It's been too long since I posted and it's too late to really write a lot.  I spent my morning reading the stuff about Christianity recently written by Zipperusup and Stillidealistic, and ALL of those comments.  Fascinating discussion for so many reasons. 

What I took from the post of Stilli, even before the comments, was the problem that exists within Christianity in the USA.  Auntie Sam made a comment that people have the right to express their beliefs without criticism.  While I do agree with the rights, the right to express, the second part I do not find true.  I am not obligated to be silent when someone makes a statement of any kind.  There is no right to the last word because one hamade a statement of faith. I believe Clearthinker pretty much proved that, if nothing else. 

It is not here that "Liberal" Christians are failing, it is here that Christianity is failing, even our nation as a whole.  We are loathe to respond for fear of offending a believer.  It's a social custom.  It's root is in our political DNA, because we respect the right of others to have their religion.  But I think it is time to answer the call Stilli makes, believers or not.  It is time to respond to assertions and declarations to show how something stated might be questionable.

Originally, I thought I would post about how the MSM defines Christianity.  I was troubled by how much significance was given to James Dobson in the comments.  I have always been troubled by how much attention is given to American church leaders.  But to understand my perspective, I have to give some personal background.

My upbringing was in the Russian Orthodox Church.  Orthodoxy is arguably the second largest Christian body in the world.  It always confused me that this persepctive was overlooked when matters of fatih are reported in the news.  Instead, we get Dobson, or Robertson, or a handful of others.  The view is that of this homegrown faith, indigenous to the US for the most part, and it ignores more then half the world of Christianity.  It is as if Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and not in the Middle East. It is as if Christianity came here leaving empty and exhausted nations in its wake.  As though Chirstianity lives no where else but here in the good old USA and these people have the monopoly on understanding Jesus Christ.

Quite frankly, this whole issue of there being a moment in one's life where one is "saved" is foreign to me.  The teachings of the Orthodox Church revolve around a traditional form of worship and participation in the sacraments.  The evangelical practices of the Russian Orthodox Church was much different then what people think of when they hear the word missionary.  But I am not hear to say it is better or worse, more true or not.  I only wish to suggest that there are vast differences in Christianity, and if we are to discuss the issue, we should take a broader perspective on Christianity not simply historically, with a sense it moved from East to West, but realistically in that it exapnded not vacating any place it had been.

The MSM dictates what form of Christianity it wishes to portray, and frankly, I find it sorely lacking in any real, deep understanding of it.   But people give the MSM authority to make these declarations because the MSM has this authority related to so many other matters of importance.  One has to ask, though, are these the real leaders of Christianity, or the ones who with the most interest for their news cycle?  Does the MSM choose these people because of some spiritual need to express their love of God, or to attract more viewers and spectators? 

There needs to be a separation of church and state because, if for no other reason, we cannot agree what the church/mosque/synagogue is.  Our efforts to deconstruct religion into this faith-based assembly is doomed to failure because there is no democratic voice to whom these people shall be, rather they are appointed by a secular body, the government.  Based on what criteria are these representatives made and on what basis are others excluded.  It would be better not to form this body at all at the governmental level because it cannot possibly represent the people, or even Christianity, from a world view.