You've painted a whole lot of good people with a pretty broad brush, and I don't believe that you have a properly informed opinion when you say that 90% of the churchgoers in a given town wouldn't go 5 feet out of their way to try and help someone who is laying in the street. Sure, maybe some wouldn't, but my experience is the exact opposite of that, and the empirical evidence backs up my opinion. Your's is merely a justification for something that's bothering you, because you're angry at God about something. That's between you and Him.
Do churches have hypocrites in them? Sure they do. That doesn't mean that all churchgoers are hypocrites. Not even close. Churches also have alcoholics, sex addicts, and drug abusers in them—just like in the rest of the world—but that doesn't mean that 90% of church goers are alcoholics, sex addicts, and drug abusers. Why is that, you might ask, that sinners can be found in churches? It is because CHURCHES ARE ALSO HOSPITALS FOR SINNERS, NOT ONLY HOTELS FOR SAINTS! The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and that includes both church-goers and non-churchgoers.
By your logic, you might as well never vote in another election, because government is full of hypocrites. You might as well never put your money in a bank, because some bank managers are hypocrites. Etc., etc., etc. Of COURSE some of them are. It's part of the human condition. But to say that 90% of churchgoers in a given town wouldn't walk 5 feet to see if someone laid out on the ground was OK or not, is not only a gross exaggeration, it's kind of a pathetic reason for not dealing with your own issues with God. Sorry. I have to call 'em like I see 'em. I most sincerely hope for the sake of your own spiritual health that you are able to resolve that anger at Him."
TAM
For your edification, I do belong to a "church" with a membership of ONE, No Invitations for other members are even considered.
I don't have the problem you seem to attribute to those who despise organized religions, but that is your problem, not mine.
I strongly suggest that we drop this subject, on which I believe we will never agree to any degree, and limit our discussions to the rest of the world of subjects, on which we do have many agreements.
BTW, I am reasonably sure from your statements that your denominations is NOT NAZARENE. I know them much too well. If 10 of 100 will stop to help a passed out drunk, you will have found an exceptionally forgiving group of Nazarenes. And that is the primary denomination, to my knowledge, in Bethany.
OCW
