bright Sunshine than we do in the dusk of night........My story was once not so different from yours.... Faithfully forever Amen.....

It is true that the church has many hypocrites produced and already within the church...no matter what church you belong to; however, when one stops going to church and decides to venture out into a new world, God is also shaping and molding you into the person HE wants you to be. It's fine to have done all those things growing up in the church, but it's even better to start doing things you're led to do. It's just wrong for someone to use God in saying townspeople brought damnation unto themselves by rejecting God from their city by the way they voted. God is forgiving, but he is also a jealous God and no one man can have final say in a matter such as this one. So far, I still see God working in and thru you with the message you've written; maybe God is working thru the situations surronding these people. And regardless of whether or not you still go to church or not, I can tell you have a care about what God thinks of you.

It sounds like you have ran into a lot of people and situations that have left a bad taste in your mouth about Church. I can understand that. People, will always let you down. We are all human and this side of heaven will "ALWAYS" make mistakes. There is only one who saves, one who will never leave you and one who loves you unconditionally... Jesus Christ. Hell is a literal place of torment and was designed for satan and his demons, not for us. However, if we turn our backs on Christ, by not receiving his free gift of salvation through the blood that was shed on the cross for our sins, we have rejected Him. Romans 10:9 say, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you "will" be saved. It is about a relationship with Jesus Christ that saves us. And you are right people in high places sometimes do not realize the impact they have in the world. It is important that we "try" to live as Christ did, the perfect example. If we truly seek him, he will not hide from us.

He's not a CHRISTIAAAAANNNNN!!!! I'm a God WARRRIOOOOOOORRRRRR!!!!

