“Christians are the only ones that are ashamed of what they believe.” -Ralph Diehl
Think about it.
12 Replies to “Christianity vs. Other Religions”
I’m not sure if I would call it shame, but more of a desire to remain politically correct in a very judgmental society. There’s a fear in all of us that people will not approve of who we are or what we believe. I am not at all ashamed to believe that God is love, and that he sent His son for me so that we could be in perfect union in Heaven. However, I may find myself keeping quiet at times just because I am afraid. There’s just a slight difference to me. That’s not any better of a perspective, but seems to hold more truth.
I think I agree with Abby here. It’s not so much shame as it is fear. We live in a society that is entrenched in materialism, and we are afraid that speaking up could cause us to lose something…speaking up could have a cost associated with it.
I do think shame enters in…eventually we become ashamed that we are afraid, which, in the end, causes us to be even more afraid to speak up.
Hmm…let me clarify real quick:
Speaking up will have a cost associated with it! There is no way around it. But, as Christians, we have forgotten that the cost is temporary. Our hope is not in what we have, it is in Christ and spending eternity, that’s right…forever and forever, with Him, and with each other, in a sinless world.
So, frankly, if we count the cost, then in the long run it costs us more to not speak up.
The title of this post is “Christianity Vs. Other Religions.” So let’s do some comparing . . .
Muslims – They are in a war against anything that’s not Islam.
Mormons – Take 2 YEARS of their life in missionary training in another country. They come back to America as an “Evangelism Machine.”
Some Eastern Religions – Wear certain clothes JUST to set them apart from other religions; just to make sure everyone knows what they believe.
Scientology – Although it was invented in the past 60 years by a science fiction writer and hasn’t proved the test of time – it is more and more becoming accepted by others simply because big names are scientologists and aren’t AFRAID to tell other people: Tom Cruise, Chick Corea, Madonna to name a few.
Christians – They are the only ones that seem to have a desire to remain politically correct in a very judgmental society.
Compare Christians with followers of other religions – we are indeed set apart. We’re the only ones who are afraid to make our beliefs known. Dictionary.com defines “ashamed” as being “unwiling or restrained because of fear of shame, ridicule, or disapproval.” Most Christians are ashamed of what they believe. How I want to be a part of a generation that changes this.
Well, I guess that in order to make a statement about Christians in general, I have to consider all of the Christians around the world. And, Christians are the least ashamed of their faith in every country except America. While other religions are willing to go to great lengths to share their faith, Christians, around the world, are willingly being slaughtered by the thousands because they are not ashamed of theirs! I’m not talking about committing suicide for their beliefs. I’m talking about being shot in the head, or burned to death, or drowned, or some other terrible torture, because they won’t renounce God.
And, upon further investigation, I’ve come to the conclusion that, across the board, Americans are more ashamed of their respective faiths than people in almost any other country. I really think that one of the root causes of this is materialism. The entire western world is less radical about their respective faiths than the entire eastern world.
I also think that Christians in America are isolated in the church culture (which has held a place of respect in the society, until recently. It no longer holds this place of respect, but we trick ourselves into thinking it does.), and they don’t realize how few Christians there are. If they did, they might be a little more inclined to share their faith.
Also, I think there is a key difference between being ashamed and being afraid. I think we are afraid of losing something we’ve worked for (materialism) if we witness. This is separate from being ashamed. This “ashamed” feeling is a result of our shame over our fear of the cost of witnessing. I realize that it is almost a semantic point, but I don’t think it is. Look at it like this: I’m afraid to light the pilot light in the gas stove because I might get burned or start a fire. I’m ashamed to admit my fear of messing with the pilot light because someone might make fun of me.
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I can’t change other Christians; I can only change myself. I know where I need to be more bold, and I am working on that. Call it whatever you want; we all “give in to get along” more often than we should, and that is what P Diehl is referring to here. If I speak up more, and you speak up more, we can begin to operate as the Body we were meant to be.
I know plenty of Christians who are not ashamed of their faith. In fact they are the Christians that everybody else sees and responds to. This is just like how we Christians look at the unashamed people in every other religion to make generalizations. Those who are ashamed are not going to be on the front.
