A few years ago a female student wanted to visit with me about some difficulties she was having, mainly with her family life. As is my practice, we walked around campus as we talked.
After talking for some time about her family situation we turned to other areas of her life. When she reached spiritual matters we had the following exchange:
Obviously, I was being a bit provocative with the student. And I did go on to clarify. But I was trying to push back on a strain of Christianity I see in both my students and the larger Christian culture. Specifically, when the student said "I need to work on my relationship with God" I knew exactly what she meant. It meant praying more, getting up early to study the bible, to start going back to church. Things along those lines. The goal of these activities is to get "closer" to God. To "waste time with Jesus." Of course, please hear me on this point, nothing is wrong with those activities. Personal acts of piety and devotion are vital to a vibrant spiritual life and continued spiritual formation. But all too often "working on my relationship with God" has almost nothing to do with trying to become a more decent human being."I need to spend more time working on my relationship with God."I responded, "Why would you want to do that?"Startled she says, "What do you mean?""Well, why would you want to spend any time at all on working on your relationship with God?""Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?""Let me answer by asking you a question. Can you think of anyone, right now, to whom you need to apologize? Anyone you've wronged?"She thinks and answers, "Yes.""Well, why don't you give them a call today and ask for their forgiveness. That might be a better use of your time than working on your relationship with God."
The trouble with contemporary Christianity is that a massive bait and switch is going on. "Christianity" has essentially become a mechanism for allowing millions of people to replace being a decent human being with something else, an endorsed "spiritual" substitute. For example, rather than being a decent human being the following is a list of some commonly acceptable substitutes:
Going to churchWorshipPrayingSpiritual disciplines (e.g., fasting)Bible studyVoting RepublicanGoing on spiritual retreatsReading religious booksArguing with evolutionistsSending your child to a Christian school or providing education at homeUsing religious languageAvoiding R-rated moviesNot reading Harry Potter.
The point is that one can fill a life full of spiritual activities without ever, actually, trying to become a more decent human being. Much of this activity can actually distract one from becoming a more decent human being. In fact, some of these activities make you worse, interpersonally speaking. Many churches are jerk factories.
Take, for example, how Christians tip and behave in restaurants. If you have ever worked in the restaurant industry you know the reputation of the Sunday morning lunch crowd. Millions of Christians go to lunch after church on Sundays and their behavior is abysmal. The single most damaging phenomenon to the witness of Christianity in America today is the collective behavior of the Sunday morning lunch crowd. Never has a more well-dressed, entitled, dismissive, haughty or cheap collection of Christians been seen on the face of the earth.
I exaggerate of course. But I hope you see my point. Rather than pouring our efforts into two hours of worship, bible study and Christian fellowship on Sunday why don't we just take a moment and a few extra bucks to act like a decent human being when we go to lunch afterwards? Just think about it. What if the entire restaurant industry actually began to look forward to working Sunday lunch? If they said amongst themselves, "I love the church crowd. They are kind, patient and very generous. It's my favorite part of the week waiting on Christians." How might such a change affect the way the world sees us? Think about it. Just being a decent human being for one hour each Sunday and the world sees us in a whole new way.
But it's not going to happen. Because behavior at lunch isn't considered to be "working on your relationship with God." Behavior at lunch isn't spiritual. Going to church, well, that is working on your relationship with God. But, as we all know, any jerk can sit in a pew. But you can't be a jerk if you take the time to treat your waitress as if she were your friend, daughter or mother.
My point in all this is that contemporary Christianity has lost its way. Christians don't wake up every morning thinking about how to become a more decent human being. Instead, they wake up trying to "work on their relationship with God" which very often has nothing to do with treating people better. How could such a confusion have occurred? How did we end up going so wrong? I'm sure there are lots of answers, but at the end of the day we need to face up to our collective failure. I'm not saying we need to do anything dramatic. A baby step would do to start. Waking up trying to be a little more kind, more generous, more interruptible, more forgiving, more humble, more civil, more tolerant. Do these things and prayer and worship will come alongside to support us.
I truly want people to spend time working on their relationship with God. I just want them to do it by taking the time to care about the person standing right in front of them.
None of us have to look very far to see hypocrisy in action. I for one, need to take the log out of my own eye. Good post. We all need the reminder.
Judge not, lest ye be judged. The author of this article makes it sound as if anyone who goes to church, eats out on a Sunday, reads or studies the Bible, or heaven forbid votes Republican couldn't possible be a good Christian. I was merely pointing out that none of those things have anything to do with one's faith/Christianity. People who truly know God know what he wants us to be and do. I try to do what he would have me do. I think you need to stop judging me and the author needs to stop stereotyping people.
One might suggest you reread a dictionary, because that word "about", I don't think it means what you think it means. It does not signify direct quotation, but reference to or implication of. The term "separation of church and State" as used is, for most intents and purposes, a rephrasing of what is referred to as the Establishment Clause, which, to paraphrase again, says that the State may do nothing to support the beliefs or enterprises of any religion (including, for example, passing laws infringing on the rights of individuals on purely (or strongly) theological grounds or ruling on a definition of independent, protected life outside findings from the expertise of the scientific community).
Another post I've written here explains the more technical, legalistic grounds that more directly dispute the intent of your claim (please feel free to read it). And the SCotUS case I discuss in the other post, I failed to mention that though the case was evenly split (a 5-4 decision), it was split solely on the particulars of the case. Both the majority and dissent opinions include language that puts the phrase "separation of church and state" indisputably into the law of the United States.
well written .. this is why most 'true disciples' dont go to church anymore .. you will find them out in the community 'doing' the words of Jesus and communing with the Father in private
I feel that there must be an idea somewhere in this grammatically jumbled mess. I feel that you would gain credibililty with your reader if you would take a moment to edit.
Excellent post, very thought provoking.
Very well said!
Thank you so much for sharing this. I think that whatever you believe in, common sense like this needs to be spread around.
so many rabbit trails! I got bored reading the debate, and I'm commenting on the origianl post. In my opinion, the point of the post was to highlight the difference between spirituality and religiousity. I live in the Bible belt and I can tell you, a large number of affluent, well-dressed 'christians' have no idea what the difference is. Jesus knew the difference. He condemned the religious members of his community (vipers) and he praised the spiritual folk (most of whom were looked upon as low-lifes by the rest of society.) Rich Mullins (one of my favorite Christians) used to say that raking your neighbors lawn was 'spiritual', making your bed is 'spiritual'...The activities mentioned in the original post, praying, bible study, church attendance are religious practices. They may or may not help one grow to be more spiritual, depending on the attitude of the heart. Many people perform these activities in order to satifsy a supposed 'spiritual' requirement. But if they remain unchanged, you can be sure they are religious, and not spiritual. Sitting in a church pew doesnt make me a christian any more than sitting in a garage makes me a car. Contemporary Christianity is full of confused people, just like the rest of the unchurched world. And a large number of the responses I have read here support my point. If you were personally offended, or felt defensive about what Richard had to say, you might want to consider yourself a religious person. Love is not easily offended. Jesus is not easily offended. Something tells me the author of this post is not easily offended. Surely a sign of a spiritual person, rather than a religious one.
Rob - I am not sure I agree. I cannot say someone who beliewves or behaves differently form me is "bound for Hell." I thought condemnation is only in God's Hands. In the meantime, I would as soon treat this "nay sayer" with the same kindness and compassion I hope to treat everyone else with. We do not know what is going on in his life that makes him answer the call for volunteers as he is. I have found an effective way to reach people is through my actions, and not by calling them or treating them as "lost sinners." Can you really say when somone is a "lost sinner?" I for one cannot. I do not have the insight into our Lord's mind and will. So, I will assume he or she is a child of God and treat them that way. Their ultimate fate is between them and the Lord. I m a sinner myself, and have enough to do just watching my behavior. I do not have the time, the insight, or the personal ability to judge anyone else.
