5 Reasons Why I'm Not a Christian

Congratulations to those of you who made it past the title at least long enough to read this first sentence!  Ok, so I love Jesus and I read my Bible (a whole lot more than I ever did when I was told to), and I do church related activities 4 days a week (sometimes 5), but I am not a Christian.  I gave up on the religion of Christianity a LOOOOOONG time ago when it became painfully obvious I never was going to fit within that system.  So, now I just go on crazy adventures with Jesus and love people I’m not “supposed to.”  I ditched Christianity to run away with Jesus and here’s why; my reasons why I’m not a Christian:

1~They are too picky.

Christians say really confusing things like, “We can judge people, we just can’t condemn them” or “Well, God says we have to love them but that doesn’t mean we have to like them.” I’ve even heard some say, “God forgives us but if we are living in sin we will have to answer to him for that one day!”  Christians like to pick and choose which sins are really not that big of a deal and which sins are worth kicking someone out of the church for.  It’s interesting that if one were to read in Romans it states “whatever is not from faith is sin.”  So anything we do out of fear, obligation, guilt, or worry is sin.  One could even say, those who live their lives steeped in fear and obligation are, in fact, living in sin.  That levels the playing field a little bit.  Picking and choosing is exactly what the Pharisees did, and we all know how big a fan Jesus was of them. 

*Romans 14:23

2~They are more concerned with winning arguments than winning people.

CONFESSION:  I have been so guilty of this.  It’s easy to get caught up in an argument and forget about the actual people involved in it.  Christians are the worst at this.  They become so focused on proving people wrong that they lose their hearts.  Even the most rational, logically thinking person, cannot be won over by an argument alone, no matter how persuasive or even right you may be.  If people don’t think you care about them, why would they even want to listen to you?  We should be more concerned with helping heal the broken rather than pointing out their brokenness. 

3~They eat their own.

We’ve all seen it; how quickly Christians turn on one another at the revelation of another’s imperfection.  The moment one of them falls the others gather around to feed of the remains spreading gossip, anger, and judgment around for everyone to share.  They judge those with the slightly more obvious sin as not quite Christian enough and push them to achieve more in order to gain their (and God’s) approval.  I’m just not going to play that game anymore. This reason alone is enough for me to say goodbye to the religion of Christianity.

4~They use big words.

Ok, so maybe this is just a personal issue but really, do we have to use all those huge words in church? Justification, sanctification, predestination, transfiguration; these are just a few of the words Christians throw around.  It makes it hard for those outside the church to understand what they are saying much less be interested in it.  It makes the church harder to relate to and gives off an air of “we are better than you.”  I’m a fan of the simplicity of stories and analogies.  The message of grace is a simple one, why should we complicate it with big words?

5~I’m a radical.

When it comes down to it I am just too radical to be confined by Christianity.  I believe God operates in extremes.  He lavishes his love and gives in abundance; there is no halfway when it comes to God.  I believe in extreme grace not grace mixed with “truth” (that’s just more picking so that they can say law without actually saying it).  For me, grace is truth.  I believe in a radical honesty that keeps me from being anything but real with people and transparent about my failures.  I refuse to live a life driven by fear and consumed with unrest.  I will ALWAYS err on the side of grace and forgiveness and to some that makes me a heretic.  That’s ok.  Just remember, they crucified Jesus for blasphemy. 

I decided a long time ago that I was done with the games of religion and the bonds of Christianity.  I just love Jesus and I am passionate about grace.  Those things make we want to love other people and they drive me in everything that I do.  I don’t need religion; just give me Jesus.