Why Some Christians Don't Celebrate Christmas
Many feel that Christmas marks Christ's birthday and that it honors Him. After all, can 2 billion professing Christians be wrong? At the same time, some few Christians don't observe Christmas, believing that Jesus didn't sanction it and that it dishonors Him. Who is right—and why?
by Jerold Aust
One day, years ago, someone asked me why I kept Christmas. "The Bible says to keep it," I responded. "Somewhere in the Gospel of Luke, it speaks of the nativity scene. An angel told some shepherds that were keeping their sheep in the fields at night that the baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem. I think they went to see Jesus at that time.
"That was the first Christmas! And that's why I keep Christmas, because the Bible supports Christmas, the birthday of Jesus Christ."
"That's not true and here's why," my friend replied.
I soon learned that the Bible didn't teach Christmas. I also found that its origins have nothing to do with the Bible. It was an important lesson about things I'd long assumed to be true.
Just because some 2 billion people—roughly 1 billion Catholics and another billion in Protestant faiths—observe Christmas, does that make it right? Does it really matter one way or the other?
Why do so many people observe it?
If you were asked, "Why do you celebrate Christmas?" how would you respond? Many would say Christmas honors the birthday of Jesus. Others feel that Christmas is a good Christian family get-together. Many do it simply because they've always done it.
Christmas can appear tantalizing to the eye and ear. People appear happy, generous, full of good cheer. Twinkling lights decorate many houses. Santa Claus and his reindeer are pictured as poised to lift off from snow-covered front yards or rooftops, although in the southern hemisphere and tropics there is no December snow. The colorful, peaceful-appearing Christmas scene can be intoxicating, addicting.
Shoppers pack stores, browsing for gifts they hope to buy at bargain-basement prices. Soaring strains of "White Christmas," "Silent Night" or "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" resonate everywhere.
The December weather of the northern hemisphere might be frightful outside, but the feeling and warmth inside is delightful. Christmas trees with twinkling lights and bright, sparkling ornaments create a mystical and glowing environment. Entire families want to experience the special mystery that only comes with the Christmas season. There is no religious holiday quite like it for the millions everywhere who observe it.
Was Jesus really born on Dec. 25?
But stop and ask yourself: Was Christ really born on Christmas Day? After all, the Bible nowhere tells us the day of His birth.
In fact, most credible secular historical writings tell us that Christmas, more than 200 years after Jesus' death, was considered sinful: "As late as A.D. 245 [the early Catholic theologian] Origen . . . repudiates as sinful the very idea of keeping the birthday of Christ" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition, 1910, Vol. 6, p. 293, "Christmas").
In A.D. 354, a Latin chronographer mentioned Christmas, but even then he did not write about it as an observed festival (ibid.).
There is no biblical evidence that Dec. 25 was Jesus' birth date. In fact, the Bible record strongly shows that Jesus couldn't have been born then.
For example, Luke tells us that the shepherds were keeping their sheep in the fields at night when Jesus was born. "And she [Mary] brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night" (Luke 2:7-8, emphasis added throughout).
But late December is Judea's cold and rainy season. Would shepherds actually keep their fragile flocks out in the open fields on a cold late-December night near Bethlehem?
No responsible shepherd would subject his sheep to the elements at that time of year when cold rains, and occasional snow, are common in that region.
"The climate of Palestine is not so severe as the climate of this country [England]; but even there, though the heat of the day be considerable, the cold of the night, from December to February, is very piercing, and it was not the custom for the shepherds of Judea to watch their flocks in the open fields later than about the end of October" (Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, 1959, p. 91).
Luke also tells us that Jesus was born at the time of a census ordered by the Roman emperor (Luke 2:1-3). The Romans were brilliant administrators; they certainly would not have ordered people to journey to be registered at a time of year when roads would have been wet and muddy and traveling conditions miserable. Such a move would have been self-defeating on its face.
The belief that Jesus was born on or around Dec. 25 simply has no basis in fact, even if 2 billion people have accepted it without question. As the famous playwright George Bernard Shaw said, "If 50 million people believe a foolish thing, it's still a foolish thing."
Does Christmas really honor Christ?
If the Christmas holiday is an important celebration to honor the birth of Jesus Christ, why is it nowhere mentioned in the Bible? Why didn't Christ instruct His closest followers, His 12 chosen apostles, to keep Christmas? Why didn't they institute or teach it to the early Church?
Before you answer, consider that Jesus gave great authority to His 12 apostles, assuring them that they will hold positions of great importance and responsibility in His Kingdom (Matthew 18:18; 19:28; Luke 22:29-30). But since Jesus never taught His apostles to keep Christmas, nor did they ever teach it to the Church though they had years of opportunity to do so, shouldn't that make us question whether Christmas is something Jesus really wants or appreciates?
So how did Christmas become such a widespread practice if the Bible doesn't sanction it, if Christ didn't observe it and if He never taught His disciples and the early Church to celebrate it?
True origins of Christmas
Most people never stop to ask themselves what the major symbols of Christmas—Santa Claus, reindeer, decorated trees, holly, mistletoe and the like—have to do with the birth of the Savior of mankind. In
the southern hemisphere summer climate of December, few people question why they observe a Christmas with northern hemisphere winter scenery!
The fact is, and you can verify this in any number of books and encyclopedias, that all these trappings came from ancient pagan festivals.
Even the date, Dec. 25, came from a festival celebrating the birthday of the ancient sun god Mithras. (If you'd like to learn more about the origins of the many customs and symbols associated with Christmas, request our free booklet Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep?)
Jesus never told His followers to celebrate Christmas, but He did warn us not to adhere to false, man-made religious doctrines: "And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:7). The truth is, Christmas and other non-biblical religious holidays constitute vain or empty worship of Christ.
The Catholic Encyclopedia indicates that the Christmas season came from an ancient midwinter festival that occurred at the time of the winter solstice. Interestingly, the previously noted Origen, despite the early period in which he lived (ca. 182-251), never even mentioned it (The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, Vol. 3, 1967, and "Christmas and Its Cycle," The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913, Vol. 3, "Christmas").
Tertullian, another Catholic theologian who lived at about the same time (ca. 155-230), referred to compromising Christians then beginning to join in the pagan midwinter festival celebrated in the Roman Empire, which eventually evolved into what is now Christmas:
"The Saturnalia, the feasts of January, the Brumalia, and Matronalia are now frequented; gifts are carried to and fro, new year's day presents are made with din, and banquets are celebrated with uproar; oh, how much more faithful are the heathen to their religion, who take special care to adopt no solemnity from the Christians" (Tertullian in De Idolatria, quoted by Hislop, p. 93).
In time Catholic religious leaders added solemnity to this pre-Christian holiday by adding to it the Mass of Christ, from which it eventually came to be known by its common name of "Christmas."
A matter of whether, not what
The purpose of The Good News magazine is to share with you the living truth of Jesus Christ. A true Christian cannot decide what he will obey, only whether he will obey God's truth.
We strive to publish God's pristine truth; people who read that truth have to decide what to do about it and whether they will honor it. Our commission from Jesus Christ is to teach the truth of God and to welcome as disciples and fellow workers those few who hear and obey the truth. We hope the truth about Christmas starts you on the road to true happiness and God's purpose for you.
History shows that Christmas does not represent Christ. It misrepresents sound biblical teaching and is in opposition to God's truth. God wants us to worship Him in truth (John 4:23-24), not fable.
In Deuteronomy 12:28-32, God told His people to worship only in the ways He commanded, telling them "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." He explicitly ordered them not to copy or adopt the religious practices of the pagans, calling such practices "abomination[s] . . . which He hates."
Yet hundreds of millions of men, women and children unwittingly observe Christmas, not knowing or caring from where it came. They assume that 2 billion Christians can't be wrong or that it doesn't matter how we worship God so long as our intentions are good. But why should we think we honor God or please Him when we worship contrary to His commands?
Crucial questions only you can answer
The crucial question is, do we worry more about what others think or about what God requires? Also, can other human beings give us salvation? If honoring God's truth determines our salvation, then why honor men over God?
Jesus Christ said to those who appeared religious but denied the power of His true teaching, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46; compare Matthew 7:21). Since Christ is opposed to Christmas, why would any thoughtful Christian observe it?
Walking in Jesus' footsteps in a world that doesn't is never easy. But it is much better and eminently more rewarding than following the empty ways of the world.
God tells us in 1 John 2:15-17: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." GN

