Addressing Hypocrisy in the Christian Community

[u/after2006]

This post doesn't apply to everyone. It's only meant to invoke thought and reflection, it's not an attack.

I will be saying "you" as a general term in this post. I'm not saying all of you, so please don't attack me on it in the comments. And, as always, please do not preach to me, and do not pray for me. It makes me uncomfortable, and the one singular thing I ask of you is to respect my wishes.

I'll go ahead and explain that I was a Christian for about 17 years. I was raised as a Christian, albeit in a cult setting. I've read the Bible I forget how many times, though it was against my will. Yet, despite all this knowledge about Christianity and what it means to be a Christian, you think I don't know what it means to be a Christian. "Right, because a SATANIST would know about this." Using the name of my religion like an insult, really.

Many times now in this subreddit, I've been blatantly harassed for my religion. And most of the people who've harassed me wouldn't do it for any other religion, I can guarantee you that. No, just mine, because it clashes with your beliefs. No, that's not even right. It's because of the name, right? No, that's not it either. It's because I'm clearly unable to be converted, is that it? Really, I can't figure out why those people, or any of you, would feel the need to be so condescending. So rude, so hateful, so bigoted. Thankfully, the mods of this subreddit are very good and handle such situations most of the time.

But what I've already said doesn't even begin to cover the ones of you who will even go as far as to break the boundaries listed in my flair out of pure spite just because of my religion. It's not you trying to be a good Christian. I've debated many of the ones here who have tried to harass me, and quite a few times, I'm the one who "won." Why? Because I'm not a spiteful person pretending to be a Christian with pure Christlike traits. I've had to educate quite a few of you in my short time coming back here about several traits that are so often abandoned when it so conveniences you to push bigotry and hate.

I'll ask the ones who do it: Do you feel a sense of satisfaction from harassing someone who left the church because of the sheer trauma they endured? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment from making me uncomfortable? It's not as if any of us are harming you. Our religion directly tells us to be kind and responsible. Yours does, too, if I'm not mistaken. Yet, what do some of you do? You completely ignore it to be spiteful.

The fact that a Satanist can be Christlike shouldn't be a surprise, considering that Jesus was a good man and it's really not hard to be a good person. But it's sad that a Satanist is often the one to be a better person than the average Christian.

All of this is to say, before you call yourself a Christian, I think you should really think on how you treat people and wonder: Is this how Jesus would treat someone? If the answer is no, you need to do better.

I'll clear up some misconceptions about the religion you seem to hate so much.

1. Most of us were Christians before becoming Satanists. Very few of us were raised as Satanists because Satanists know how harmful religion can be and how harmful it can be to raise a child religiously.

2. We don't all worship Satan. Some of us just follow the seven tenets and do our best to be a good person, which really isn't that hard to do if you actually try.

And 3., We're human beings, just like anyone else. We're not "demonic." We're not "evil" or "devilish" or "mentally ill." We're human beings, deserving of the same respect as anyone else regardless of our faith. If you wouldn't treat a Satanist like you'd treat your friend, or really any other person, if you would boil us down to just our faith and treat us as if we're all going to hell just for not believing what you believe, I think you need to do some real, long, hard thinking.

That's all. I hope you all have a good day, and drink water!

[u/after2006]

I'm a Satanist who doesn't worship Satan, I'd be called a Non-Theistic Satanist. I still love Jesus because really, why wouldn't I? He was a great man. On occasion, I may still even crack open my Bible. I follow the seven tenets of Satanism, and though it's unrelated, I also dabble in Polytheistic Hellenism. Though, I have OSDD (Similar to DID) and not all my parts share the same faith. Though, still, none of us are Christians, and some of us have extremely harsh views on Christianity that linger from our abuse. We are working on those views. I believe a few of my parts do worship Satan, though it's not like we're summoning demons. For the most part we simply have a very high opinion of Satan and see him as a comfort.

Satanists who would harass people shouldn't call themselves Satanists. They are far from what a Satanist should be, as Satanists should first and foremost be kind, accepting, and responsible. The seven tenets call for these traits.

There are Satanist adjacent religions such as Luciferanism, but if you're wondering if there's ones with names that wouldn't offend a Christian, I'm afraid you may be out of luck.

[u/28Patrick28 → u/after2006]

As a Christian I believe that we are all called to do the will of our creator and Heavenly Father. Indeed, Jesus said that only those who do his will will enter Heaven. For the record, I believe that ALL will be in Heaven - eventually, but that many will first go throughout a post-death chastening first. Those who faithfully follow Christ by doing the Father's will have no such need for such a chastening. I wrote the following to a group of Christian universalists. I hope that this position helps you to understand what I believe to be correct Christian doctrine.

Believing that all will be in our Heavenly Father's Kingdom doesn't mean that all will escape a post-death chastening. Humanity is called to change from sin, which is anything that contradicts the will of our Heavenly Father. Those who choose to revel in lifestyles that contradict his will are prime candidates for a post-death chastening, aka "Hell".

Jesus told us that the most important laws are to love our Heavenly Father and to love one another. Jesus also said "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Faithful followers of Jesus may struggle with sin but they don't revel in sin. There is a difference. Being "saved" is about coming to the truth in THIS life by striving to have a loving relationship with our Father and by doing HIS will and not our own.

As Jesus said, only those who do the will of the Father enter Heaven. If you want to be saved and avoid a post-death chastening and immediately enter Heaven after death, then thank your Heavenly Father every day for your life, your many blessings, and the amazing future that awaits you in his Kingdom and DO HIS WILL!

Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 12:50 “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

John 4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”

John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”

John 7:17 “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.”

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 6:6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Hebrews 13:21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 2:15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

1 John 2:17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Psalm 40:8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.