Why are Christians so hypocritical?

Now I'm not saying all of them are, but I have talked to and seen alot of them.

There are the "lukewarm" Christians who claim to be following the Bible and it's teachings, but then go and act like anyone else in the world and doing worldly stuff. I guess what I'm saying is that when I see a Christian I should notice something different about them. It's almost like some of these people use Christianity as a way of making themselves look better and appear to be caring and kind and all of that crap. Jesus said he would rather people to be hot or cold and that he would spit the lukewarm people out of his mouth.

Then there are another group of Christians that I have talked to and noticed before. They are the violent ones, who want to nuke the middle east or something and to kill all of the Muslims in the world. I thought Jesus preached love and peace, not violence and death, and by thinking this way, they're not any better than the Muslim extremists are. At least the terrorists are commited enough to die for their religion, most Christians nowadays wouldn't care enough to die for their God.

Then there are people like the Westboro Baptist Church who protest the funerals of the dead soldiers from Iraq. They say that God is letting them die because Americans tolerate homosexuals. How do you think that makes God and other Christians look?

I guess what I mean is that I wouldn't want to be a Christian based on what alot of them are like. They're just like the rest of the world, they do bad things, and they don't seem different like the Bible said they should be.

If you stick around ATS for a while - and read in the religious forums on ATS and BTS you will see my posts all over...I am a whole-hearted devotee of the MOST High God and praise and extol Him every chance I get...

BUT watch and see what I say if someone should mistakenly call me a christian! For I am NOT a christian and that's the last thing I wish to be thought of. Mainly (and originally) because of this principle of which you have thought to post about.

When I was a kid, I went to christian church with my parents, but they were 'normal' people during the week - good people, both honest and helpful with others...but didn't force evangelism or anything else like that. They didn't even talk about God. Which, it turns out, was a GOOD thing, IMO.

And growing up, I heard the word 'hypocrite' ALL the time! In the sermons but even more so when I eavesdropped on the adult conversations of the church members - always calling this or that one a hypocrite behind their back. BUT the bible (which I read instead of listening to the sermon - I was a bookworm ) makes it clear that Jesus HATES hypocrites (as much as HE can HATE)....

So I vowed to NEVER be a hypocrite (the opposite of which is being someone with integrity -being the same and honest both inside and out.)

When I moved out of my parent's house at 18, I quit going to church and rarely did I hear that word again!!!!

Hypocrisy is basically lying - lying to one's self which extends to the outer self.

From the NT:

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ~Matthew 6:2

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ~Matthew 6:5

Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. ~Matthew 6:16

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. ~Matthew 7:5

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, ~Matthew 15:7

And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? ~Matthew 16:3

But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? ~Matthew 22:18

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. ~Matthew 23:13

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. ~Matthew 23:14

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. ~Matthew 23:15

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. ~Matthew 23:23

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. ~Matthew 23:25

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. ~Matthew 23:27

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, ~Matthew 23:29

And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ~Matthew 24:51

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ~Mark 7:6

Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. ~Luke 6:42

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. ~Luke 11:44

Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? ~Luke 12:56

The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? ~Luke 13:15

I'm a big fan of this quote from Mahatma Gandhi:

I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.

The real question should be, why are humans so hypocritical. Those who associate themselves with a faith, do not become automatically perfect. They have the same foibles and frailties that they had before thy submitted themselves to their religion. Christians are no different.

We have a local preacher here who says on television that Christianity is not a religion, so much as it is a relationship with God.

Ideally, that is what it should be. That and a set of ideals to be striven for, regardless of how many time that one backslides.

Be honest with yourself. Look for and acknowledge hypocrisy wherever and in whomever you find it and then ask yourself just how many of those people are Christian. Unless you hang around only Christians and I doubt that from your post, I think you'll find that hypocrisy is not the domain of only the religious.

It is a common human frailty.

Originally posted by Duzey
I'm a big fan of this quote from Mahatma Gandhi:

I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.

Wow, that was a great quote, thanks and thanks for those verses queenannie38.

[edit on 20-10-2006 by Mimbster]