Do Christians come across as very sad, sombre people to you?

I am probably going to get whack for thinking these thoughts. And who knows, maybe I am going to get kick out of my church for even suggesting that we are doing it all wrong, all the time. But this thing bugs me. It bugged me since yesterday and it is still bugging me. So, I am going to say it.

I think we, the Catholics especially are rather ‘hopeless, sad, wet blanket, sombre, cannot laugh, strict, prude and *add other stuffy terms* people.

I was taking photos of the statues in St. Anne’s Church Bukit Mertajam yesterday and I realised that out of 15 stations of the crosses, only one is what we should aim for. The Resurrection. Resurrection means, on the third day, after Jesus died, He rose again. As a human, walking around, BBQ fish and appearing all over the places for 40 days. This is before He become the Holy Spirit and gone out of sight on Pentecost.

Can you imagine it takes 14 stations of the crosses to remind us Catholics to do good? I mean, like doh…why do we need to be reminded so often that we are sinful people? Why do we need 14 times to be told to be nice and all that?

Jesus Christ on the cross, St. Anne's church Bukit Mertajam

That’s why I blurted out to a priest, “I wonder if religion improves a person’s life or does it shackled them instead?” I got that idea when I see people getting all mean against each other, calling names and getting all edgy when they wanted to uphold the religion.

We have to be reminded about Jesus dying on the cross. When bad Christians like me do something wrong, good Christians never failed to remind me on that. I know. I don’t need to be reminded. As it is, I already have my own conscience to deal with. I don’t need another human to remind me. If you believe in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, you do not need to question if another person’s has the Spirit in her/him.

The Pieta, St. Anne's church Bukit Mertajam

It is kind of sad that we need 14 sad moments to remind us to do good. It always pain me to see Mother Mary with a dead Jesus on her lap. The Pieta is a statue carved by Michelangelo. Before this station, there were many others sad statues of Jesus bleeding, dying, being tortured and more. There were crying women and other heart breaking scenes.

Why? Why are we so weak in faith that we need constant reminders that Jesus had a hard life? I wonder if we have better scenes, will we be as faithful? For me, a Catholic convert, I do not see Jesus as the statues represent. I see Jesus as the guy who is so good at perli people with His parables which probably baffled those Pharisees speechless. I see Jesus as the one who can get out of sticky situations all the time because He is licik. The guy who can do everything. Nothing is impossible.

Jesus Christ

I don’t see my God as a dead person. I see the Resurrection. And that helps to make me want that kind of promises and work on it in my life. I hope my faith stays strong enough that I do not need 14 times of reminders to hope for one. Now, I just realized why it is so hard for me to pray the rosary.

I am hope I don’t make my brethren foaming in the mouth with this thought. My point is, ‘Why is it so hard for one to do good that they need 14 times of reminder?’ Why can’t they just do it, simply because they believe?

*runs and hide behind Jesus’s robe and hope no one finds this post*

So, frankly, who dare to tell me what you think of Christians? Pain in the neck? Most helpful person in the world? All that 5xmom represents?

13 thoughts on “Do Christians come across as very sad, sombre people to you?

  1. my honest 2sen: when they are not trying to be a religion direct-salesman/MLMer, they are one of the most helpful/cheerful ppl i must say. e.g. among chinese, i had seen more christians (as compared to non-christians) sincerely giving moral/emotional/physical support to terminally ill patients…and sometimes, they offered more help than the patients’ own family members too. (oops, does that sound familiar? LOL)

  2. Mom, christians are generally not very sad and sombre. The same may not be true about the catholic mass (that 1 hour in church). I think many people with serious problems find solace there. I don’t know. I stopped going to church more than 20 years ago. My family goes to church (non-catholic) every week. It is a happy church, many happy friends. My kids love it (kids section). Many happenings. “sim eh hor, nau eh cheng, hwa hyi tu hor”

  3. Despite all these sufferings we have faith and we see hope and love. The Station of the Cross is supposed to remind us of God’s great love for us, how he suffered and was cruxified on the Cross all because he loved us. Well, some may say that we Catholics overdo this, it’s up to them to think so. When we profess the Creed (I Believe) we believe about the crucifixion, death and ressurection of Christ.

