Religious+People

Religious People By: Shelby Stallings

Most people perceive religious people as judgmental, forceful about their religion, and brainwashed. However, there is much more to them than meets the eye. Religious people are actually compassionate, selfless, and generous. Most have a very negative outlook of religious people, which is understandable when looking at religious leaders like the Anti-Christ, Kim Jong Il, and Judas Iscariot. The Anti-Christ is basically the person that pretends to be the Christ when he really is not. Kim Jong Il was the dictator or North Korea. He forced everyone that lives in North Korea to worship him and pretty much makes himself out to be God and gave them no choice to decide if they want to worship him or not. Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus’ disciples. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ, many people looked up to him. Even though he himself was a follower of Christ, he also preached to many. However, instead of carrying out this role and being loyal to Jesus and worshipping Him, Judas betrays Jesus by telling the chief priests, who want to kill Jesus, where He is. All of these leaders are not the type of people that are elected as role models. Instead of being selfless, compassionate, and generous, these leaders are doing the exact opposite. These people, through how they lived and acted, emit a very negative idea about religious people all together. Although these leaders send a very negative message, when looking at religious leaders like Jesus Christ, Paul the Apostle, and Billy Graham, people can see how religious leaders actually are, which is selfless, generous, and compassionate. Jesus Christ died for everyone’s sins so that we may live. Along with this, He heals the injured and is absolutely flawless and perfect. He is the ultimate example of Christianity because the whole religion is based all on Him and what He did. He is the one all Christians follow and strive to be like. Paul the Apostle lived back in the times of Jesus Christ. He wrote many books of the Bible and suffered many times for following Christ. However, he never stopped preaching. Billy Graham is a Christian evangelist that even at the old age of 93 still preaches. He is a world-renown preacher, leading hundreds of thousands of people to make personal decisions to live for Christ, and has ministered to people ranging from the heads of states to African tribes. All of these men are people that are worthy of being looked up to as role models. They all show endurance in the midst of suffering and pain, they all are devoted to their faith, and strive to follow in Christ’s footsteps. They are genuinely selfless, compassionate, and generous people. The world is filled with negative examples of religious people, acting selfishly, cruelly, and forcefully. However, everyone can look at leaders like Jesus Christ, Paul the Apostle, and Billy Graham and see what religious people are truly like. Generosity, compassion, and selflessness are the core of their beings.

Citations:
 * “Billy Graham.” 2011. Biography.com. 30 Nov 2011. [].
 * Gritters, Barry. “The Antichrist.” //Protestant Reformed Churches in America//. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. [].
 * Szczepanski, Kallie. “Kim Jong Il Biography – North Korea.” //Asian History – History of Asia//. About.com. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. [].
 * //The Holy Bible (New International Version)//. Grand Rapid, Michigan: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1978.
 * "Many Decades One Message - Billy Graham - YouTube." //YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.// Web. 03 Jan. 2012. [].
 * "Judas' Betrayal - YouTube." //YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.// Web. 03 Jan. 2012. [].
 * "Kim Jong-Il: The Forbidden Biography 1/4 - YouTube." //YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.// Web. 03 Jan. 2012. [].
 * "Just Who Is Jesus Christ? - Today's Christian Videos." //Watch Christian Videos - Video Sharing Site - GodTube//. Web. 03 Jan. 2012. [].
 * "My Own Little World (A Christ Church of the Heartland Production with a Song by Matthew West) - Inspirational Videos." //Watch Christian Videos - Video Sharing Site - GodTube//. Web. 03 Jan. 2012. [].
 * Three of my sources (Jesus, Paul the Apostle, and Judas Iscariot) are from the Bible, so I only put their bibliography (the Bible) on here once.