Not that I disagree with your overall premise, but what is the point of following a religion if you knowingly and willingly reject it's tenets?
Jesus did the same thing according to some interpretations of when he was crying out about God 'abandoning' him. Not that it makes my transgressions any more right. I do not willing reject the tenets. However I am human have my weaknesses. I am an minister but I don't preach because I feel I am a work in progress. I am too rough around the edges to feel comfortable teaching others fearing I might cause them pain or even lose their salvation. Instead of teaching and preaching I minister by volunteering at the local food bank and homeless shelters. So I am working on those things especially my pride etc. If god wills and I do the work I am sure I will overcome those barriers that hold me back from having a true relationship with God. As scripture tells us the truth will set us free. There is more reasons that I may or may not become a traditional christian.Some reasons are because I do not agree with the main stream interpretation of some key scripture. Also I am still forming opinions and making inferences of contested passages. I also want to earn my PhD, so I have many semester ours to do including subjects such as near east anthropology and related . But that's material for another thread....
I mean I disagree with a ton of stuff Christianity tells us. That's why I don't call myself a Christian anymore. It just seems odd to say "yeah yeah yeah, I'm a Christian and I know Jesus preached peace, but efff that I want to drop nuclear bombs and kill millions of people and Jesus can stuff it...but I'm still a Christian."
I understand where you are coming from. However It hit me that the preachers were telling me things I had problems with. When I read the bible it was another story, there is not to much in the bible I have a problem with. Also about ten years ago I was introduced to philosophy and the new christian apologists. At the same time I was going to night college taking mostly theology related courses When they were not available I took science both natural sciences as well as a tiny bit of physics. (My job required travel so instead of bars I went to night school). Lastly have been through some major crap. An NDE bump started my desire to live the Christian life as well as possible.
If you're really a Christian you need to embrace the message of Jesus. Or just do like I do, reject whatever messages you like and ditch the Christian label. Otherwise it seems a bit pointless and a little hypocritical.
I understand you, however you hardly know me or my history. I did exactly that about 15 years ago, by that I mean I stopped going to church, then joined a major outlaw club ie the Hells Henchmen now Hells angles south Chicago IL. No they aren't and we were not not a bunch of thugs or dope pushers as A&E or the history channel would have you believe, lol! , In fact anyone that done a crime wearing their patch , any crime, received a somewhat light bearing then was kicked to the curb. Then that NDE rocked my smug wild Biker non theist world. The rest is history, as they say,
That said I don't blame you or anyone for being suspicious of my claims and or my intentions, but with time I do expect some respect, and love, respect as per Rodney Dangerfield said, lol...
Man this got long.....maybe I should start preaching? Ha ha just kidding not yet my pretties!