Dogmatic Christianity can be so frustrating sometimes. It's like yes, Christ brought divine and incredible and unprecedented love into the world, and our job is to spread it, I agree!

So how do we spread that love?

"We just pray to Christ and ask Him for mercy."

Ok well what if that doesn't work? What if we still don't love each other or even ourselves very much?

"Well clearly you aren't praying enough, or haven't read Scripture."

What if I have? Do I just keep reading Scripture until my eyes fall out? Also, I have to say, some of the people most well versed in Scripture seem to be the most corrupt and evil...

"You see, you have to surrender to Christ and then He will do all of these things for you. It's just about surrendering."

No you see, I have tried to surrender to Christ over and over and sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.

And also, I've done these emotional work techniques, and these meditations, and they seem to help me act towards others in a more Christ like manner, what do you think of that?

"No, those are demonic! Those are evil! Stop worshiping idols and playing into the hands of demons! You need to get back in church!"

Yeah well church doesn't seem to do too hot I have to say, many of the people in the congregation show me less love than the emotional work buddies I know. These exercises seem effective. Why not try and use them to make ourselves more like Christ?

"The Church is perfect the Church is Christ's Bride, and the Church condemns these things, so they're evil."

Ok, guess there's no point talking then.

---

Ultimately this fabricated conversation is indeed a little unfair to the dogmatic Christian, but I have to say I've had many many conversations that fall, if not exactly on these lines, quite close.

Unfortunately for many people, the dogmatic claims of Christianity seem to act as thought terminating cliches. It's almost as if these Christians are unwilling to continue a train of thought past a few stops, especially when it comes to being strategic about becoming more like Christ.

I find myself most frustrated when Christians decry emotional and spiritual work, saying that we can find everything we need in the Church. Hasn't been the case for me, or anyone I know, sorry. Perhaps Christ wanted us to be as "Wise as serpents and as innocent as doves," you know?