Admitting the Truth About Your Religion and/or Church

One mistake people make when dealing with the topic of religion is using emotion. They don't separate emotion from the actual facts. Religion is such a deeply rooted anchor in our subconscious minds and psyches that our perception is filtered through that emotional lens. This only happens when someone challenges the supremacy of that religious belief system.

A typical knee jerk reaction predicated on emotion is when you critically analyze the church or Christianity as a whole and the person says, 

"Not all. MY church is a loving family. My pastor (and his wife) are good people who look out for everyone".

If you critically analyze the financial issue of most churches and how churches suck money out of a community without giving anything back in return, the person will not acknowledge it. Instead, they will say that their church does alot for the community.

I don't know why this is, but why can't people admit the truth about something without thinking it means they hate it? In other words, if someone you love is [being] a jackass, you can say so and still love them. I really, really don't get it.

But people think they can't admit the person they love is a jackass AND love them at the same time.

Just look at the fruit. An apple tree doesn't make watermelons. It makes apples. Churches are supposed to produce morality, healing, unconditional love, stability, community, among many other good things. Instead, they produce immorality, sickness, conditional love and acceptance, instability, greed, conflict and anything besides true community.

When you point this out, they'll say that this is not all churches. And in essence the church has a bad stigma but...blah blah and blah.

This is, at least in part, because when it comes to religion, in most people's minds, you can't admit the church is messed up, or that the church leadership is corrupted and not be a traitor. This tells me you're not allowed to have your own opinion.

Now, to be clear, my position is that you can't truly be a part of a religion or a church that is so inherently flawed while knowing this is the case. As the Bible says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.."

But at least be honest. If you know it's all B.S. and you still choose to stay, just be honest about why. You may be lonely. You may just be comfortable and hate any kind of change. Or you may just be plain old afraid to leave. Just admit the truth.

I am, however, a realist. I know people won't admit the truth. But I'm still going to talk about it anyway.