Does the excuse “I’m not perfect but I’m forgiven” give Christians the right to treat people badly?

I was brought up a Christian and attended church with my family. I started working with some Christians and trusted them.

They started to scheming and being deceptive in order to get what they wanted, justifying it the guise of ‘just doing business’. At first I prayed for help and strength to endure working with them, after a long time I finally decided to stand up to them, but by then it was too late. Again more lies and more praying – I started thinking that my prayers weren’t answered but she was asking for forgiveness and getting away with everything and I was being punished, maybe I wasn’t praying hard enough? The consequences of their actions were hurting me, my family and others and there was no remorse on their part.

I started to read about forgiveness and then I got mad because in the bible it’s not your works or actions that count, it’s your faith that will ‘save you,’ so no matter how much damage they did to others they can still go to heaven, even if they don’t repent or make up for their actions.

I decided then that I didn’t want to be anywhere where they went for eternity.

I started looking deeper into my beliefs, and now because of their being ‘witness to Christ’s’ ways, we are now atheists and know we need to believe in ourselves and doing right to people here on earth and not worry about after we are dead and buried.

They can go on believing their bad behavior ‘that never happened – it’s been forgiven’ while they continue to their conniving, deceitful, immoral ways – still hurting other people.

Now we are happily atheist, and they go to church every week to sing in the choir and gossip and look good to their ‘church family.’

Matthew 7:16 (New King James Version)
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

dont confuse christians with Christians. what i mean is that there are those who claim to be christian and have no clue what it means to be Christian. James 2:18 these are “modern day christians”. don’t read their Bibles and their entire commitment to Christ is summed up in an hour or two on sunday, they go have lunch, (apparently without tipping), and return to their lives. these christians, and many modern day christian churches, do more harm than good to Christianity. even to the point of driving people away from Christ!, with their Hypocritical Bible thumping, (over your head). they only talk the talk, they dont walk the walk, Mark 7:6. they are christians by osmosis.
being Christian means that you are a follower of Christ. that you have a relationship with Christ, know what He teaches and practice same. Luke 6:46
dont be dissuaded by so-called modern day christians and rob yourself of enternity -Salvation does not come by people or churches, but thru the Blood of Jesus…

Been burned by christians and christians only, stating that “I’d be getting the blessings from the lord”. Well, my business is not a business that will feed my family on blessings only.

I’ve read quite a few of the comments about people posing as devout Christians screwing people in the world. This to me, says “Hypocrite or Liar” and anything BUT Christian.
We can all tell a tree by it’s fruit.
If the fruit stinks, then it’s rotten.
If the fruit smells of the love and Grace of Christ, then it’s authentic.
Non Christians are not blind… and hypocrites fool no one but themselves.
It’s fairly easy to label ones self as to how a person wants the world to see them, but it’s a life long process to submit your entire being, self will, finances, daily time and love to sincerely submit to the will of GOD thru HIS Holy Spirit. To make ourselves empty vessels so GOD can fill us with HIS Holy Spirit.
I also have been ripped off more by “FAKES” that call themselves Christians but in reality are liars and imposters.
These are the people we are to pray for… those who abuse us and despitefully use us. These people are the future harvest for Christ… these sick people are the ones Jesus died for.
“For I haven’t come to save the healthy, but the sick”
GOD give us grace and patience so we hopefully are never seen as we see these people who imitate the children of the Living GOD.

Brett,

I too am no fan of many Evangelical Christians who use their Christianity to advance their personal and business goals…but…you are really stretching things when you compare them to jihadist Muslims.

Jihadist Muslims ARE actively engaged in trying to subdue the world by force.

Boy this hit a note with me. We are a production company working on a high profile story and having gotten so screwed by this “Christian” family don’t even know where to start.

I used to have a policy of not doing work for lawyers but I’m now adding evangelicals to that list. It is to easy for them to justify them behavior all in the name of “God” kind of like a bigger problem with another faith in the world currently.

We are partnering with them on a Documentary- basically working for nothing, and the father, we come to fins out is slandering us by telling everyone we’re gay in a explicit and derogatory manner, whie in the same breath telling us of cheating on his wife, and saying it’s OK because that’s what men are meant to do.

We were almost done with the Documentary and then suddenly got a better offer so they have now turned around and demanded we give them everything (film and whatnot), so they can give it to this “new” production company. We were the second production company they did this too, and now there is a third.

Evangelicals rave against muslims and their fanaticism but frankly they are doing almost as much damage to our country as any Jihadist

I’ve been burned a lot by Christians, both dedicated and not. I’ve decided not to do business with brothers anymore unless there’s some compelling reason to do so. I’ve been cheated, lied to, and stolen from too often. There are good Christian businesspeople and bad ones, but at least I don’t feel as let down when I have the excuse, “What do I expect from an unbeliever?” part to fall back on.

Churches should teach us that we have a responsibility to show God’s love and omnipotence though His practical side as well. If we can’t do that, who are we kidding but ourselves?

Why advertise yourself as a ‘Christian’ business person if you aren’t willing to show there’s a big difference in the secular world’s view (i.e. survival of the fittest) and THE fittest way (vis a vis moral obligation to serve others), regardless of the reward, which is God’s way?

I remodel bathrooms and spend quite a bit of time in people’s homes. Some of the worst, most hateful people are church go’ers. I have been treated much better overall by the heathen.

My kids both wait tables while they are in college. They both say that church go’ers are the worst tippers, hardest to please and the most ungracious.

Was it Ghandi who said, ” I like your Christ, but I dispise your Christians”?