I Really Only Have One Problem With The Christian Religion… The Rest Is Seriously No Big Deal

With all of the discussing and debating that goes on between myself and advocates of Christianity, I thought it would help to narrow it down to one primary issue. This is when I realized that all along there had only been one reason important enough to disagree out loud. And it was the one reason that had been unwittingly driving me.

So, what is it? It’s not a wrong doctrine or theology. It doesn’t concern a law being broken. It isn’t about the exclusivity or the heartless division that might characterize Christianity… Well, it might concern some of those things but none of those things can sum it up.

It’s about the value of the human soul.

This is the one thing that ticks me off enough to speak out against a religion that may have plenty of other redeeming qualities. I believe this one issue, however, is at the heart of human suffering. And while I think pain is part of life, I would still like to see it end in this manner for as many individuals as possible.

Because I think it affects our entire eternal lives, and our lives affect the entire world.

The Shack vs. Mark Driscoll

This is a comment I recently posted on Jim Henderson’s blog regarding a possible discussion between William Paul Young and Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill church in Seattle. You can read the entire post and comments here: 
http://offthemap.com/2010/09/02/paul-young-in-seattle-september-10th-free/

Jim, I think I can understand your concern. I’ve seen plenty of Christians, including myself, who have accepted without question a pastor’s preaching as scripturally sound and accurate, failing to consider the subtle but strong pressure to conform to it. To disagree with a prominent church leader, especially if he is your pastor, means not only that you will be labeled as “not Christ-like,” or even a heretic, but you may not even be saved and in that case, you may be risking an eternity in hell – along with all kinds of other nightmares that the institutional church uses to manipulate mass thinking.

So yeah, if we care at all, we would like to see people freed from this misery called church preaching, as long as people are ready to be freed from it. And perhaps that is where you’re coming from in setting up this possible discussion. I am wondering that if Mark does not show up for it, W. Paul would want to voice his side of the story via another avenue, such as an article or essay. I think he has a gift of articulating through written words and I have heard humble and kind pieces here and there from him regarding his defense. These pieces (in interviews) helped to put my mind at ease after hearing the fear-mongering from Mark and others who opposed The Shack.