It is unfortunate that you tried to find excuses for not going to church. You should rather look at yourself and decide what is good for you. You should know that there are a few bad apples in all baskets. You should look for good apples and not just notice the bad. You said you will take your chances in Hell. Good luck to you because there is no second chance down there. I noticed that you said "Sorry Mom". Did you really mean it?

It seems as though you have allowed the mistakes of man to effect your relationship with God. No man is perfect, no matter how hard he/she tries. I believe that when you allow the statements and beliefs of these "leaders", you give them the power to effect your relationship with God. You seem to believe in God, but not his forgivness. You seem to believe in God, and call those who make these comments hypocrites; but are you, yourself, a hypocrite for believing, but severing your relationship based upon the statements and opinions of others. Remember, God loves all of us forever and always, it just may be the things that we do that he doesn't like. Let the man who has not sinned cast the first stone.

There sure are a lot of hypocrits in the political arena...does that mean that there are no honest people in our government? There are a lot of hypocrits at the bars every weekend...does that mean EVERYONE that goes to the bars are hypocrits? There are hypocrit parents out there that talk about how bad so-and-so parent is--and yet don't give their child a lick of attention themselves. Does that mean ALL parents are bad? There are hypocrits in every single organization out there. If you wanted to avoid all 'hypocrits' then I suggest you stay home...oops...can't avoid them there either!

I WILL tell you one thing that I know without a doubt. I am SO GLAD that there are not a bunch of 'perfect people' in my Christian church...if there WERE, I wouldn't be allowed to attend! :)

Christians don't all profess to be 'perfect'...just forgiven. YOU are as big a hypocrit as Pat Robertson if you have ONE TIME been a hypocrit--which in your blog you admitted that you have been! If I murder one person, and my neighbor murders two, am I not still a murderer just like him/her?

Pat Robertson needs to reread portions of the Bible that talk about how we are not allowed to judge others--especially when we cannot afford to sit on any judgement seat ourselves. BUT, Pat Robertson isn't the only one that needs to reread it...

Amen...very well put. I wonder how many people actually just go to church for their fake "face time" in order to look good regarding their neighbors or if they go mainly just for the biscuits!

To base the validity of Christianity on the actions of so-called hypocrites is to be easily deceived. If you let a so-called hypocrite keep you away from God, then the hypocrite is closer to God than you are.

Religion does not produce hypocrites....every hypocrite is such because he or she chooses to be...Religion is not to blame!

We are to follow God's word, and apply it to our lives. Will we make mistakes? Absolutely. Will we sin? Absolutely. But the key point is that Christ paid the penalty for our sins when He shed His blood for all of mankind. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift of eternal life is up to us. Yes, we reap what we sow, but through God's grace, we don't suffer the ultimate penalty if we accept His payment for our sins. We suffer consequences for our actions....Christ suffered the penalty.

I agree that there are things that Pat Robertson has said and done that I do not agree with. However, if I let his actions keep me from Christ, ultimately I am the one who loses.

Christ is my BEST FRIEND, my SAVIOUR, my LORD, and He will NEVER let me down. It is Christ who we must keep our focus upon.

It saddens me to hear anyone say that they will take their chances with going to hell. And I believe that if I am a stumblingblock to anyone coming to know Christ, I will have to answer for that one day. But fortunately, Christ is my example....not mankind.

