I've spent most of my life on a spiritual journey. When I was about 8 years old, I began asking questions that my parents could not answer. They sent us to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and we were told that when we turned 10, we could decide for ourselves whether we wanted to continue.
One of my brothers was a Methodist Pastor, and another is a Fundamentalist Christian. My parents see them as wonderfully good people. Yet, I could never find the answers I sought in the Church. I studied on my own and learned many things, from the Bible and from apocryphal writings. What has been said here is absolutely true, and these are not new developments. I was ordained in 2009 through Universal Ministries in Milford, Illinois. I never updated my name change, so my credentials are now invalid.
Christianity grew out of Judaism (Jesus was a Jew), and Judaism was a very sexist group. So it is no surprise to find their teachings (the Torah/Old Testament) are geared toward male superiority. As the priesthood became the central government, they fought hard to stay in power. As various factions splintered off, there was always a power struggle among them. That followed into Christianity as well. So I understand the history and the intent. It doesn't make it right, but many will point to this scripture or that as justification for their actions.
The problem I have with organized religion has more to do with false teachings, and not with the religion or the members as a whole. What many here are reacting to is not Christianity, but Churchianity. Instead of listening to the teachings of Jesus, they spend all of their time celebrating things He never celebrated. They think following Him means performing everything in little rituals, which have little to do with what He came to teach.
I am a Christian, in that I follow the teachings of Jesus, and I can do that better by not associating with people who (in my opinion) got it all wrong. In 1983, my spiritual path led me to the Rosicrucians (the Ancient Mystical Order of the Rose Cross). We are a fraternity of people who seek the truth in all religions. I am now a Twelfth Degree, the highest level in the hierarchy. I laugh at people who say the Illuminati are controlling the world, because that is part of my title in the Order. It means "Enlightened One," not what others think it means.
My current view is that if you strip away religion and view people for who they are: spirits with bodies, you begin to see past the facades. And when that happens, you will see that we are all brothers and sisters living our lives as best we can. We don't need to judge their behavior because most are unaware of what they are doing. Some can be encouraged to change, others will dig their heels in and insist everyone else change.
"It does not matter what you believe; it is the actions you take based on those beliefs that matters." -- H. Spencer Lewis