This makes good sense. What is the point of any religion if it doesn't make us into a better, more compassionate, kind or generous person when we walk out of the church, synagogue or mosque and back into our everyday life?
Interesting post, Adam. The thought of God "allowing" anyone opr anything to exist belies the free will and free choice of creation. Want to find signs of God? Look to His creation, and what CAN be done with it. Every solar or lunar eclipse, every spring flower, every baby born, and every person you love (even the existence of love itself) all hold signs of God's existence for me. Christianity is not in the aggressive promotion of God and Jesus Christ by televangelists. For me, Christianity is in the heart, and is displayed by behaviors that show the love one jas for all of creation, including people who do not behave as I would want to. The act of "witnessing" is not in the telling of John 23, but in the demonstration of it, the subtle expression of compassion between people.
Belief in God is a sin in the entire Universe, period. It is a sin against consciousness. Sin against the mind and heart itself. It is a sin against truth itself. Once an animal accept "nothing as something", all hell breaks loose and there is a long string of nothing as somethings in their minds. God in all forms is mental illness so don'\t expect anything good out of the 86% of this religion ruined world who accept nothing as something. The truth is stranger than fiction, and the truth is you created yourself over and over again and then each time you are born the hypnotized ignorant parents use hypnosis on you again. The belief in God ends all access to the higher mind inside which knows right from wrong and that the whole wacko bunch of religious nuts is nothing by a safe haven for mental cases who will never recover. I DEMAND a country on Earth where we the sane and righteous can live free of new and old cults of fiction.
Well said my friend..... If contemporary Christians conducted themselves in a more "Christ like" (Decent, Loving, Caring, Humble, Honest and more) way, your article would not be needed... But, since you are correct and We Christians don't live like Christ..... BRAVO my friend; BRAVO
I agree, sissy. 100%
Interesting that, when called out on your list of practiced goodnesses, your only response is to quote a verse about judging, without seeing yourself in the scripture you state that you read daily....
Thank you! This is awesome...and something I believe completely! If we truly have a relationship with God which is what I strive to do, I take Him with me everywhere, which influences me to 'do the right thing' with every human being that I come in contact with. Does it mean I am perfect? No! But it is a work in progress as is every relationship we endeavor to undertake. God is just the biggest and most important...and being an example to those around me of what a Christian should be is a big part of it.
So many good thoughts here! Your last sentence resembles Jesus' words to love your neighbor. Our neighbors are right in front of us.
Rubbish.
As a former follower of multiple subsects of Christianity, I can say I've seen similar behavior in far too many followers. The smug self-righteousness thinly veiled as friendly advice, the passive-aggressive wordplay that barely contains the contempt felt by the so-called believer; those things, and more, have become the hallmark of the majority of modern Christianity. Tamcam, you personify the stereotypical modern Christian.
Of the many things I learned, one of the most telling is that a person does not need a big fancy church, expensive clothes, or a fat bank account in order to be a "good Christian". The faith, the love, and the spirit of the teachings can be found anywhere in the world. Forget all the extra dogmatic garbage that the organized churches have added over the centuries, and focus on the real message, the real spirit of the religion. Everything else is just material, which is immaterial to the divine.
I love how you claim to have not discriminated against anybody, yet your statements show you to be discriminatory towards the French and people you label as "the Left". Then you go on to say gays can get married, but you only mention an opposite sex couple. I am disappointed in your willful blindness and hypocrisy.
Thank you for this post!! I'm not sure what we are suppose to get out of it, but what I got out of this story is quite simple - walk the walk and talk the talk. Or in otherwords, practice makes perfect. It is so easy to have the appearance of Christian, but more fun to also live like a Christian.
You must be going to the wrong church and praising the wrong God.
I do not understand WHY a anyone feels
that they must dress up in expensive c loathing and shoes to have a
conversation with God. If I need to converse with God what I am
wearing is probably nothing, As I tend to pray to God while in the
shower.
And I ask you, "How is this being a decent human being? When you yourselves judge, you have no right to judge others. We shouldn't judge others, in fact. Judging people leads to nothing good. I judged this girl unintentionally and it turned out that she is really cool. She's going through a lot and was really confused and struggling. That's just one example as to why we shouldn't judge. I'm sure you can think of some too.
Reading this discussion makes me glad I'm an atheist.
Great reading!
Wow, Adam. I am so sorry you've had such negative experiences. I'm also sorry that you've thrown up your hands and allowed others to make your choices for you.
Saying that other people make it impossible for you to do something seems so sad. You're a free agent. You get to make your own choices, look into things that are important, do your research and keep looking for the truth.
How do other people stop you from doing that?
Wow.
Uh, folks? Whilst you spend your time arguing here, are you doing anything to be a better follower of Jesus? You can argue policy all day long, but sending your thoughts out into the ether is not going to get food cooked, hands held, problems shared and sorrows halved.
Forget public policy. Forget people who call Jesus' followers names (we got told that would happen, right?) But don't go out fishing for fights - fish for souls!
Truth is not the product of argument (clever or otherwise). Peter was told to shake the dirt from his shoes when people did not welcome the message. So please; stop being contentious. Be winsome but don't sell out. Do good even if no good is done back to you.
Now I am so outta here. Lots of things I can be doing.
Peace.
I understand, Emily. Any of us who've waited tables can understand. The hard part for me was making myself realize it is called a "gratuity" for a reason - gratis, Latin for "free." It helped me at least take a different attitude that no one owes me anything over and above what I'm making. But, and I stress this, that was MY decision to try and discipline myself. A few restaurants have started paying their servers more per hour, then take any tips left and dividing them among everyone.
And I have always done my best when I go to lunch after church to tip a minimum of 15% and sometimes more, because I understand what some of them may be going through. The people who work in the restaurants can be just as nasty as the customers - at least the customers leave.
Action and contemplation, the two things I believe you're contrasting, are not mutually exclusive in my experience. In fact, my awareness of the not-so-good things I do as well as the good things I don't do and my desire to do better are markedly increased by regularly spending time with God - including going to church, attending spiritual retreats, and reading religious books. Please notice I didn't say "working on my relationship with God".
Spending time with God has fed and continues to feed my desire to act in caring ways towards others (i.e. become a more decent human being by your definition). Just as importantly, my energy for doing so is continually renewed by that very same, regular communion with God. I guess I just need a model and constant reminders of what's important. And I must say that I haven't observed an increase in prayer and worship over the years in the majority of the humanists I know. All too often what I've seen is burnout instead.
Your post seems quite simple to understand...reading the responses seems like watching the Rabbi's discus the tiniest points of the law all day long..
oops, bad apostrophe in Rabbis
Thanks for this wonderful, long overdue injection of logic. Can't demonstrate my appreciation without a long backstory -- hard to knock out on a virtual keyboard.
And you are completely ignoring the posts on this page, including the OP itself, that completely bashes this kind of behavior. What's wrong with you?
Liked-just for the Pizza Ministry.
My only change to your comment would be to change out the word "like" in your first sentence to "as".
I worked in the food industry my entire career in diverse locations across the country. The reason this "bit" is so worn because it has been universally true in every situation I worked in. No one who serves wants to work on Sunday-not because they all want to go to church as well (although that is true of some) but because Christians are, on average, the worst tippers ever. Please notice the "on average" part and refrain from telling me all Christians are NOT bad tippers. "On average" has a specific meaning. Also-church goers tend to all show up at the same time, and yet seem to fail to understand that this taxes the abilities of most places-and managers hate to add extra people to cover the extra business. This translates as a whole bunch of extra work with no extra money for the poor schmucks who get hoodwinked into working sundays. Nobody likes being used like that-and then to find one of those fake ten dollar tracts-quite frankly, I am surprised I haven't heard of a mass restaurant shooting on a Sunday yet-when some overworked, under compensated marginal personality type picks up one of those damned fake bills for the last time he or she can possibly stand-and decide to go out to the old pick-up for the scatter-gun.
