Christianity teaches accountability and that you are not the sole arbiter of what is right and wrong. That is why liberals hate Christianity
Agreed. But Christians who have accepted Christ have not done so because they crave rules, restrictions and threats of hell from God. They do it because they've experienced the love and forgiveness, the compassion and strength, of Jesus Christ.
Liberals have not experienced that - they just see the rules and threats of hell.
And we have an absolute catastrophe of liberals in this country. So my question is how to reduce their numbers.
Most Christians say, well, you've got to choose. Jesus set up the rules, not us. So if liberals reject them, that's their choice.
On the other hand, part of those rules, is HOW Christians are to TEACH those rules.
And it just so happens that not only did Jesus actually give teaching rules - literally rules about how to teach the rules - He also declared them His most important rules of all.
Which, with a little thought, is also the deepest teaching of all. Because in my opinion it's this: that none of us can bring anyone to Christ. We can't do it - we don't have the power or knowledge, no matter how educated or pure we think we are. So what Jesus did instead was tell us to love one another. But why? After all, even our love is tainted. But when we love in His Name, even with our limited love, HIS ACTUAL DIVINE LOVE can flow THROUGH us. And THAT - and ONLY that - can bring others to Christ.
So to me, that is the essence of Christianity - upon which, as Jesus said, ALL the other rules "hang," or in other words, are dependent, because it enables Jesus's love to flow through the one teaching the rules. Because without that divine love flowing, no rule means anything - because it can't reach anyone's heart. And that's why, and how, Jesus personally changes the game of the entire Bible.
And that's also why you can be "right," but wrong at the same time. Because if you're not teaching with love, you're blocking Jesus's divine love from flowing through you to reach the one you're teaching. And without that, their heart is not touched, they are not changed, and they just see you as someone damning them - and so they reject you and Christianity as false. And from there, IMO, many of them embrace socialism to try to soothe their hearts with its lies.
If just citing damning doctrines was enough, if that's the "tough love" that's necessary, then Jesus wouldn't have needed to specifically command we love each other above all things, and declare that all teachings are dependent upon that love. But He did, and THAT, IMO, is the constant challenge of living a Christian life. Because if you can't love someone, it's better to just shut up - Jesus also said it's better to put a stone around your neck and throw yourself into the sea, rather than harm one of His little ones. And so, if you teach without love, and they turn away from Christ as a result, you have indeed harmed them in His eyes. Because what you've ACTUALLY done in that case, is BLOCKED Jesus from flowing through you, and thereby DENIED your student that VITAL experience.
That's my "Christianity." Upon that, I rest my soul. And where I don't see that, I also don't see any Christians.