I have been a Christian for over 42 years and a pastor for 38 years. Along the way, I have heard all of the admonitions below. You might be surprised where most of this comes from.
Do not express your faith openly. Religion is a private matter. God has revealed Himself to the entire world in a myriad of ways and your outward expression may make others uncomfortable. Let others find their own path.
Do not take church too seriously. The more you go the more those people think they own a part of you. Just go enough to demonstrate your affiliation with charitableness. People who go to church all the time come off as elitists.
Do not take the Bible too seriously. Too much pain and bloodshed have resulted from those who do. Besides, it has long been established that facticity was never a concern of the Bible. God loves everyone and accepts us as we are. Those who go beyond that message are responsible for the world’s pain and suffering.
Do not even bother with the Old Testament. “Old” is just another word for “irrelevant.” We know too much now to believe in Creationism, a talking serpent, a worldwide flood, an ancient tower built to pierce the heavens, stone tablets, angels and demons, and so forth. Arks, slaying giants, and floating ax heads were ok in VBS but we're not children anymore.
Do not talk about sin. The only real “sin” is the sin of talking about sin. Jesus was a prophet and proponent of love. He taught that God loves everyone…just the way they are. He prohibited us from judging anyone or making anyone feel uncomfortable.
Do not worry God or yourself with prayer. If God is omniscient He already knows what is going on and what you will be praying ... so what's the point? Prayer fosters a relationship but in all honesty, God values social justice on a global scale far more than any one individual’s wants and needs. Prayer is analogous to a "Dear Santa" letter. False hope.
Do not speak the word ‘Jesus.’ The quickest way to be considered an unhinged fanatic is to say that word outside of church. God is about smoothing things over, not ruffling feathers. Good churchgoers have found how to be religious without relying on Jesus. God wants peace; not division.
Do not bring politics into the church. America was founded by people fleeing that very thing. Politics is a dirty business and has nothing to do with faith.
Do not talk about being ‘saved.’ Salvation is only for backwoods uneducated types. The only ‘salvation’ people need is from their own ignorance. Only fascists and bigots talk about salvation as a way of protecting their prejudices.
Do not ever consider Christianity to be the only way. All religions are just culture-specific expressions of humanity’s need for spiritual expression. Each religion is salvific in its own way.
Do not stand in the way of progress. Whether it’s new directions in sexuality, government, or redefining the family (and even gender), Christianity is about getting along with people. Those who cause strife by their opposition to what is trending in culture and social media are barriers to real progress. They must inevitably be brought to heel.
Do not be concerned about objective truth or facts. Cultural narratives carry far more weight than historical facts. Where we need to go as a nation cannot be tied to any document a bunch of white supremacists authored over two centuries ago.
Do not support a preacher or go to a church that preaches that both hell and Judgment Day are real. Both are fairy tales concocted by those who want to control the lives of others.
Do not worry about evangelism. It is no one’s business what anyone else believes. Leave everyone else alone to find their own pathway to God.
Do not take Christianity too seriously. Religious zealots are responsible for almost all of the world's misery.
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It almost sounds like a letter Screwtape would send to his nephew Wormwood. "Here are some things you should tell your patient not to do, think, or be involved with..."
Interestingly, most of those “do nots” came from people who claim to know Jesus and follow Him. Let me respond with a few I’m familiar with:
Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28).
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap (Galatians 6:7).
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15).
I’ll take my three “do nots” over all of theirs … forever.