I think it is more accurate if you replace the word "spiritual" in this article to religious. If someone starts spending real time getting to know God, then they start to realize that it is imperative to change their behavior. Christianity is about a relationship, not religion.
no.
i'm pretty sure rob was making a joke when he said "wicked hell bound sinner". the point of the original post was that the guy with the bible and bumber sticker had not shown love and compassion to the negative neighbor. the bible and bumper sticker guy obviously had judged the negative neighbor. rob was apparently drawing a comparison between the negative neighbor and a "wicked hell bound sinner", as possibly viewed by the bible and bumper sticker guy. and i think you exhibited a great example of arrogance and self importance.
i'm pretty sure rob was making a joke when he said "wicked hell bound sinner". the point of the original post was that the guy with the bible and bumber sticker had not shown love and compassion to the negative neighbor. the bible and bumper sticker guy obviously had judged the negative neighbor. rob was apparently drawing a comparison between the negative neighbor and a "wicked hell bound sinner", as possibly viewed by the bible and bumper sticker guy.
i'm pretty sure rob was making a joke when he said "wicked hell bound sinner". the point of the original post was that the guy with the bible and bumber sticker had not shown love and compassion to the negative neighbor. the bible and bumper sticker guy obviously had judged the negative neighbor. rob was apparently drawing a comparison between the negative neighbor and a "wicked hell bound sinner", as possibly viewed by the bible and bumper sticker guy.
many times, we project our own fears and insecurities onto others. unless someone pointedly speaks to you regarding your attire, how do you know they are "looking down on you"? what do you define as "dressed for church"? i wear jeans to church. i believe it's awesome if someone wants to wear suits and flowery dresses to church. i have occasionally felt "out of place", but in hind sight, it's always been because i was feeling insecure or unprepared.
sometimes, we begin to feel smug ourselves when we somehow replace our own insecurities with a feeling of superiority. that a person would not want to "break bread beside smug church folk" tells much more about the speaker than the smug church folk.
WOW...WOW...damn straight...the writer hit the proverbial nail on the HEAD...wow...wow...wow...wow...
God bless you, Mac, for obeying the Holy Spirit's prompting, and Jesus' admonition to return blessing for cursing, not blasting for cussing...
And if they don't promise to love you more than anybody else in the world you will sigh and shake your head as you send them to eternal suffering and damnation. Just like your "loving" god.
Yes, two weeks ago my atheist friends and I went to a family buffet for lunch on a Sunday. After we were seated and ordered our drinks our hostess commented that we were the nicest people she has served all day (this was 2:00pm). And we had not done anything out of the ordinary, just returned her greeting and thanked her for a small kindness (she had started to seat us next to a family with young children but then she thought better of it and seated us a little farther down.)
Wow, being religious via being a better person in the world--sounds almost Jewish! Or Catholic!
You know this story reminded me of my parents. Although they never volunteered for anything.(bake sales, chaperones for school trips etc). They would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it. The grew up in families that never asked for help " because they were too proud of people " they'd figure out themselves. After years of myself and my family volunteering I learned in talking with my mom that they don't ask also because they can't help back. I would have done the same as Mac knowing that this probably could have been the biggest help he needed but was too proud to ask. Do we really need to go into a building pay ungodly sums of money , which many ofus don't have, to live a life of what would jeasus do . Which I believe he would pick up a rake and help.
Oh Kevin so well said
Emily been there done that so sorry. Mother always said put a smile on your face and kill'em with kidness. I would have given that dollar back and told him obviously you need it more but thank you anyway.
I have done this also. When you have taken in a family which consist of a single mom, a 9 year old boy, and one 3 year old and one 4 year little girls, sometimes the quietest place to pray and read the bible is in the bathroom. I read the entire bible in the bathroom last year. LOL!
It looks like people are not reading very well. Glad you reposted your comment but I am sure I will read on and find that the statement will again come up in the wrong context. oh well...
Back at yeah.
Hi, I find this article and your post very thought provoking. thank you. I have been through some horrible things this past year. unspeakable things all done in the name of "doing the right thing" while actually just being based on lies and manipulation. I didn't believe that if there were a God things like this wouldn't continue to happen. I only believe in people now. People are horrible rotten to each other in every group. I like a lot of the ideas in the bible and have a lot of common sense rules when you get down to it actually. But nobody practices these things. They do worse. My new years resolution this year is to go out of my way to be kind and helpful to anyone that needs it at least twice a month for the full year. I will do more, but I will do at least this. Not in the name of God, maybe because the values I learned and hold dear to my heart, but definitely because its the right thing to do. And hopefully after teaching myself how to be a better person, I can begin to do it automatically again. Cause I admit, I suck at it right now. Maybe some Christians can work at this as well? I know a lot of christians, not one of them does anything kind for people. never witnessed it, never heard of it. All they do is go to church and complain about what they dont have when they a nice home, a great healthy family and two very nice vehicles. My judgement of Christians is squarely on the ones I know. that's for sure. I admit it. It's really sad. People can be better than this. I know it.
Oh and I will also admit. My fall away from Christianity is based solely on the fact that I cannot stop hating the people who hurt me. It's impossible, I have no forgiveness for them. Not a single fiber in my being will ever forgive them. How can I be a true christian if I cannot even do this. How can I be a true christian while being disgusted with the actions of the church and be ashamed to even believe in the same God. I can't. There's no forgiveness. when will the rest of them admit their problems and true sins?
woah what a load of rubbish!! Have you not read the bible where it says that when you meet Jesus you'll be changed??? d'oh!! He makes us better, because we can't be perfectly nice on our own...
Great points. I would word it differently, "living out your life with Christ" or "living out the Gospel of grace", but I see what you mean. I have become frustrated with Christians who love doctrine and theological talk, but not applying it to daily life.
This blog was a bait and switch. It started on a nice contemplation of prioritization of Christ in worship and actions and then degenerated into a rant against Sunday breakfast eaters who may or may not be practicing Christians. Additionally, the asinine attack against being Republican or being a Creationist and avoiding J.K. Rowling books makes the poster's point less poignant and apparently he has more personal problems than sanctimonious Christians. Lighten up - "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"
another "good thing" to add to the list is going on a mission trip, that is the huge vogue now
Thought provoking post.
Part of this problem is that we are taught, as Christians, the disciplines of a spiritual life with God but we are not well taught in the area of obedience to what God teaches us. We neglect to learn and practice the disciplines of the Christ-like behaviors we are taught in the Scriptures:
Forbearance and forgiveness,
Putting off the old and putting on the new,
Loving and respecting,
Remorse and confession,
Repentance and making restitution when appropriate
Etc.
In other words, we are either rebellious or simply lazy when it comes to our responsibilities in "working out" our own salvations - the big word is sanctification. This is often a messy, unpleasant process as we respond to the Holy Spirit's revelation of our sins and short-comings. We would rather just get by with the superficial than really taking up the life-long challenge of becoming Christ-like in the power of the Holy Spirit.
May we all become warriors in our own lives, our culture, and for the souls of others.
What you all don't seem to realize is that there is no god, Jesus was just a Jewish rabbi and religion only divides us. Being a decent human being is far and again more important than devoting yourself to a fantasy.
you might add "go on a mission" trip to the good things to do list as that is the new vogue
There are too many comments for me to read them all and see whether someone else has said the same thing, so please excuse me if I'm repeating someone else's thoughts.
As an atheist, this is one of the reasons why I am sometimes amused by people of faith. Not the bickering and the internal fighting and the "I am mightier than thou" attitude - that comes with the territory. What I find funny is to find people that will tell you that you should spend more time being a decent human being than you should trying to communicate with God... Which is exactly what atheists like myself try to tell people. We just go one step further and saying you don't need God at all to be a decent human being.