Why Go To Church?
A Churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained
that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30
years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like
3,000 sermons. But for the life! of me, I can't remember a single one of
them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs
by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column,
much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone
wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked
some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire
menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this ... They all
nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife
had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today.
Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be
spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to
something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and
receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual
nourishment!

All right, now that you're done reading, send it on! I think everyone
should read this! "When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say,
"Jesus, could you get that for me?"

My daily prayer:

Dear God, please save me from your rabid followers.

Amen

In response to your "why I don't go to church anymore" I offer the following:

First, and foremost, WE are the church...every single one of us who confess Jesus and accept Him into our lives...WE are the church...blameless? hardly! Look at the combination of men hand picked by Jesus to be the first disciples! Peter? Lied, denied, cursed anyone who dared suggest he was a follower of Jesus, but in the end crucified upside down for being a true believer...Matthew? a much-hated tax collector (some things never change..lol) chief of sinners, yet in the end loyal follower of Christ..and writer of one of the Gospels. and on and on I could go...but that's not necessary because Im sure you get my drift...we are ALL just sinners saved by grace...if the truth were told...all churches..EVERY one of them is just a bunch of sinners choosing to seek Jesus...if it werent for His grace none of us could say we are a believer. Hypocrits in the church? always has been and always will be...but the thing is you, me, and all others are gonna be left with NO EXCUSE when it comes to our individual decision to follow or deny Christ...the day I become perfect will be the day I leave this world...until then Im at church when possible trying to learn more about Him...not trying to make excuses because people have lied about me...degraded me or my kids...turned away when I needed help...or any other thing that hurts...bottom line I serve Christ not another imperfect individual at a church...of all the churches in the world surely there is one that can help lead you to Him imperfect though parts of it may be. I pray you will find one because the fact you said "sorry mom" proves you know the right thing to do! God Bless!
Jillian

Avoiding some hypocrites in worship services now will assure you a place in hell with all of them later for eternity...Your logic is flawed.
Clif

A few thoughts on "Christians":

In the south, just about everyone is a "Christian", but this is a social title, rather than a heart title.

A true Christian is someone who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Christianity doesn't hinge on being a good person. A true Christian is not necessarily a better person than one who is not a Christian. He's just forgiven for all the bad stuff. Over time, though, with God's help, Christians begin to develop characteristics more and more like Jesus.

As for Pat Robertson, who is to say whether or not he is a Christian? Regardless, Christians are certainly not perfect people. You have to look to the Bible and Jesus for your standards, not to flawed people.

Dear Channing-100Proof,

Church is not perfect because humans are not perfect. You will NEVER find an institution that is. However, church is a place where like-minded people can come together to worship God. While it is true that there are those who use the church for selfish purposes, there are many more people who go because they want to be closer to God and they want to follow in Jesus' footsteps.

Please do not use the failures of a few to come between you and God.
Instead, look at the many wonderful services that church members do in the name of God. Look at the good things--not the bad. Count the blessings, not the curses. You will see that much more good is being done than bad.

Sometimes our viewpoints are clouded by the evil in society, making us feel that no good comes out of institutions. When this occurs, we have to take a step back and become determined to see the good. AND THERE IS GOOD!

You just have to change your perspective.

May God Bless You in your Journey!
Theresa

Wow, I did not know that being a heathen would get me so much attention. As the title of my blog suggests this is not the only reason that I don't attend church, so I can only imagine what would have happened if I had gone through the whole list.

I appreciate everyone's concern but don't worry, I am not about to start making sacrifices to the Dark Lord of the Underworld. Even though I am not in church on Sunday's, I still try to live right.

Sbradle2, themctier, clifd36, jillian, simplysweet are all right, church is full of hypocrites and no one church is perfect. I have always said that some of the biggest devils are in church every Sunday and that is one reason why I don't go. I just try to live my life right and whatever happens after that happens. I am not saying it's the right way, I am not saying it's the only way, it's just my way. And for 20 something years it has worked.

I am nice to everyone, I don't try to hurt anyone and on those rare occasions when I do hurt someone, I try to make it right. I don't know if that is enough to get me into Heaven but it should help me get a foot in the door (or in this case gate). I have done more than my share of sinning and there are times when I treat the 10 Commandments more like suggestions than rules, but overall I am a good person. I'm just not a very spiritual one. After all that, if not going to church is what keeps me out of Heaven then maybe it is not the place for me.

