Greetings!
I'm just going to dive right in here to this subject matter, for the most part. I've been chewing on whether I really wanted to write a post about this or not since it's such a sensitive subject and often times people get offended easily. It's been weighing on my mind and so here we are my friends at the very first religion post (and probably the last) that I've ever done. So without further ado...
I am of the opinion that you should never talk about religion (or politics) at work. Are there not wars on the very subject..? Yet, almost on a weekly basis something is said about religion at my job. This week the subject came up through a conversation about Oprah of all people. I love Oprah. Oprah is awesome. I feel like she interrupts her guests a little too much, but I still love her nonetheless. No one is perfect after all. ;o)
So my fellow co-struggler said that he didn't like Oprah because of her religious views and that she wasn't a Christian. Now, I've watched enough Oprah shows to know that she is indeed a Christian and has respect for all faiths no matter if she agrees with them or not. This co-struggler (let's call him Bob) stated that Oprah believes that all faiths really are just worshiping the same God, but may call him by a different name. So in other words Allah of the Islamic faith and God of the Christian faith are one in the same, the religious texts are just different. Bob goes further to say that Oprah likes to pick and choose what she likes from Christianity and basically makes up her own religion. Therefore.... because she believes this way, she cannot call herself a Christian. Oh... and let's not forget that Bob is of the opinion that if you're not Christian then you're kinda not gonna make it through the pearly gates and into the land of milk and honey otherwise known as Heaven.
The thing that bothered me about this whole little tirade was that he was very quick to judge someone because of their beliefs and say that they're not a Christian because of x, y, & z. So wouldn't that be the same thing as going to church every Sunday, yet not living Christ like because you aren't treating people like you would want to be treated? How is that being a Christian? (according to the rules of Bob) Who is Bob to tell someone if they are Christian or not?
My purpose with this post is to simply see what your views are my friends. Do you agree with how Bob thinks or do you disagree? It is my understanding that what makes someone a Christian is the fact that they believe in and follow the teachings of Christ. Nothing more, nothing less. That's why they call it Christianity and not something else. ;o) Also, do you too believe as Bob does that only the people belonging to your religion will go to Heaven (or whatever term your faith has)?
My Opinion: I don't agree with Bob. One's faith, spirituality, or the lack thereof is something that I consider a personal thing. It's a journey that only you can travel, even though there will always be outside influences. I don't believe in judging people, plain and simple. You also shouldn't spew things as fact if you don't know for sure. It has been my experience that the people that are the loudest in saying someone else is wrong in what they believe are the ones that are the most insecure in their faith/spirituality. Although I don’t agree with Bob, if he chooses to practice his Christianity a certain way, I respect his right to do so, just like I would expect someone to respect mine.
Am I asking you to share something personal by stating your opinion? I sure am. Why? Because I'm downright curious to see what others think in this matter. It doesn't matter to me what your opinion is, just as long as you are sharing what is true to you. The only other request I have is to respect the opinion of other commenters.
Ciao!