I'm not saying this to stir up controversy, I'm saying this because atheists are misunderstood and, according to a study, discriminated against more than any other "minority" (ref: http://www2.psych.ubc.ca/~ara/Manuscripts/Gervais%20et%20al-%20Atheist%20Distrust.pdf ). Christians often call us "Godless" in the tone of an insult, as if we weren't human because we don't try to talk to an imaginary entity in the sky, but in reality the moral values of an atheist are equal (and very often much better) than those that take their values from the bible.
Before you reply to me, please take a moment to consider where you take your morals. Are they all straight from the bible (the Word of God), or do you apply your *own* filter to them, pick and choose what actually makes sense and what doesn't?
I call myself an atheist now, but I spent 8 years in Lutheran parochial school as a kid. I was taught--it was pretty much pounded into our heads--that good works do not get me into heaven. We were told that the only way I can reach heaven is to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is my Savior and he died for my sins and ask for forgiveness. I can specifically recall a conversation where the teacher said that I can be a murderer, a rapist, whatever. As long as I ask for forgiveness and don't commit any more sins at some point before I die, I'm better off than the person who did good things for people his whole life but never asked God for forgiveness or accepted Jesus and that stuff.Talk about confusing kids... So glad to be rid of all that nonsense. I try to do good things when I can, mostly little stuff. For example, pushing the shopping cart over to the pen rather than leaving it in the parking lot for it to hit someone's car and create more hassle for the shopping cart kid. Stuff like that. It's not difficult. It just makes me feel better about myself, improves my well-being.
Christianity is a lifestyle we are told not to judge only look in the mirror to be like our Lord who went about doing good so that when we meet Him face to face He will be pleased I need all the help from Him I can get serving Jesus isall that is necessary and He tells us when we serve others we are serving Him I am in no position to judge or comment on anothers walk only assist with kindness when ever possible
No. Not at all. We do good to others as a natural response to the love Jesus gave us unconditionally. And because He called us to act like Him, and his last instructions to us was: "Do you love me?....Then take care of my sheep!...Do you love me?...then feed my lanbs!....DO. YOU. LOVE. ME??....Then care for my children!!" So then the next quesion is, "Who are your children? You are your lambs?" He answered that many times, by demonstrating: complete strangers who are hurting, struggling, opperessed, lonely, etc. etc. etc. If we embrace Jesus as our resurrected Savior, our salvation is a done deal. The "reward" of life with Him is already given. Our response in humble gratitude, is to follow His directions.
What I really want to know is what any of this has to do with being Christian? i will be the first to say that there are many many kind decent Christians, but it seems those people are just good people who also happen to be Christians, and for some reason think they need religion to back up their good deeds. there is certainly a causal link looking in the bible for people to be good to others and to themselves, but there are also just as many, maybe even more, passages, parables, and rules for people to be truly evil. so you see it seems, that being christian doesn't make you good, all it does is give good people a suring up that they are good, but they don't need that because their actions speak for themselves. however, a rather good meaning person can be persuaded to do very bad things because of religion.
it is often said that the bible is the big book of multiple choice, wherein anything a person feels can be justified. i agree with that but i think it also goes a bit deeper. for example you can program a child to be evil using religion as a reason, at the same time you can program them to be good using the bible as a reason. the difference is bad actions, whatever the reason, are still bad. but good ones kind of depend on the reasons behind it, when it comes to judging the person.
let me explain. if frank kills someone because he says the bible told him to, most of us would rightly throw him in jail. now if billy gave money to the poor because he says the bible told him too, the giving money is great, but if he only did it cause he was told compared to say, sam who gave money to the poor simply cause he wanted them to have a better life, who has the better character?
Alot of what im saying can be summed up in this quote by Steven Weinberg. He said ""Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things it takes religion."
I have been saying this for years. I never felt quite right when I go to church. Something was always missing. To me it seems to be a grand stand for people to "show off" their faith. Start by just treating people with respect and love, the rest will all fall in line! At least trying being a friend to your " friends"...
wow - so true. Guest I will stop feeling guilty for not reading all those Christian-ee "7 Step to being more Christ-like" books that all my friends swear changed their lives - then again, they didn't... change them I mean
"I was cast in a play as God... it was typecasting... so, I'm into Stanislavsky and the Method so I lived the role. I took taxis everywhere... I tipped big... because HE would..."
- Woody Allen, Stand up 1969
Also, if you take "God is other people"... then anyone who wants to improve their relationship with God should... yeah...
Holy cow. Or unholy cow, I guess, depending on your theology. I appreciate your post and the thoughtful way you presented it. I'm a chaplain, and I spend a lot of time encouraging my patients to NOT find "religious duties" to try and "fix" what they are struggling with at the moment. Rather, to work on relationships around them (and just maybe, bring God into them too.)
Peace to you
Good article. (I especially liked the humorous list of things people think are good substitutes for becoming more decent human beings.) The bottom line is that you can't work on your relationship with God without working on your relationship with other people. THAT is where God really is; not up in the clouds.
I love this! It lines up with what Jesus said..."Love your neighbor as yourself."
i think your article would be better titled "the bait and switch of organized religion"
"A more decent human being"...seems a little trite as The Goal in ones daily walk. I learned 2 valuable things at seminary...1). Don't seek a ministry, but seek the fruit of a disciplined life. &. 2). 99% of most ministry is unconscious. After 20+ years of yearning to live a life worthy, I know when I try to manufacture a 'good deed' event it comes across flat and for my own need to feel like a decent human being....but when walking in the rythem of Gods grace ministry opportunities are daily (almost hourly)...and many times I'm not aware of the impact until much later. The discipline part is the unfashionable part that will ruffle some feathers. I honestly don't know anyone who is spending too much time in prayer and bible study. Rather I know most of the Christian men I disciple struggle with the spiritual disciplines...yet are frustrated that their lives feel so carnal. I get the sappy Sunday lunch crowd thing, and I agree. But I truly don't feel spiritual disciplines are what is causing us to live so poorly in front of the watching world.
I am a Christian and I love your post! You are so right and visible morality should not be the goal for the Christian...
In my opinion, the ugliest poison in contemporary Christianity is the surging emphasis on Martin Luther's "sola fide" doctrine.
This "we shall be saved not through works, but by faith alone" doctrine is so commonly interpreted today as "I don't HAVE to love my neighbor, or refrain from judging others, or give to the poor, or act like Jesus in any way. ALL I have to do is have faith that Jesus died for my salvation. Everyone else is sadly misinformed about how salvation happens, and are wasting their time with all that charity and kindness crap." A quick Google search for "not by works" alongside a helper keyword of your choice: "faith" "saved" or "grace" -- will swiftly show that this "shortcut theology" is being supported by the must virulent sort of evangelical and fundamentalist American Christian churches.
The "working on one's relationship with God" that you are talking about here is a result of the "me first" society we live in. You describe people who have subscribed to that mindset and are looking to enhance their own lives. Obviously, true Christianity is not that. Jesus never worried about himself...his life (and death) was the epitome of trying to help humanity. Wake up, fellow Christians. Don't you know that when we do for others, that is what enhances our relationship with our Heavenly Father?
No...as we enhance our relationship with God we will do for others...
out of the thirteen "Christian things to do" you listed, only four apply to me. I just finished the seventh Harry Potter book (which has an interesting recurring gospel theme in it, if you're willing to look, but most bible thumpers arent, so oh well.), i use language that isnt quite "religious" if you get my point, and i watch R rated movies like its my job. my point is that Christianity isnt a religion, Its all about having a good relationship with God, (i mean he kinda deserves our attention, what with saving us all from having to pay off our sins ourselves), and also displaying the love he gave us towards others. most Christians these days get so caught up in "acting Christian" that they forget to be Christlike. just like the guy who didnt want to rake his neighbors yard, they dont show their fellow humans the kind of selfless love that God gives to us every day.
