What Christianity Brings

    It brings good and bad. When applied wrongly, it can get ugly.  Awful. Almost the worst. Millions have died for bad reasons in its name. Like hate and oppression and control, which is not what Christ intended, surely. Jesus did say and proclaim things that implied revolution and force, but not outright hostility and violence. Yet people over the centuries have used His name and His religions to justify hatred and violence. Like the Crusades. Were those correct? No, we can agree.

    Muslim and Jewish people have suffered unnecessarily from many Christian-based regimes, governments, and even Christian movements over the years because of unrighteous actions by so-called Christians.

    All this said, Christianity can be very good, too. Philanthropic, full of good will very often, charity and well-meaning charities, magnanimousness, organized systems that help others, even the poor. Jesus would approve. Education. Alms and health and anti-poverty drives and inititiatives.

    Metaphysically, or spiritually, Christianity works well for millions, if not billions. Jesus the Anointed One, the Promised Messiah, brought His Kingdom to earth, as planned, and conquered death and died for our sins, paying with His blood for our eternal redemption, defeating or washing away our sins.

    We as believers and practitioners of Christianity enjoy or take advantage of great interpersonal and collective benefits.

    However, there are those of us that misuse or abuse those gifts. We may be prideful or overconfident, bossy or self-righteous in our attempts to be a good Christian, a follower of the Master, Son of God, Jesus the Messiah.

    Belief and faith in Jesus is supposed to be about joy and renewal, not abuse or over lording.

    But we can make mistakes in trying to do His will, and we do all the time. Individually and collectively.

    So, I wish us all a Happy Easter, and I recommend temperance and patience, solid faith and love, and not extreme acts of hypocrisy or chicanery.

    Let us be our best selves, this Holy Week, Easter holiday, and always.

    Let us be brothers and sisters to our Muslim, Jewish, atheist, and agnostic, secular friends and cohorts.

    Being Christian is a privilege that we should never exploit.

    Be good, be loving. Be a good faithful, follower of Christ.