    Talking about boring/sombre person, I don’t think Catholics are so. During the season of Advent and Christmas, we rejoice the coming of Jesus. During the season of Easter, we welcomed his ressurection. During Lent, we repent and ponder on His sufferings. All this is a cycle of life. Birth, growth, sick and death. Happy, sad, sad, happy. =)

    daniels last blog post..PR 4, An update just happened

  4. daniel – The question is for the non-Christians ler.

    antares – Wow, this thought will certainly helps me to think deeper. (just read your link) I always want to be Mary Magdalene, but I am still looking for my Jesus (on earth kind, I mean). LOL. You know…the undying love for a person kinda love? I am exploring the possibility of taking up theology, btw.

    Foong – But hor, sometimes, the bad ones can be the good ones to others. Hehehe, like me lor, bad but people like it better mah, hor? Hor?

    ex-RC – I do agree with you on the ‘hwa hi tu hor’ but I do not mind the sombre mood of the one hour mass ‘cos I am not used to get all charismatic elsewhere.

    sooi sooi – Ya lor, the Bonus point kinda people damn scary wan. *Let’s wait and see how many ppl are going to burn my backside for this post.*

  5. I get easily annoyed with those Christians who openly condemn us non-Christians by branding us idol worshippers. Not to forget those who try to convert ppl during times of distress i.e. someone terminally ill.

  6. Most of the Christians I know of are the opposite as you mentioned. Although I didn’t know them long enough lah. You know, from my first impression.

  7. what’s more important is… just REMEMBER to be good to yourself and others around you and the keyword here is ‘remember’.

    sometime, I see many ppl going to churchs/temples/mosques ‘religiously’ not because they are religious but instead they have tied themselves to their respective ‘support groups’.

    JTs last blog post..Golf

  8. Hi Lilian
    I am a happy go lucky and I am a Christian, since young, but none of my friends know that I am a Christian, until I tell them so. Maybe it’s because I believe that every religion is good. Going around critising other religions while making one own’s holier than thou things only makes others hate/dislike your religion more.

    Btw, I love your church,, wil definitely pay a visit when I am in Penang next time.

  9. Heeelllooo…

    To me, the 14 stations of the cross reminds me of the Passion of Christ, i.e. the suffering He went through to save us. Not exactly a reminder to do good but to remember what He did for us coz He love us sooooo much!! šŸ™‚

    Anyway, for me, the statues remind me of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for us. However, in my mind, I see Him as a beautiful, serene person always there for us.

    Oh well, I think I recalled my teacher who showed us the pictures of the 14 stations just before our 1st Holy Communion and we thought, would we have to go through that as well??? šŸ˜›

    Angie Tans last blog post..Feels Good To Be Back At The Gym…

  10. Interesting post. I’m a Catholic too. I’m serving in a youth ministry. Sometimes, I too find catholics ‘boring’ and ‘melancholic’. Could be caused by the ‘if-you-sin-you’ll-be-thrown-in-hell’ teachings of the ‘older generations’. Therefore, it’s safe to be and look ‘pious’. However, in my experience (eversince i’ve started spending much time in church), it’s very alive and vibrant. it takes a deeper look, I guess:) Anyway, great blog!Like that you’re being REAL.
    Ow, about the 14 stations, personally, I find it a great, deeper, quiet joy to see the truth and accept the truth of how i am saved. The joy of ressurection is celebrated at the knowledge of those ‘uncomfortable’ sufferings. So today, Christians should be ‘happy’ and joyful because we’re freed from the ‘pain’ of all those stations.
    p/s: I’m surrounded by energetic, (sometimes annoyingly)happy Catholics all the time, so I guess that’s quite a positive thing.

    gabbys last blog post..Come Walk on Water

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