No doubt there is truth in this article. However, Christians can't be painted with a broad brush. We are a 'mixed multitude.' Quite often we disagree with one another, let alone other faiths, agnostics and atheists. And we embody the best and worst that humankind has to offer. The source of our motivation is key to understanding us. The tenets of my faith compel me to fear and love God for whom I owe everything. What could be more important than doing right by Him. Here the most studied theologians offer a glimpse of who God is. Only through faith can I find God; and only the Bible Christ Jesus. Here Christians differ on dynamic equivalence translation, what is meant by inspired content, and even the canon of the Bible. At its core is a model of who I should be. To this end, we have and will continue to fall short as is our nature. The challenge is to live intentionally a Christ centered life. To be caring, forgiving, truthful, brave patient and tolerant is a tall order but I'm giving it a try. Grace and peace to you!
Tipping well is important to me-if I don't feel I can afford it, I don't go out to eat. And, I make sure I make eye contact when someone is waiting on me and thank them every time they come to the table. And, after hearing the story of a young woman who worked a drive thru, I always make sure I am polite and kind and engaged with the people who wait on me there, too. Our faith IS about how we treat the other souls we encounter through the day.
here's the thing because people believe in GOD does not mean they know how to act. People go to church to hear the word of GOD and get teaching on things like how to treat other people. Now its up to that person to treat people according to there teachings. It also stems back to that person's family morals and what that person was taught can have a big impact on his life and others that come in comtact with him. Just take him as he is and if you want that person to participate in the betterment of the community. Talk to him directly in a way that it will affect him and leave it at that. That was very gracious of the person to help the neighbor to clean his yard but it will only frustrate you because he is not living up to your expectations.
Beautifully written! I wholeheartedly agree. As a Christian, I was raised to do all the "right" things. I have realized that loving others as ourselves is the 'new' law! Jesus was very clear on this subject. As a former waitress also, it is absolutely appaling the way Sunday groups behave toward their servers. I dreaded working that shift, and especially seeing people from my church, who would wave and call out to me, then leave their exhaused waiter/waitress with a terrible witness for Christ, and a need for me to defend my Christianity.
NO MAN CAN LEARN TO BE RIGHTEOUS BY HIMSELF. CAN YOU SAY YOU ARE WITHOUT EVIL? IF WE DO NOT STUDY THE BIBLE AND GO TO THE CHURCH WHO REALLY KEEPS GOD'S COMMANDS, THEN WE CAN NEVER BE "DECENT HUMAN BEING"S. THE ONLY RIGHTEOUS IS GOD THAT IS WHY HE WAS BORN IN THE FLESH AND LIVED A LIFE AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW TO LOVE SO WE CAN LEARN HOW TO LOVE AS WELL.
Romans 3:10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
Proverbs 18:2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.
Pr 16:2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Pr 14:12 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.
James 4: 14 Why, you do not even
know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that
appears for a little while and then vanishes.
So there are lots of comments here which are essentially judging other Christians. . . .for being too judgemental? Maybe we could all benefit by reading the Bible more instead of making stupid comments online . . . Or we can stand before God one day and say, "hell, I raked the dude's yard. What else ya want?"
A relationship with God is the beginning of Christianity. This realtionship begins when you accept the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ personally. Once Greg and I entered into realtionship through Jesus, the love of God began to pour into our lives. This can only happen by spending/wasting time with Jesus. After the 4th year of entering into this relationship we adopted 6 children. This was the love of God working in and through our lives and was not in our original plan; we already had two biological children. I think the problem is when Christians say they are Christian but do not have that realtionship with God and therefore the love of God does not show in their lives. By the way some of us Christians are on facebook and may even be your friends:)
Have you ever read a discussion that made you embarrassed to be an atheist?
Whoever wrote this is brilliant and very, very brave! I am so tired of friends and family members trying to shove Jesus Christ The Lord down my throat that I could just throw up the whole nonsense! The only problem with Jesus is that he thought he was the only one! If there is a God and "he" made us in his image then we are all God. There must be as many ways "back" to "him", then, as there are thoughts in our heads. We are a thought in God's mind and "he" a thought in ours. ALL religions are cults! Religions were made by man to control man. Be kind, fair, appreciative and loving. Seems to me that you don't have to believe in a fable, with holes all the way through it, to have a beautiful relationship with your idea of a God. Go help someone suffering, today. There is your true relationship to something larger than yourself. Amen.
Going to Church will get you nowhere, listening to what is said and acting on it will. When you go to church it should be to get closer to God and if you use that time to do that, maybe you won't abuse that next person that you meet. Don't quit trying to get closer to God to make yourself a better person, be a better person because you adhere to the teachings of GOD- JESUS- BUDA- ALAHA, or who ever it is that you are following.
Amen!
This is an excellent post. The post and it's comments underscore the very reasons why I left the "organized" church several years ago. The continued bigotry towards people of other faiths (or no faiths) from "Christians" left me perplexed. Had the message of Christ been so completely perverted in 2000 years that it was actually driving humanity away? Can it be fixed? I'm not sure it can. But I do have a way to help solve the current economic crisis in the US. Stop giving tax breaks to religious organizations. While the top one percent of wage earners in this country should pay a more proportionate share, if you really want to get at where the money is, look no further than the religious organizations that qualify for tax exemption. I'd guess that if you could get the facts, the largest holders of land in this country (and probably the world) would be the Catholic Church and the Mormon Church. And while we're at it, stop paying for folks to take their kids out of the public education system in this country. If we want to improve education in the US, we can't start by letting folks opt out and giving them money to do it. One of the most basic elements of the future of this country has to be focusing on education, not on building an elitist education system through religious organizations while leaving the "dregs" of society to deal with what's left.
Good for you for writing this essay. It's long overdue, in my view. A few decades ago, I left my last Mass at the Catholic Church in my neighborhood. It was the last because I already was displeased with the fact that females at the time were not given any meaningful way to serve in the Church, regardless of the fact that I was the best student in all of our religion classes, I was denied a role other than cleaning the church or the rectory or serving food at functions.
That day, the decistion to leave the Church came because I stepped out the door just in time to hear two women on the front steps of the Church, saying the most awful things about another member who wasn't there to defend herself. It was so vile, this exchange on the Church steps, where they'd just finished complaining about how long Mass takes (it was 45 minutes, once a week), standing where the door could open and hit them in the backside, where they were verbally eviscerating this woman, that I was just disgusted with the whole process. I went home and told my parents that they couldn't make me go anymore, and I never went again save for a wedding or a funeral.
I went on to practice a Buddhist philosophy for several years because it fit my definition of what "serving God" meant to me. It means to me to live every moment and to make every choice from the standpoint that all of creation deserves love and respect, though to this day I still have little patience for stupid or bullying behavior.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. It is very relevant and much appreciated.
GOD is love. Father and Mother GOD love all their creations. They do not have human emotions, and Christs message was very simple. "GOD loves you and everyone else. You should do the same. Love GOD, do good, then go home (to the other side)."
This planet is the 'hell' that everyone worries about. If preachers didn't preach that you 'have to get right with god, go to church, give them money, etc.,or you will go to hell' how would they get the riches they so badly want?
Did you just judge him for judging? What about arrogant self important Catholicism? Did you judge them? The hypocrisy is so thick it is sticking to my shoes.
You might find this article helpful in understanding "Judging". www.christiancourier.com/articles/637-dont-judge-me
"You have no right to judge others?" Are You sure? Would you judge someone for judging others?
How can you see the to take the speck out of your brothers eye if you cant "judge" him to have a speck in it? (Matthew 7:1-5) We should not judge hypocritically.You should read this article it will help you better understand judging. http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/637-dont-judge-me
I think you'd be hard-pressed to find any contemporary faith that isn't caught up in this bait and switch.
A and men. Love love love. I am convicted and inspired.
I was raised in a christian family, but I have been an Athiest for many years because I don't personally need organized religion in order to live a moral life.