It funny, I actually wrote this blog to put the spotlight on Pat Robertson and now it has become "Save the Channing". You have to love this Internet thing.

Right on about Pat Robinson. It seems as though people will follow anyone who mentions "GOD" every other sentence. Can anyone remember Jim Jones, one of the biggest religious hypocrits of all time.

There are quite a few people that considers themselves Christians only when it is convienient. If you do not go to church, that is your choice, only you have to live with your decision. It is funny how people are always trying to tell someone else what is right for them.

Channing-100Proof,

I love your openness and honesty without trying to hurt others. I can honestly say "been there" when I read your comments. What finally dawned on me, though, was that even though I would try to keep the 10 commandments, be a good person, etc, that wasn't what would get me to heaven. I'm sure that if you spent as much time in church as you say (and I believe you), then you must realize that church membership, good deeds, even baptism isn't what gets you to heaven. It's a loving dedication to Jesus, Son of God, with all that you are and all that you have. So turn that around... LACK of a loving dedication to Jesus, Son of God, is the thing that keeps you OUT of heaven (not being a bad person or not being a member of a church). (This is because the perfect Jesus died for us so that we can go the perfect God.) The Bible teaches to "not forsake the gathering of the believers". Take it as you like. This could mean church, but it could also mean ANY type of fellowship that involves worship of God. Most important thing is this, though. To Church or Not To Church, that is NOT the question. The question is this - what is your relationship to Jesus?

Love in Christ,
-me

I honestly feel sorry for you. I too once admired Pat Robertson. Unfortunately I have lost a lot of faith in him over the last few years. However, that does not change my faith in the one true Lord our God. Nothing else needs to be said.

I can understand where you are coming from, but I also understand one other thing. If you would have had a "personal" relationship with the Lord you would know your place in church.
It is true that the church is full of hypocrits as I know of some myself, but I do not go to church to dwell on others. I concentrate on what the Lord has laid on the preacher's heart as far as the message is for the day.
If you focus on the music, and I mean the message the song is giving, and what the preacher has to say then you will recieve the blessing the Lord wants you to recieve.
As far as Pat Robertson goes, I have as much respect for him as I had for Jim Bakker. I always thought there was something crooked about Jim Bakker, and I am not truly comfortable with Robertson's ministry either.

Whew! I'm glad I don't have to worry about all these things that I'v heard from the people making the comments. God is God. Religion is religion. I have my own understanding with God. I don't need a manual to teach me how to be a respectful human being, or how to show my respects to my creator. I am not perfect, but I feel safe because I haven't met anyone else that is either. I know that God is there for me. I am not religous. but I am speritual and in touch with God everyday. Is it really important how you show your respects to God. I think the most important thing is in the actual doing, no matter how you do it. Is that really your concience bothering you or someone else. It is not important what other people say or do, even when it comes to God. It doesen't affect me one way or the other, because God lets me know what I need to know. So lighten up people you don't have to live in fear. It's better to live in awe.

Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion—several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn’t straight. --Mark Twain

If you ever had that personal, deep, relationship with GOD you wouldn't let these things bother you. It sounds as if you have pulled yourself away from the truth and everybody does that from time to time. I don't know if there is a perfect Church or a perfect denomination but the whole thing is knowing that God sent his only Son, Jesus, to die for your sins so we would have a chance to spend eternity with him, it is free, you just have to claim your ticket, and you will fall away sometimes but keep your faith strong. Some of these people on TV and who surround me make me sick on their beliefs and what they think is going to happed, read the one and true Bible that is our instruction in life and the truth. Hang in there, I will pray you find that relationship again or for the first time. Sometimes when you grow up in Church you are doing everything because that is what you do and your family does and the big picture is missed, do you really know Jesus, do you tell him everyday that you love him and what he did for a undeserving man like yourself, well maybe take a moment and get to know your Jesus again. He loves you and he loves all of us, he showed us and all we have to do is accept him, how hard is that?

Interesting and pathetic to read how Christians make excuses for the followers of Jesus. They just can't admit their god is a phoney who sucks eggs.

Hypocrites in the church?? Why certainly there are--and my Grandmother, God rest her soul, had this advice on dealing with them. "Young man, you have a simple choice. You can either go to church with the hypocrites or go to hell with them!"

I will have to include "namlive" in my prayers because according to his comments he is one of the lost.
You will never get to appreciate the joy, freedom, and love of God until you finally see the Light and accept the Lord as your personal Savior.

john 3:16 for GOD so loved the world that he gave his only begotton son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. man will sometime lie but GOD never lies trust GOD and you will be ok because GOD loves you.

