No wonder Christian's don't invite us to their houses anymore!

Now, I might be digging a hole for myself here. . . but I want to talk about what the Bible commands when it comes to dealing with me as an ex-Christian. I bet most people don't know this subject as well as I do, coming from a church that actually shunned Biblically.

My thought was,  why don't I see more Christian's "shaking the dust off of their feet" or shoes after coming out of my home? I see plenty wiping the dust or mud off of their feet coming in to my home, but never out! :) (That would be a really bad sign of filth if they had to!)


 I have plenty of Christians over for numerous social occasions for my family and because my house is with my Christian in laws who also have company over. Everything from a regular sewing class, to Midwifery and herb study groups, as well as an open minded discussion/support group for couples (though honestly I have only found Atheist and Agnostics to be interested in learning in that format). And I have made it clear that I don't believe their religious views anymore. So you'd think I've given ample opportunity for the verse in Matthew 10:14 to be carried out. ("And whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of your house. . .shake off the dust of your feet.")

Then I got to thinking, "I shouldn't even be allowed to enter into a Christian's house, or be greeted by them either. . .I should be avoided. According to these verses anyhow:

2 John 1:10 

"If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting. . ."

2 John 1:11 

"For whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works." (Yeah, I'm so wicked!)

Luke 10:10-12 

"But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you.'

Matthew 10:12-15 

"As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town."

Romans 16:17 

"I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them."

2 Thessalonians 3:14 

"If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed."

Titus 3:9-11 

"But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."

2 Thessalonians 3:6 

"Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us."

1 Corinthians 5:11-13 

"But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?"

You mat say, I'm not a "brother" or even a Sister anymore since I went away from the faith.  Well, I'd dare say though that all my life few people doubted that I was saved, and if you believe in "once saved always saved", that should make me still your "sister". 

There is another issue with the vast majority of the verses on shunning though, and that is a presumption that those who go away are guilty of "sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler" while they are still claiming to be a Christian . . .they never deal with a person not living as a horrible and immoral person who doesn't claim any religion. . .maybe because in those days of superstition, it was just unheard of.

Whether the people where bad and immoral heathens, or  they were good moral people who no longer believed, the Jews taught that you should judge everyone not doing their customs as sinners, simply for their differences. Like in this verse:

Galatians 2:15

"We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners. . ."

So any difference even of hair or clothing would bring the condemnation of the Jews and even followers of Jesus in his day because of their heritage. . . today's Christians are no exception either because of following verses like these:

1 Corinthians 11:14-15

"Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering."

1 Corinthians 11:1-34 

"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. .."

So I am condemned by some Christians for not wearing a head-covering, condemned by others for having cut or short hair. . .and infinitely many more things people find support for judging me as a sinner in the Bible. . . if they are looking for an excuse to be proud and judgmental. The thing is, I could easily do that back to them if I believed the Bible was my authority. For instance, I have not yet met a Christian who obeys the Disciples consensus in Jerusalem on the 4 things required of the Gentiles in this verse: Acts 15:19-22 "Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollution's of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. "
  Or the command of Jesus in this verse:

Matthew 6:5-6 

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues ( or churches, schools, restaurants, with their families. . .) and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

And how that verse ties into the practicality of "praying always" if you actually do pray in a closet, I'll let you figure out. . .

Back in the Bible days,  association was made with the evil, unkempt, bold dressers and the nonreligious, as Christians still do today.  Those who in their depression or discouragement with people and religion say "God must have given up on me", often bitterly decided they would do the same. Those people are still religious, in that they superstitiously still believe in him, they just live in rebellion to him. . .not realizing it is rebellion to common sense and morality that they are really rebelling against.

Eventually the Jews started to listen to their hearts and Jesus's teachings though, like:

Matthew 7:1-5 

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

He taught them to listen to their inner conscience (i.e. "God" or the "Holy Spirit"). So the light turned on, and they started to see how it was wrong to judge and hate.

Acts 10:28 

"And he said to them, You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean." (It's a good thing I wasn't born a practicing Jew, or I wouldn't have married my husband from another nation.)

Sadly though, as good and moral as that verse is, it doesn't come as naturally to follow that, as being judgmental comes to a proud Christian ( or a proud Pharisee or Jew). So most Fundamental Christians take the condemning verses to judge others lives,  while claiming to believe these few good ones and be following Jesus. It's not what you believe as much as how you practice what you believe though. Because the end result of believing they all are inspired is that you will live like the very one's Jesus fought against and was killed by, instead of just taking the good of what Jesus said! Jesus had some choice words for those like that who also proselytize others to do like them:

Matthew 23:15 

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves." 

I think history shows a sad tale of that degeneration in any culture we have changed from their roots,  only to "westernize" and "Christianize". When are we going to learn as a culture, and individuals to just keep our religious thoughts to ourselves, and butt out!? It would make for instant world peace if you ask me.


 And I know what you're thinking, "Atheism is a religion too, and it takes even more faith to believe that there is no God!" To that I will say, you both show your ignorance of the diversity of the term, and to disbelieve in any known god, is not another belief, but the lack of one. Being Agnostic is even more open ended and teachable. Give me evidence, and I will believe, but faith in something that we can neither reason out or see through enlightened eyes, is wishing for fairy tales to be true, in my book. . . now at least.  When I was a child, I thought as a child. . .but now that I'm a woman, I put away childish things. . .fairy tales being one of them.