I agree that actions mean more than words. People who would outlaw abortion but are unwilling to provide food, clothing and a decent education to poor children are an example of the hypocrisy justified by strict adherence to religious dogma. I see ornate churches with well manicured lawns and maximum security prisons and wonder how our society would be different if we put as much money and energy into our schools.
I don't have any kids, but I am happy to pay my property taxes because I know that our schools depend on the money. I tip well because I know what it is like to work menial jobs for low wages. I still buy Christmas presents as a time honored tradition to show my love and respect those in my family, but I give more to charity than I spend on presents.
I have given up god, but I have not given up hope for humanity.
While I think you've accurately diagnosed the problem -- that people who call themselves Christians don't show evidence of their beliefs in their behavior -- attributing the fault to "working on my relationship with God" is an erroneous assumption. Authentic spiritual formation makes it clear that following Jesus isn't simply a matter of espousing right beliefs, but developing "right relationships," that is the kind of experience that Mac talks about below. In authentic spiritual direction, improving one's relationship with God is a lengthy and arduous process that involves a strict examination of conscience, i.e., how have my actions followed God's will for my life? The emphasis is not on "I" questions, but on "God" questions, as in "How does God wish me to respond to this life situation?"
The true culprit in this deplorable situation is not the idea of "working on my relationship with God" but the capture of Christianity by contemporary American culture. Fortunately, not all of American Christianity has been so co-opted, and I recommend that both the author and the commentators below search diligently for those places where authentic spiritual formation takes place. Believe me, it does exist, and those who follow Jesus with integrity will endure.
Amazing!
I think the author misses the mark here. Many Christians wake up wondering how they can be more decent human beings every day and many see acts of service, tipping, etc. as their way to give. Their personal relationship with God is just another aspect of their faith that they also feel if a vital part of their personal lives. I don't think one has to be exclusive of the other.
feel "is" a...
"or even more accurately, pro-genocide, since pro-abortion policy has always been aimed at minority populations."
You're just mad because you prefer to kill them *after* they're born.
omfg, not the "Some of my best friends are_____" spiel. I have NEVER heard someone say that who wasn't a bigot.
I don't go to (an inside) church; however, I do things like: drove around the parking lot at the grocercy store twice looking for the man who asked for any change I could offer so he could "get something to eat". I only had an ATM card in my pocket, but once I was back in the car I found 97 cents in the drinkcup holder, and I just couldn't go home feeling good until I found him and gave it to him. He said, "You know you are in God's Book, don't you?" Of course I am, I said, and he hugged me tightly. No! The dirt on him didn't soil my clothing and the cigarette scent quickly left me. BUT, the good feeling I had lasted a long time. Folks, just do something, even if it feels like it isn't much, it adds up to the person who has nothing. It made him feel good to know that I recognized his humanity and cared. Ellen A. Fort Bragg, CA.
The reward is how wonderful you feel for recognizing a fellow spirit and reaching out with love.
Respect. Thank you, Dee. One never knows why a person is in the condition they're in... needy is needy. Cause doesn't matter.
The problem with this article is that the author has rather successfully drawn a contrast between doing good works (loving your neighbor) with deepening your relationship with God (loving God). The author has bought into either/or thinking and misses the core of Christian spirituality. He is absolutely right that Christianity is not expressed well when being unjust or dispassionate to other people in favor of some pious religious practice. But he has also missed the point of Christianity to dismiss, as less important, working on your relationship with God, as if the only thing that "counts" is the "practical." The beauty of Christianity is that these are not mutually exclusive efforts but intertwined. Jesus taught to love God AND neighbor. I have come to experience truly working on my relationship with God (prayer, journaling, retreat, intensive study ... not just "going to church" but going deeper) to reform my heart and make me more loving, so that I am truly more available to others. The author does not seem to see that deepening your relationship with God makes you a more loving person. Yes, forms of public piety can be putting on a show while keeping Christ at bay from your own heart ... but not ALL "working on your relationship with God" should be lumped in this category of empty acts of piety. The writer gets part way to the heart of the matter. Too bad he seems lacking in Christian spiritual formation theology.
Yes, Kevin, so well said.
God has appeared to me in many different ways: Sometimes it's just a lost dog that needs me to park my car, catch him (not always easy), read his tags, and wait in the van with him until the owner I have called shows up. Other times, it's the smelly guy/gal in the Safeway parking lot that looks unloved, and what they need most is a smile of recognition that they are human... just like me.
One important problem with this article - just what is going to motivate all of us selfish people to wake up every morning and try to be decent people if it's not our relationship with God?
I'm an atheist, came here because I saw it on a friend's Facebook feed. Thanks for a great article. Mac's story below is why so many of us express contempt, or at least bafflement, with people who allege to follow Jesus (or the other myriad religions that teach the same thing). Good on Mac for his contribution to world peace.
Being a better person is exactly the sort of thing most atheists (indeed, most people of all stripes I call friends) are striving for. It's not that difficult. Hold the door for someone. Smile occasionally. Try to see the world from other perspectives. When you get angry because you went xmas shopping and there were 10,000 people in the mall, remember your sense of humor. When you get angry because the waitress is too slow, look around the crowded restaurant, and remember your sense of humor. And so on.
And I'm not here to troll, be saved or argue with people about what I or they believe regarding the nature of the universe.
I think you do good deeds for many reasons. I do them because I honestly feel good inside knowing that I helped someone else out. I do that partly because I've been down and out before and the help I received then meant a lot to me, and I still remember those moments. I also do it in the hopes that I'm starting a chain of do-gooders (of any religious persuasion, as I feel most religions share this basic tenet to do good to others) which will spread out from me helping people in tiny little ways. I do it partly because I recognize it is my civic responsibility to contribute to my community to make it a stronger, healthier, more loving place to live, and I would prefer that over the alternative.
Considering all those personal REWARDS of doing good deeds, then I think the answer is probably yes, we are good people so that we can be rewarded. If you're expecting a medal as you walk through the pearly gates, then perhaps your motivation is flawed. Try doing a good deed for someone tomorrow and see if you get (as in understand) the reward.
Oh, and as a non-Christian, I'm very heartened to see there are still good (i.e. non-hypocritical) Christians out there.
Laurie - perhaps anonymous's opinion is coming from experience. I also find it interesting that he is lumping all of these disparate issues together and then slapping the responsibility of it upon Christians, but there you have it. I think perhaps he is a perfect example of the reputation Christians have given themselves to the rest of us.
(as far as the separation of church and state goes, it was a recurring theme of Jefferson's and Locke's, and many other humanists at the time. The first amendment mentions that the U.S. government will not make laws respecting one religion over another and will not prohibit the exercise of any religious belief. This has been taken as religious neutrality on the part of the government and influenced Supreme Court decisions starting in earnest in the 1940s. Look up Everson vs. Supreme Court to see their ruling there is a 'wall' between church and state, also see the treaty of Tripoli in late 1700s which was ratified by Senate and many believe to be the expression of intention that the government be neutral in all matters religious on grounds that the government cannot interfere in matters of personal conscience. Sorry to go off on a rant, but I do hate it when people throw that around.)
Best read I've had in a very long while. You really hit the nail on the head.
Sunday after church tippers are truly amazing. "15% - I only give the Lord 10%.
Christianity can be ruined or saved by Christians. Awhile ago, I came across a blog entitled "I'm Christian. (unless you're gay)" [http://www.danoah.com/2011/11/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html] I'd add this post to that one. Love is Love no matter whether it comes from a Christian, Pagan, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, etc. And people who love or hate or somewhere in between come in all faiths and all skin-colors. Which would you (each of us) like to be?
How we treat each other is how we treat God.....
DUDE. LEARN TO SPELL AND USE PROPER GRAMMAR.
this is beautiful thank you..i completely agree
In what dictionary, is Dude used as a single opening to a sentnece and "llearn to spell and use proper grammar" is a declarative statement, but not proper english. Were you perhaps referring to grammar lessons that were not taught in the schools I attended as an English major in a Christian college?
