Ruthless honesty required below

Many people have nagging thoughts in the back of their head that some of the things they've been told by their religious group's leaders and doctrines are just a little too convenient. For instance, a lot of ladies feel that they are relegated to second-tier status by the way their group's teachings give primacy and authority to men. Men are said to be the ones God has appointed to be teachers and hold positions of authority in the church or group. Wives are told that the holy writings require the wives to be in submission to men, in the home and in their marital relationship. It goes way, way beyond this, to the point that in some religions women may be completely controlled by men, punished by men, forced into marriages to a man selected for them, and on and on.

All this seems pretty convenient...if you happen to be a man. Does God really give special favor to men? Does God design men to be somehow superior to women? 

Other issues also seem too convenient. People who are "Bible scholars" are looked upon as those who should tell everyone else how to understand and serve God. Doesn't God look upon the heart of people? Didn't He use uneducated folks when the 12 disciples were chosen? If one is fortunate to have been able to study ancient languages, is that person more to be respected than a humble, yet uneducated person who loves God with his whole heart?

The "rapture" doctrine espoused by evangelical Christians is another convenient doctrine. It says that no matter all the times in the past when Christians were required to face persecution and severely challenging experiences, modern Christians will soon be simultaneously "caught up to be with Jesus" before things get really crazy here on earth. 

And what about ministers that promise folks that if they first send in financial gifts to the minister (supporting the salary of the minister and enabling him fly on a private jet), God will then bless the givers of the gifts with their own financial blessings? Would the minister be willing to publicly share how much salary he earns from the ministry? Would he be willing to tell folks to financially support OTHER ministries?

This list contains just a few examples of the many convenient and self-serving teachings that are espoused by so-called spiritual leaders today. The question is: WHY have you noticed and been bothered by these practices? 

Has God enabled you to see what you see, so that you would agree that there is a problem, but then continue participating in or enabling these clearly-man-made teachings?

Could it be that the reason you have realized the false nature of certain teachings is to make you realize that you may also be believing other doctrines and ideas that may not seem too convenient, but are nevertheless just as much in error? In other words, did the "too convenient" things you have observed cause in you a desire to know the truth about...everything?

Acknowledging teachings as being "too convenient" can be your first step toward true freedom. As we always say, there IS NO such thing as partial freedom! But hold onto your seats, because if you ask God to "guide you into all Truth," as Jesus promised...you will be surprised at some of the ideas you will wind up forsaking. Some of the very things you thought you SURELY had the truth about, you will later ask yourself, "HOW could I have ever believed THAT?!"