Offended

"The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes."
Psalm 118:22, 23

"Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.
But to those who do not believe,
"The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone," and,
"A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall."
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for."
1 Peter 2:7, 8

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles"
1 Corinthians 1:18, 20-23

When I was a 28-29 year old nominally Jewish-liberal-atheist, everything Christian offended me.
I said I was tolerant and accepting of others, but the Bible, Christian people, and their beliefs (whatever they were, which I wasn't exactly sure of), churches(even though I hadn't been in one since I was a small child), and to a very high degree the name of Jesus, really agitated and offended me. I was even offended by a popular Christian bumper sticker of the mid 80's: "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven." I knew deep down inside what the truth was, even if I couldnt't articulate it, or entertain possibly admitting it-that I was as good as dead in that state.
I was adrift, lost, desperate, and I had stumbled over the Cornerstone.
So, it's not "religion" that brings offense, is it? It is the result of the confrontation that happens when Jesus, the Light and Savior of the World, is face to face with each of us in our own darkness, and we see ourselves under that "Light", just as I had experienced...the revelation of what we are, in and of ourselves, without Him. Like "sheep gone astray, each to his own way, nothing but filty rags", and we are offended because Jesus overturns our "tables".
Jesus said that He would bring confrontation (Luke 12:53), without confrontation resolution cannot come. To every person who is unsettled, agitated, and offended by Jesus, feeling like I did at 28-29, I would say to you that Jesus is asking you the question:
"Who do you say that I am?"