Issues in “Christian” Circles

Over the years, I’ve had contact with dozens of groups that claim to be “Christian” in some respects. I am not part of any of them. But many may wonder why this is so. Do I not profess Christianity? Do I not claim to be a Christian? Do I not want to live and work with believers? This would not be the case in any respect. But then why am I not part of a group that claims to be Christian? There are many reasons but let me mention several at this time.

It has been said that there are perhaps 3,000 different churches or denominations in the United States and some 30,000 in the world. These would be churches that call themselves “Christian” in some measure. They would not include world religions, such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, or even Roman Catholicism. We know that these groups that claim to be “Christian” would not all be the same for there are different denominations and groupings included in the category of Christian that we have mentioned.

So the question arises: What problems exist when a given group calls itself a Christian Church? A lot of this depends on the context of such a question. Notice these problem areas.

Notice a few:

  1. Luxury cars
  2. Luxury homes
  3. Junk food of all kinds
  4. Working on the Lord’s day and missing assemblies
  5. Instrumental music
  6. Sports of all kinds
  7. Laziness
  8. TV viewing
  9. Movies
  10. Radio
  11. Costly pets and upkeep
  12. Mixed swimming
  13. Immodest clothing—women
  14. Immodest clothing—men
  15. Short hair for women
  16. Long hair for men
  17. Bizarre appearances for men and women
  18. Tattoos, piercing, etc.
  19. Jobs—times, compromises, etc.
  20. Holidays—military, political, religious
  21. Holidays—“Christian”—Christmas, easter, thanksgiving
  22. Amusement parks
  23. Women working
  24. Secular schools—elementary, secondary
  25. Worldly Colleges and universities
  26. Labor unions
  27. Carnal warfare
  28. Childhood amusements
  29. Sport cars
  30. Worldly college courses
  31. Evolution tolerated or even promoted
  32. Naked showers
  33. Recreational choices
  34. Hunting and fishing choices
  35. Expensive sports equipment
  36. Forbidding home schooling
  37. Expensive Funerals
  38. Computer games
  39. Dating
  40. Large and extravagant cars
  41. Large and expensive houses
  42. Unneeded possessions
  43. Unscriptural songs and hymns
  44. Preachers doing the work of a overseer
  45. Giving in no or small amounts
  46. Divorce
  47. Divorce and remarriage
  48. Separation
  49. Divisive, confusing, wrongful, and negative “marriages”
  50. Worldly talk
  51. Political affiliations
  52. Money—acquisition and accumulation
  53. “Pastors” and other wrongful positions
  54. Women taking the lead over men
  55. Feminism
  56. Women teaching over the man
  57. Families with few or no children—purposely
  58. Overweight
  59. Luxurious vacations

This would be a sampling of a number of “problems” that exist within groups that call themselves “Christian.” What about you? How do you view such things? If you are a true child of God of disciple of Christ, do you find no problem with these elements–or do you grieve over them? What can we do?