Among The Living

Man.
Two years since last I even looked here. (clears cobwebs)
A lot has happened, so here is a quick rundown: My wife and I are staff with our church. I now work as a soon to be apprentice meat cutter, we have lost friendships with people, and strengthened others, gained new ones, and are still hopelessly addicted to coffee. I also have been diagnosed as diabetic  (type 2) and am undergoing a lifestyle change, and am doing well in that arena.
So lately I have been thinking on things (now that the catching up is done) and thought to share with everyone here about it.
If you have never read my blog, or don't know me well, I am a Christian. That statement usually has a very preconceived notion: Harsh, judgemental, snooty, among other terms. However, I hate that. I hate religion. You may think that is a contradiction, but I assure you, it is not
Religion is a list of 'do' and 'do not'. Religion is often used a way to escape things, be they responsibility for actions, your own views, or as a reason to show hatred and violence. Religion is mans attempt to reach God.
Jesus is God reaching out to man, Religion killed Jesus, and three days later He got up and killed religion. I want to clear something up right away: I do not want to come across as hate-filled, for there are people of all religious beliefs who use it for the wrong reason and there are people who use their belief as it should be- a part of life that they have. So, I am not coming down on anyone is particular, but just as a general rule, there will always be a bad apple that comes up (priests who molest children, Muslim extremists who attack innocents claiming to act on the wishes of all, etc) and they are the unintended poster child for the entire belief they claim. So if anyone claiming the name of Christ has come to you and mistreated you, I apologize for that,
The next thing: I do not fit the mold of your classic church goer. I wear a lot of black (like, a LOT). I love metal. (Some would say there is no such thing as Christ-centered metal, but that's coming another day). I love to create, and I may come off weird or not normal, especially when one tries to toss the label of Christian over everything. My view on that is that is all it is: A label. Labels are meant to define, whereas Christ has set free. It's a strange thing, labels. There is an idea that because we are Christian wr cannot do this, or that.  'You listen to that band? You watch that show? That doesn't seem very Christian!' Christianity is nit a thing you can slap on and make it so. There is no way to make a band Christian.  The musicicans may be Christians, but the entity is not. Music cannot be Christian, it just can't.  There is Christ centric music, for sure. Worship bands and such. I dunno, having spent so much of my life being labeled (not good enough in school, a weirdo, freak, etc) I have a hard time with being told who and what I am, by a world who celebrates mediocrity and self-worship. This world likes to take things that are not right and hold them up on a pedestal for all to see.