Many times God tries to push us out of our comfort zone ,but most Americans are scared. They are scared of standing out and being someone different from what society wants to conform us to. Jesus said,” The world hated me so they are going to hate you.” We need to step up and be what God wants us to be. For me it is hard ,but God is slowly changing my outlook on life. Because really society is searching for peace. Who are we if we don’t tell them. If we are hated we are going to be scared. It is our natural instinict to want to be loved and needed. Yet what is our whole purpose on life? It is to bring more people to the kingdom of God for eternal life. I must agree with Abby on this issue. It is not so much ashamed as it is being scared.
let me first say how i found this blog. i was searching for a blog that discusses christianity vs other religions on google and this came up and although it is different than what i was searching i must say there are some things that could be said pardon any restatements if they are said they are to add emphasis.
i liked what i heard when someone said that american christians in general are less inclined to share their faith. this is a very good point having lived in america my whole life (17 years yes im a youngin but listen to what i have to say) i have realized that the american culture is very judgemental and although we claim and express open minds many of us are very close minded indeed and very desensitized to many things that often come our way and seem like everyday things, things that disgust god. for one u turn on the tv. almost every commercial u see or tv has an attractive young woman with her tits hanging out. there are other things as well such as movies with torture and just straight up mockery of our beliefs. but as an american culture this is widely accepted. so for us being the ones who have to stand against these things makes that job very hard because of the coming ridicule we may face. america is quickly moving away from christianity and it seems that any idea anyone has of religion is the perfect plan if it agrees with your lifestyle. but as the body (church) we need to unite and stand firm on the solid ground that is in jesus christ our savior. it is written 1 john 2:15-17 ESV “do not love the world or the things in the world. if anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. for all that is in the world the desires of the flesh and the desires of the pride in possesions is not from the father but is from the world. and the world is passing away along with its desires but whoever does the will of god abides forever.” there are so many points in this scripture that show us how to live. the one id like to focus on is “the pride in possesions” i believe that this is not only talking about material things but possesions such as a social standing. we have too much pride to stand out and declare what is right and relinquish whatever it is that we are holding on to. so the question we come to is how do we become more bold? simply by prayer and fasting. it boils down to us needing more faith. in the society we live in its so easy for us to seek other answers because they are for instance a computer at the click of a few buttons but we need to adopt new measures of aid which is simply more faith in god. will we ever come to this point? some of will and many already have. will there be a point when all “christians” reach this point? not neccisarily so many ppl look at their faith as needed no work which is a misconception too many of us have. we are to continually allow god to work in our lives because we are an unfinished work until we are completed which is not for us but for god to determine when and i can say this much that wont be in this lifetime. god bless you all and grace be with you throughout all of your days in jesus name, amen.
Thanks , I’ve recently been searching for info
about this topic for ages and yours is the best I have found out till now.
However, what concerning the conclusion? Are you certain concerning the source?
I’m not sure if I would call it shame, but more of a desire to remain politically correct in a very judgmental society. There’s a fear in all of us that people will not approve of who we are or what we believe. I am not at all ashamed to believe that God is love, and that he sent His son for me so that we could be in perfect union in Heaven. However, I may find myself keeping quiet at times just because I am afraid. There’s just a slight difference to me. That’s not any better of a perspective, but seems to hold more truth.
I think I agree with Abby here. It’s not so much shame as it is fear. We live in a society that is entrenched in materialism, and we are afraid that speaking up could cause us to lose something…speaking up could have a cost associated with it.
I do think shame enters in…eventually we become ashamed that we are afraid, which, in the end, causes us to be even more afraid to speak up.
Hmm…let me clarify real quick:
Speaking up will have a cost associated with it! There is no way around it. But, as Christians, we have forgotten that the cost is temporary. Our hope is not in what we have, it is in Christ and spending eternity, that’s right…forever and forever, with Him, and with each other, in a sinless world.
So, frankly, if we count the cost, then in the long run it costs us more to not speak up.
The title of this post is “Christianity Vs. Other Religions.” So let’s do some comparing . . .
Muslims – They are in a war against anything that’s not Islam.
Mormons – Take 2 YEARS of their life in missionary training in another country. They come back to America as an “Evangelism Machine.”
Some Eastern Religions – Wear certain clothes JUST to set them apart from other religions; just to make sure everyone knows what they believe.
Scientology – Although it was invented in the past 60 years by a science fiction writer and hasn’t proved the test of time – it is more and more becoming accepted by others simply because big names are scientologists and aren’t AFRAID to tell other people: Tom Cruise, Chick Corea, Madonna to name a few.
Christians – They are the only ones that seem to have a desire to remain politically correct in a very judgmental society.
Compare Christians with followers of other religions – we are indeed set apart. We’re the only ones who are afraid to make our beliefs known. Dictionary.com defines “ashamed” as being “unwiling or restrained because of fear of shame, ridicule, or disapproval.” Most Christians are ashamed of what they believe. How I want to be a part of a generation that changes this.