I believe the very essence of Christianity is to become a better person. Following the teachings of Jesus, our saviour, Christ, is and always will be to live in the word {.. when your enemy is hungry feed him... when your enemy is thirsty give him drink... He who is without sin cast the first stone...} These paraphrases are examples of Jesus using his teachings and parables to "Make " us better people. First you must believe He died for your eternal salvation and shed his blood for your sins. God knows there are going to be those who just fill the pews on Sunday morning, act like jerks in a lunch line, sin. God just wants us to love him as much as he loves us. In doing so, we " become better people" Thank you
I've read a great deal of these comments. As a so-called "non-believer", I found this article makes a very valid point. That the author chose to use a restaurant as an example is wonderful.
Now, please keep in mind that I do not follow the bible, I do not attend a weekly mass of any sort, and find myself quite angry when approached by people on the street trying to "save" me.
However, I find Christianity, as a whole, to be quite interesting and have taken it upon myself to research the subject.
In so doing, I am able to compare what I have learned to what I see around me. It's frightening.
I have worked in and out of the service industry for many years.
I have seen these "decent" people leave what they consider a "tip". Appalling.
Alas, I digress.
I have seen both the positive side of Christians as well as the negative.
Some very good friends of mine happen to be Christian. Of those friends, some go to local services, some don't. But they all believe.
(Also, they don't try to convert me, which I find awesome.)
I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you're out at a restaurant, 15% is standard.
And if you want a closer relationship with your god, be a better human being. Smile at people, say hi to strangers without trying to "save" them, help a neighbor out from time to time.
Just do what you can, with what you have, to make your little corner of the world a better place.
In doing that, you will achieve a better relationship with god. Whichever one you believe in.
"I am able to compare what I have learned to what I see around me. It's frightening."
First, since I can't save anybody, please don't think that that is what I am about to try to do. Your position seems quite clear. However, I thought I would just share my thoughts on some of the points you made here.
You seem to look at people who self report that they are Christians and draw conclusions based on what you see them doing. My take is that that is a very risky approach. People can say they believe and they can believe they believe and they can be wrong. Further, what a so-called Christian acts out has nothing to do with the truth value of Christianity.
I do agree with you that "to make your little corner of the world a better place" is a fine objective. On the other hand, I wonder what would lead you to think that doing so will "achieve a better relationship with god."
Well said Steve.... My sentiments exactly
Great post!
The problem is the huge disconnect from "Church teachings" vs actual Bible teachings. Bible says real faith must be based on solid evidence (Hebrews 11:1, Proverbs 14:15) but the Church teaches shutting off your independent thinking ability. The Bible teaches God is love (1 John 4:8) but the Church teaches Inquisition.Objective Bible study clearly shows the differences.https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bible-Questions-Answered-Biblically/108064729310087
So very, very true. We have lost our way completely. We have discarded the gospel Jesus taught in exchange for a cheap ticket to heaven . We replace his commands with a "spiritual " agenda that has turned the entire church anttichrist . We are not hated for righteousness, but for self righteousness .
YES! Acording to darwinists.
Lie, cheat, steal, murder, fabricate evidence, take your date to dinner... all ploys to simply "perpetuate DNA". That makes perfect sense when your concern is your reputation and your academic funding.
Great post.
The only thing I would push back against is your insistence that making ourselves "decent human beings" is the correct aim. While this would certainly be better than "working on our relationship with God," I would argue that an even better aim would be "making the world more like God wants it to be." Certainly, that means behaving ourselves as God would have us - another way of saying that we want to be "decent human beings." But it means more than that - and it's not about "us."
Perhaps my biggest issue with much of modern Christianity is its "me" focus - "I need to get right with God," "I need to work on my relationship with God," or "I need to be a decent human being."
It isn't about "I", it's about "us." Focusing on making the world more like God wants it to be means making myself a decent human being. But, more than that, it means moving the focus off of me and on to the rest of God's creation.
Here we go again, another spiritually ignorant "social philospher" glibly conflating all expressions of modern (and ancient) Christian teaching and practice with current U.S. fundamentalist "christianism." If you've never "walked the walk" as an adult, Professor, spare us your clever rationcinations.
I thought you were going to go on to say that the reason why it would be better to seek out and ask forgiveness with friends than to "work on my relationship with God" is two reasons: a) the best way you/I can grow closer to God is to take his forgiveness seriously enough to reciprocate that forgiveness in our relationships with others; and b) that working on my relationship with God is futile. We don't work our way into a relationship with God, we follow God's lead, including in working out forgiveness with friends as well as with prayer, worship, Bible study, etc. God, in the process, here a little, there a little, sanctifies us, or more simply, shapes us more into the character of Jesus.
Even still, this is a wonderful reflection, stirring thoughts and helping my/our journey along the way. Thank you.
To those quoting the bible. I guess I should start believing in Harry Potter and quoting lines from that book. I was raised Pentecostal and I know all too well the "church attitude." Because of the political nonsense that goes on in the church is the reason I don't go. It's also the reason I moved on with my life in search for something substantial that wont make me an asshole. I think this post is awesome. He's right, christians these days think that they are better than everyone else and judge everyone who doesn't believe in "God". Here's an example. In St. Louis there was a bilboard put up that said "God does not exist." The backlash this bilboard's creator saw from the Christian community was beyond words. However, I don't care to see the "Jesus" billboards that are up for everyone to see, but unlike christians, I believe everyone is entitled to what they believe and I keep my mouth shut. My issue is not with "God" or Jesus", my issue is with the pompous, self righteous a-holes the church has created. I'm not an atheist because I believe there is something out there beyond our control but just because I may not agree completely with an atheist doesn't mean they are wrong or lower than me on any level. I know the bible, gone to studies, and here's what I take from it and why I believe the christian community are such jerks. "God" came down and told the authors of the bible that he is all that and a bag of chips. He is the alpha and omega. He is the only way to go. It's his way or the highway. "Thou shalt not worship any other idols" means I'm the only one you need to pay attention to. God himself was an arrogant prick so why should we believe his followers wouldn't be. Also the bible talks about "love thy neighbor" not judge thy neighbor. In the beginning Christians traveled to escape persecution so stop doing it yourselves. I usually keep my mouth shut when I'm told God loves me and bla bla bla, but after reading some of the comments I've had enough. Richards post is dead on and the no tipping thing, yeah it's a reality. How about instead of getting together on sunday morning to trash talk the rest of the world, how about you get together on sunday morning and feed the hungry and less fortunate or give back to cancer patients and children without homes. I know I'm going to get hit with all kinda of remarks but I don't care. My biggest issue is when someone expresses their point of view that differs from the normal christian belief, it's just crazy. The reality is I'm not the one who talks to an invisible person. I grew out of that at age 6. So christianity in whole has no room to be saying what is and is not crazy. In conclusion, I am in no way implying that every christian is this way. This is just my experiences and observations as an outsider. I have met some christians who are decent human beings and actually "love thy neighbor", but on average I meet more arrogant christians which has given me such a bad tase in mouth.
"Working on our relationship with God" is about spending time with Him,which should make us more like Jesus.
While Jesus was here on earth in the flesh,He was kind and gentle to the common person.We call ourselves Christians -"little Christs"-
Our prayer,indeed,our goal is,or should be,to become like Him.
If you "work on your relationship with God", it should follow that this will play itself out in better relationships with people. Cause & effect coming into play...
Dude, remove the caplock, or were you trying to scream at him?
Interesting thoughts. When you visit churches in different parts of the country you find different "so called" Christians. I went to this one contemporary church and the entire time, before, during and after.......never once was i greeted by a single person what so ever. I arrived early, walked from my car, went in, sat down, stayed the entire service, walked back to my car and left thinking "man, someone needs to talk to this church". They obviously had a great facility and a large crowd but the question remains.......How did they get and "keep" the people that they had?
