I think you'd be shocked at the number of stories you get told when people learn that you won't tell them to go back to church or their pastor when they have problems. I'll leave it at that.
I'd PM you, but I can't and I'm already mad at myself for derailing another thread, apologies to all.
Christianity becomes a lot easier to grasp when you come to the understanding that true Christians don't think they're better than anyone else. They don't think they're without sin. Anyone claiming they are isn't a Christian. I'm not better than anyone else. I never have been and I never will be. I've done some terrible things and I will continue to do terrible things until the day I die. I will do everything I can to prevent myself from doing those terrible things, but I will fail.
I have a hard time with a lot of the things that have happened lately. Gov. Bentley's staffer who put "Loves Jesus" in her Twitter profile while carrying out a secret affair, or the Duggard situation, Sam and Nia, and now this. There have been a lot of black eyes for Christians lately. Part of me doesn't want to wear my faith on my sleeve because if I screw up in a big way it's going to reflect poorly on anyone else who shares my faith.
On the other hand, I'm kind of ok with the people who do wear their faith on their sleeve being shown to be sinners just like the rest of the world,
because they are sinners just like the rest of the world, and it's important that there isn't that distinction. That wall that people think seems insurmountable isn't even there. The reality is that we're all hypocrites. The reality is, it's not the Bible or God you're mad at, it's the "Christians" who can't quote a line of scripture other than John 3:16. It's the "Christians," who act like that title is a free reign to do whatever they want to whoever they want because ultimately their sins will be absolved. It's "Christians," who bump lines of coke on Saturdays and show up Sunday mornings wearing a cross around their neck.
I can't answer for why some people who share my faith do the things they do. I'll never be able to answer for them, just like they wont be able to answer for me. This isn't simply a problem with Christianity, but Christians sure get the brunt of the burden, and I guess that's ok. We're under a microscope for a reason.