Hogwash tax. IF the Christian 'message' was to be optimistic/good/stoic there was no purpose in the cross and Jesus could have been just like one of dozens of philosophers throughout the ages. There would have been absolutely no necessity for his death.
Optimistic - Jesus told his followers that the world would hate them like they did him.
Good - Man is innately sinful and Jesus said "none are good but God".
Stoic - LOL, well I guess you better be stoic when you are relying on a perky, works based method of salvation Tax.
Godzilla, Thanks for the response.
Entertain the following possibility. I don’t say it’s a certainty, but consider it.
Christianity, as an institution, and all relics/objects/books/traditions associated with it, have been heavily influenced by a world that does NOT accept its basic message, and turned into something like ancestor worship.
Having said that, I myself try to commune with Christ and God. I don’t know how to measure success, but try to be faithful and optimistic about it.
And if a person were really hurting, with serious life problems, then I can think of nothing better than to ask God and/or Christ to intervene, and to express faith and hope to him/them personally. That’s what any Christian of any stripe would do, I think.