Bakker, Brown: What happened to Christianity?

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Editor's note: Jay Bakker, son of former Praise The Lord leaders Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Messner, is minister of Revolution Church and subject of a new documentary series, "One Punk Under God," on Sundance Channel. Marc Brown is a Revolution staff member.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- What happened? Where did we go wrong? How was Christianity co-opted by a political party? Why are Christians supporting laws that force others to live by their standards? The answers to these questions are integral to the survival of Christianity.


While the current state of Christianity might seem normal and business-as-usual to some, most see through the judgment and hypocrisy that has permeated the church for so long. People witness this and say to themselves, "Why would I want to be a part of that?" They are turned off by Christians and eventually, to Christianity altogether. We can't even count the number of times someone has given us a weird stare or completely brushed us off when they discover we work for a church.


So when did the focus of Christianity shift from the unconditional love and acceptance preached by Christ to the hate and condemnation spewed forth by certain groups today? Some say it was during the rise of Conservative Christianity in the early 1980s with political action groups like the Moral Majority. Others say it goes way back to the 300s, when Rome's Christian Emperor Constantine initiated a set of laws limiting the rights of Roman non-Christians. Regardless of the origin, one thing is crystal clear: It's not what Jesus stood for.

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Jamie

 

Although I don't like the way they are seemingly spreading their message I do have to wonder if there is any truth to it.

Did we, as Christians change from a helping, loving people to a "it's all about politics" people?

Where in the Bible did politics get talked about or concerns rasied as much as we do today?

Have we changed for the worse? Is that hurting the church? Is that keep people away? Again, I don't like the way they seemingly put the message out, but I do have to wonder if they have a point.

Jamie

 

Actually Carpro,

I think you can be both.. Why can't we as Christians preach the word and spread the good news, and thus help bring more people to Christ and thus have more people that would vote with Christian values, vers Hammer home our "policital" message in the hopes they get it through their "thick skull?

When and where did Jesus preach or teach about which party was better or not. Which World Policies he would like to push in his adgenda?

I think if we were to be more like Christ and do what he commaned us to do, we as Christians would naturally vote for the right person without "hammering it home".

I just think that as Christians, this article makes some sense in that we focus too much on Politics and not spreadig the good news.

Jamie
The Great Commission never told us to be sure to vote in the right party....

 

Did Jesus take a public stand in a political way? Verse please.

I sort of in a round about way agree with you, but I don't. I agree we should take a stand, and I believe it should be silent, kinda.

Ok, confussed yet?

I believe as a Christian we should preach and teach the word.
(that to me is taking a stand)

I believe as a Christian, the more people we help bring to Christ, the more good we will help bring about.
(this to me will make the political process work, as more Christians vote with the new founded values they have, since they know Christ, the better the person is that is elected)

I believe we do need to continue to work for change, I just think we should work it from the pulpit/street preaching and not the political arena. There is more power in a good sermon or good evangelical outreach then anyone saying we should vote for X because Y is bad or sinful.

Understand? We almost agree, only I believe we should use a different route to get there.



Jamie