You are right about scare tactic's and some of the stupidity we hear from some of these TV preachers. Statements like that make
us angry too. The bible warns us about evil teachers. So I try to ignore the publicity tactics. I do however worry about the effects that occur when an inactive christian hears the Robinson type's. We are ashamed of that kind of statement.

If you ever go back to a church family you need to remember that all of us are different and have different views. Thats people.
Forget about being a workhorse in the church and just worship.
Go to church for you not for others to start with and see what is really happening in others lives. Next thing you know you will be reaching out to help in a different way. I think over time you will see its for real and that we are loved by the maker regardless
of our actions and dumb thinks we sometimes do.

By definition a hypocrite is a liar. It is then not a stretch to say that hypocrites are dishonest people. They may have good intentions in a "church setting". The rest of the week however, may be a different story.

And just why am I wrong if I choose not to associate with hypocrites? I do not do business with hypocrites. I sure do not desire to spend quality time with them. Nor would I desire to force my kids to do so. In fact..I would coach them to shun hypocrites from every facet of their lives.

Some religious thinkers tend to suggest that a church is actually more akin to a hospital where the sick go for treatment. I refuse to speak for anyone else but Me and my family would like to stay away from the sick puppies thankyou very much.

Anytime you bring religion into a dicussion,it sparks controversy.

Faith is just what it says. Faith. You have to decide whether you believe or not. Religion is not perfect because people are involved.

The major problem I have with most religious groups is their tendency to tell everyone else that they are going to HELL. For me the only way I could judge anyone else is to be GOD, which I'm not, or to be perfect, which I'm surley not. I need all my time to attempt to stay on the straight and narrow.

Faith is a very personal thing. Each person has to chose to have it or not have it. What anyone believes is his or her own business unless you wish to discuss it.

As far as Pat Robertson, he is a big blowhard with too much money and too much time on his hands, trying to make the news. He probally got million of $$$$ in contributions over his comments.

Which in the end was probally the idea anyway.

To the author of the article, you use the word "hypocrite" without understanding its full meaning. People perceive Christians and the Church as hypocritical only because they have a defined moral standard. Anyone can pick up a Bible and say "Hey Christian, you are hypocrite because you are not following (blank)." Christianity does not claim perfection as a required or desired trait of their followers. The Church is still filled with finite human beings, struggling daily with their fleshly desires. Following Christ only saves one such person from the consequences of his actions, and provides motivation to live righteously and treat others with respect. Pat Robertson, though an obvious hypocrite because of his knack for vulnerability, is far removed from the actions of the pagan world around him. Lets begin comparing his overly pious statements to things like adultery, divorce, homosexuality, murder, and other blatant sins. The effects of these sins, the ravages they cause, are far removed from the offenses caused by the missplaced, misguided, and misrepresented words of a "Christian leader". Who is the hypocrite? Those people who live their lives according to their own moral standard, or lack there of, and destroy the lives of those around them. Christians, at the very least, are trying to make a tangible difference, and that is what makes them easy targets when they mess up. It is hard to target someone who has no stance at all.

You are 100% right. Church is so screwed up. I cannot stand being connected to my church, or any church for that matter. I used to be SUPER involved in church. My husband and I were Youth Leaders for an pentecostal church. And I have never been more disappointed in people in my life. The church wore us out, by asking us to do so much volunteer work for them. And when we needed help in something, the church did nothing to help us out. We devoted over 40 hours a week to helping out in different ministries, only to be criticized and disrespected. I see better behavior non Christians than I do in Christians. It disgusts me now. Especially the "cliques". Women is our church form stupid catty groups, and leave out the other women in the church on purpose - wow - just like high school!!! I was in a "clique" but as soon as I realized it, I broke free and tried to befriend others in the church who were being treated poorly. It disgusted me what I saw. Aren't we supposed to be kind to one another, especially in a church family? I got so sick of the way the people treated one another, I left church completely. I don't want to have anything to do with that church anymore. I even tried to share my feelings, only to be slapped in the face by our stupid new pastor and his wife. I am hearby DONE with Christians, and now live in peace without a church. And LOVE God on my own, without a stupid church to make me feel worse, not better about myself and my family. DO NOT FEEL GUILTY ABOUT LEAVING ANY CHURCH. It's not God making you guilty, it's PEOPLE who try to make you feel guilt. Once I understood that, I never let anyone destroy my opinions about God again. It's only God's opinion that matters, and no one else's.