Well, I guess that in order to make a statement about Christians in general, I have to consider all of the Christians around the world. And, Christians are the least ashamed of their faith in every country except America. While other religions are willing to go to great lengths to share their faith, Christians, around the world, are willingly being slaughtered by the thousands because they are not ashamed of theirs! I’m not talking about committing suicide for their beliefs. I’m talking about being shot in the head, or burned to death, or drowned, or some other terrible torture, because they won’t renounce God.
And, upon further investigation, I’ve come to the conclusion that, across the board, Americans are more ashamed of their respective faiths than people in almost any other country. I really think that one of the root causes of this is materialism. The entire western world is less radical about their respective faiths than the entire eastern world.
I also think that Christians in America are isolated in the church culture (which has held a place of respect in the society, until recently. It no longer holds this place of respect, but we trick ourselves into thinking it does.), and they don’t realize how few Christians there are. If they did, they might be a little more inclined to share their faith.
Also, I think there is a key difference between being ashamed and being afraid. I think we are afraid of losing something we’ve worked for (materialism) if we witness. This is separate from being ashamed. This “ashamed” feeling is a result of our shame over our fear of the cost of witnessing. I realize that it is almost a semantic point, but I don’t think it is. Look at it like this: I’m afraid to light the pilot light in the gas stove because I might get burned or start a fire. I’m ashamed to admit my fear of messing with the pilot light because someone might make fun of me.
I can’t change other Christians; I can only change myself. I know where I need to be more bold, and I am working on that. Call it whatever you want; we all “give in to get along” more often than we should, and that is what P Diehl is referring to here. If I speak up more, and you speak up more, we can begin to operate as the Body we were meant to be.
I know plenty of Christians who are not ashamed of their faith. In fact they are the Christians that everybody else sees and responds to. This is just like how we Christians look at the unashamed people in every other religion to make generalizations. Those who are ashamed are not going to be on the front.
Many times God tries to push us out of our comfort zone ,but most Americans are scared. They are scared of standing out and being someone different from what society wants to conform us to. Jesus said,” The world hated me so they are going to hate you.” We need to step up and be what God wants us to be. For me it is hard ,but God is slowly changing my outlook on life. Because really society is searching for peace. Who are we if we don’t tell them. If we are hated we are going to be scared. It is our natural instinict to want to be loved and needed. Yet what is our whole purpose on life? It is to bring more people to the kingdom of God for eternal life. I must agree with Abby on this issue. It is not so much ashamed as it is being scared.
let me first say how i found this blog. i was searching for a blog that discusses christianity vs other religions on google and this came up and although it is different than what i was searching i must say there are some things that could be said pardon any restatements if they are said they are to add emphasis.
i liked what i heard when someone said that american christians in general are less inclined to share their faith. this is a very good point having lived in america my whole life (17 years yes im a youngin but listen to what i have to say) i have realized that the american culture is very judgemental and although we claim and express open minds many of us are very close minded indeed and very desensitized to many things that often come our way and seem like everyday things, things that disgust god. for one u turn on the tv. almost every commercial u see or tv has an attractive young woman with her tits hanging out. there are other things as well such as movies with torture and just straight up mockery of our beliefs. but as an american culture this is widely accepted. so for us being the ones who have to stand against these things makes that job very hard because of the coming ridicule we may face. america is quickly moving away from christianity and it seems that any idea anyone has of religion is the perfect plan if it agrees with your lifestyle. but as the body (church) we need to unite and stand firm on the solid ground that is in jesus christ our savior. it is written 1 john 2:15-17 ESV “do not love the world or the things in the world. if anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. for all that is in the world the desires of the flesh and the desires of the pride in possesions is not from the father but is from the world. and the world is passing away along with its desires but whoever does the will of god abides forever.” there are so many points in this scripture that show us how to live. the one id like to focus on is “the pride in possesions” i believe that this is not only talking about material things but possesions such as a social standing. we have too much pride to stand out and declare what is right and relinquish whatever it is that we are holding on to. so the question we come to is how do we become more bold? simply by prayer and fasting. it boils down to us needing more faith. in the society we live in its so easy for us to seek other answers because they are for instance a computer at the click of a few buttons but we need to adopt new measures of aid which is simply more faith in god. will we ever come to this point? some of will and many already have. will there be a point when all “christians” reach this point? not neccisarily so many ppl look at their faith as needed no work which is a misconception too many of us have. we are to continually allow god to work in our lives because we are an unfinished work until we are completed which is not for us but for god to determine when and i can say this much that wont be in this lifetime. god bless you all and grace be with you throughout all of your days in jesus name, amen.
Thanks , I’ve recently been searching for info
about this topic for ages and yours is the best I have found out till now.
However, what concerning the conclusion? Are you certain concerning the source?