I read this on a brothers blog, and found it to disturb something deep with in me. Because I was once under the same thought of what the word “Christianity” actually meant. A person who does not know Jesus, would honestly think that we are not loving, we are not extending grace, and we are some elite little club. Could not be further from the truth! “Christianity” means that I am a follower of Jesus Christ, it means that everything in my life is to line up with HIS teachings, and What the Bible has to say about my day to day life, which includes how I treat others. I have also experienced hurt from the “Christian” church, not everytime i have encountered it but it has happened. DO NOT take that to mean following Christ is learning to be down grading or demeaning to others, its is actually the opposite. Thank you Brother Johnny for this writing. Even if you read this and don’t agree, take a minute to pray for those that have been touched by a mock christianity, a self serving , and powerful thinking. Pray they will find the TRUTH of following Jesus.
Christianity
Where did you come from, why are you here?
Why does your name cause pain in my…ear?
Who is your leader, what is your cause?
Who wrote your ordinances, who thought up your laws?
How can I escape you, where can I hide?
Could even Jesus protect me from your dominion so wide?
How great is this monster, how complex this machine!!
How mighty and awesome is this frightening thing!!
You twist and you turn and put on a new face,
You push your agenda and sell your cheap grace.
Like a vortex of death leading straight to insanity,
Where did you come from, oh where, Christianity?
(poem written by BrotherJohnny, and gave me permission to keep this. THANKS! Brother)
ponderings of a princess... 
I am afraid this poems rings true on how many beleivers have turned their human traditions into what they think Christianity is by taking off their focus on who Christ is.
I personally follow Christ as one of His disciples. I do not follow a man-made religion.
I do believe on what Christianity was founded upon, but the Pharasee type practices make me shudder.
Swanny
Swanny- i hear you! sometimes i just feel the need to try to set the record straight, overcome with sadness for the ones who are getting the wrong message, and not giving a second thought to CHrist, who can take this mess of a life and make it something worthwhile, and beautiful! good to see you here..hope to get over to Philter48 later this evening..Peace and love to you Bro!
I know exactly what you are saying, and I know that you are passionate for the Lord, and when you read something like this you cannot help but get livid.
Your Bro in Christ!!
“…it means that everything in my life is to line up with HIS teachings…”
If this were true for the church, our witness would be lovely to behold. Unfortunately, we’ve not taken His teachings as our guide. I find we tend to add quite a lot to what He said, causing a millstone to be tied around the neck of those seeking freedom.
On another note…I love you, Darla and hope you are well! Praying for you…now…
wow. this is GREAT!
“Christianity” has a pretty bad rep. it is sad. it is mostly our doing tho. not entirely, but a lot. “we” forget to extend grace and mercy to others. as if HE hasnt extended it to us. and im speaking about “me” here, too.
What Tam said 🙂 And Michelle, and Brian, and you too Darla!
This IS great, to get us thinking about how to shine for Jesus more effectively…
Michelle- good to see you here, hope all is going well for you..I know we have talked about this before. 🙂
Tam- i think you are right! we all have a responsibility to show grace and a true picture of what it is to be a Christian. Back to picking up my cross, eh? 🙂 we have been given Grace, Mercy, Love, and Forgiveness, all of which we did not deserve…its so easy to forget and not pass it all on to the next one we meet..by like you…i am a work in progress, and I want to be able to extend those things, and be a true picture. learning..love you Prin!
David- 😆 everything i said to Tam, Michelle, Brian..goes for you too! It is important to shine for Jesus, its too easy to get caught in the politics of religion, and forget why we are here. good to see you here again!
We don’t goto church to belong to something. We follow Christ to become part of His Church.
Peace and love sis.
Ckroboth- agreed! although some go to church to find out more about being a Christ Follower, and that my friend is what they should see and learn while there..people who confess being a Christ follower, should not offer a cheap grace but a spectacular amazing priceless Grace..free to the one who will receive it!
I like what Ckroboth said:
Bajanpoet- i love Carl! and you too! peace!
“BY THIS they will know that you are my disciples – if you love one another.”
I have recently called the sickness most of American Christianity is suffering under, “Thinking I am everyone else’s God.” Namely – judgmentalism. But you say ‘judgmentalism,’ and you think its the ‘other person.’ Or you point to ‘that denomination’ or ‘that theology’ or ‘that church I went to’ and you don’t see that Jesus was talking to you. We want to have the power to lead and direct the lives of those around us. This is the place of God alone. We want to be able to tell people what they’re doing wrong. This is the place of the Holy Spirit. We want to ‘know it all’ and call things rightly. This is the place of Almighty God. We think that being God is about pointing out mistakes and ‘fixing things’ so we try to be like Him – nay, we just try to be Him because we think He’s not doing a good enough or a fast enough job. We have missed seeing Him entirely. He is motivated 100% by love. Without exception. Ever. And only HIS mind knows just how deep that love is, and how much He must work so delicately to love without crushing. We can never, of our own imaginations, discover how to love like that. We only have to know Him. Know Him. Like a horse with blinders. Only looking at one thing – Him – and running the race HE has given us. When we focus on simply doing this – we begin to reflect and refract Him. If a prism were to go around attempting to cast light on things just because it felt like that was the ‘right’ thing to do – it would be powerless to cast any light at all. Only when it is surrendered, and willing to simply be in the light, does the light shoot through it and cascade a dazzle of brilliance all over a room. This is us. Simply surrendered. Simply loving Him. Simply obedient to HIS voice above all else. Then they will see our love.
I will let Him be God. Because I could never be.
Thank you Annie. I hope you did not take this post as someone not allowing God to be God. As disciples we are to be known by our love and obedience to HIM, sadly that is not always the picture alot of others are getting. I do at time feel called to be a “voice” that calls out to wake up..do i like it? no most of the time I do not, but like you I am letting God be God, and I go because HE sends me. love you
I was wondering “how is she confused?” Now I see. No, I wasn’t at all trying to say that someone was not allowing God to be God. Only that that’s what judgmentalism is at it’s core, and this is what the church in America has done countless number of times, that has driven so many to the point of pain that Brother Johnny talks about. I wasn’t pointing at any one person, but at the sickness in the church. I think the ‘thing’ that he’s talking about (how great is this monster) puts on the face of “Christianity” but is in fact not at all of God, and is just as twisting and ugly as he is seeing it to be. Does that clear things up?
Reading what you said again … I think you felt perhaps I was talking to you? Not at all!! By no means! I know you feel this just as deeply as I do. And many ‘tough stuff’ will come out. But as you said, this is still you focused on loving Him. His love makes war. This is a dichotomy many have a hard time accepting. But it is love. Still motivated by love. “I am letting God be God, and I go because HE sends me.” That is exactly what I’m talking about. We are following HIM. Not our own agenda. Not because we think it’s the right thing to do. But because HE is leading. And we are following.
Love you Darls. Greatly respect you, too. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
“exactly what I’m talking about” meaning the right thing to do.
(Am I talking too much now?)
Annie- you and I are on the same page once again!! love you, was hoping that you didn’t think I was approving of the judgmentalism or a part of it in any way..I really didn’t think you were pointing at me, but then I thought I maybe should ask.. hahaha you know me, thanks for loving me! 😉
“was hoping that you didn’t think I was approving of the judgmentalism or a part of it in any way” Not at all!! I know you WAY better than that! 🙂 Love you my sis!