I go to a LARGE contemporary church that is VERY FRIENDLY. The people are warm and inviting and most visitors that come, come back and stay, making it their church home because its so friendly. They dont wana go back to their old style service either.
Living and loving it in SC
I want to thank you for noting that "you are in no way implying every Christian is this way". My church feeds the hungry, provides for those who can't for themselves, visits those in the hospital, jails ,and asylums. We have a mission. You are absolutely right , not all Christians are like myself or "us" my church. There is an old saying.....The squeaky wheel gets the most oil. I think of a large group like the Christian faith you will have "posers" . It's no different than any other group. Are all Muslims terrorists? Are all Latinos illegal immigrants? Just my thoughts and thank you for your insight. We are not all bad. Thanks
You got it right on!
I'm sure once that church only gets those fake $10 bills in their collection plates, they'll start changing their tune.
Too bad so many Christians have forgotten that Christ taught that working on their relationships with others is in fact working on their relationship with God.
Um, if he wasn't a Christian (and I'm sure you're right), why did he bother rewriting the Bible? Which parts did he believe? (All the non-Christian parts, presumably...)
This story reminded me of when I was an adventurer... and then I took an arrow in the knee.
I become a better person and christian when I spend time reading the Bible and going to church. I do not believe it to be a waste of my time. Watching to many movies, or TV is more a waste of my time. The people you refer to in this article are the ones who say they do these things, but probably do not. You really need to focus when doing such things. Just being a good person is nice, but it does not get us into heaven.
I enjoyed this article immensely, though it didn't seem like the point was clearly made until the last sentence....which ties it all together....after making broad-brush statements about how Christians are. Bad-tippers for one. Which is a bullshit stereotype. (gasp! I swore.) I understand that too many Christians are losing sight of what Jesus asked us to do. Love one another. That's it right there. And by being overly involved, we lose sight of that. Yet, some Christians see "working on their relationships with God" as the avenue to being better people. They recognize that, without God, they are weak and nasty human beings. If they are doing it as a "should" or "have to," along with going to church because they SHOULD. Reading the latest Christian book because they SHOULD. Should's, Must's and Have-To's...this is what leads to rotten Christianity. I'd be pissed off at any belief that put those kind of restraints on me, and I would take it out on anyone I saw because I'd be so tired. :)
My point is this.....you are still talking about the worst kind of Christian. It's a great eye-opener for those who feel like works are what makes a Christian, when all it takes is loving their neighbor. (And I'm a *great* tipper.....and I know a lot of Christians who are.) I just think the point could have been more effectively made without the stereotypes.
"Learn to spell and use proper grammar" is absolutely correct English. It utilizes something called the "implied subject." For example, if I say "Run!" I'm using the implied subject because what I'm actually saying is "You run!"
Excellent summary of separating the wheat from the chaff. I have not been comfortble with an understanding of the faith as being a matter of "work" as though what we do can be measured, checked off some list, and a matter of what Paul evidently meant by being something we can boast about. My simpe way of putting it is this: "I am not interested in WHAT you believe, I want to know how you love and WHO you love. I am pondering the history of what happened with Paul, who seemed to change the focus from the religion OF Jesus to the religion ABOUT Jesus and all that that entailed for future generations.
We lose our "attitude of Gratitude" and we get lost from there into judgement and pettiness.
It's certainly true that Christians are the worst tippers by far in my experience, but that's the smallest least important example of what Christians do wrong. They're also the most judgmental, the most critical of others (while being least open to criticism themselves), the most entitled, and just generally the least pleasant people to be around. I'm a gay Jew living in the big city where people treat you well as long as you do the same, and I have to tell you that ever single time somebody has spat on me or called me "faggot", it has been a Christian. Personally I don't believe in hell, but if it existed, surely the Christians would be the ones going there.
As a straight Hindu, I wonder if you may be judging Christians too harshly. I cannot profess to understanding how hard it is to be gay. I instead just admire my gay friends for the cheerful way they go about life even as I fret and frown through a life that has only been awesome to me.
'Be kind to each other.' The rest is just commentary.
May you never be judged by the most obnoxious members of your clan.
I don't think my judgment is too harsh. It is based on what I've seen in my lifetime, which has been a long string of hate and precious little Christian love.
I've had Christians:
- throw rocks at me
- beat me badly enough to be put in the hospital overnight twice
- beat me less badly so I only needed outpatient treatment twice
- hit me or throw things out me and cause minor injury that didn't require the hospital maybe four or five times?
- write "faggot" outside my dorm room in college with ketchup
- throw eggs through my windows
- spray paint "queer" on my car
- fired me from my job when they found out I was gay (four times, none recently since I now out myself at the interview) I have undoubtedly not been hired for jobs since then because of that, but I can't say how many times
- my homophobic downstairs neighbor would shine his laser rifle site at me, among many, many other little harassments, too many to list - I had to get a court order eventually and he was forced to move away
- so many other times I've been spat on, or at, or called names I couldn't begin to remember them all.
Your comment that I've known more Christians than anybody else is an understandable mistake on your part. Most Americans do know predominantly Christians, but that's not the case for me.
I've had the pleasure to know and work closely with a very large number (hundreds) of Hindus (working in software development and managing a team that is perhaps 90% Indian), and while several of them have expressed moral disagreement with homosexuality, none of them has ever proceeded to mistreat me and we have worked together well.
I have known, obviously, being Jewish myself and traveling in Jewish social circles and attending a synagogue, a great many Jews. Never has one of them called me names or hurt me, even though quite a few of the more Orthodox Jews are strongly anti-gay. Their disapproval, like that of the Hindus I have known, always stops short of mistreatment or abuse.
I've even known a few Muslims, and although I haven't known many the few I have known have been really nice to me.
Amazing, that's why atheists do it too. Because they care about others and it feels good to help out.
Isn't it cool that you don't have to judge others and still be good?
Speaking as an atheist who was raised in one of the many Christian sects (Roman Catholicism), I can tell you exactly what motivates me, as a selfish (and non-god-fearing) person, to wake up every morning and try to be a decent person:
I want to live in a world where people are good, kind, and treat each other with respect, dignity, and honor. I know that this is the only chance I will ever have, so I do what I can, whenever I can, to live up to that ideal. My only chance to live on beyond my own mortal span is in the hearts and minds of those I will leave behind, so I do my best to ensure that their memories of me will be positive ones. I love my fellow man, and selfishly want to be loved, in return.
I live my life and treat other people in the way that I would like them to live and to treat me.
Morality and decency and goodness, to me, boil down to one fundamental precept: Act in the way that you would wish all people to act. To borrow a cliched expression of the same ideal, "Be the change you want to see in the world."
When you understand and accept that this life is the only chance for consciousness that we will ever have, and that our mind and our awareness is, in fact, the entirety of our "soul", then it is quite easy to arrive at the conclusion that one ought to honor that soul, and treat others with respect, dignity, and compassion. No god required -- just an understanding of the fragility and value of consciousness.
Intelligent life is amazing; squandering it is unthinkable to anyone who truly understands its rarity and value. (Conversely, positing some magical sky-father as its progenitor simply cheapens it; if intelligent life can be created at will, there's no real need to value it.)
OMGosh that is so funny... this message is obviously is written by an Athiest. It was funny to read though. Having a realtionship with God is like having a realtionship with a good friend. Let's replace the entire messag with that shall we, "I need to spend more time working on my relationship with my best friend." I guess that is waste of time and if I do spend time with my best friend is not going to allow me to grow as a person and after a movie when I go out to eat with my best friend I am sure I will tip less. Hahhhahhahahahaha
Well let's see lets figure this out just for a moment..."God is Love" so does "I need to spend more time working on my relationship with God." will that improve me as a human being? Uh DUH! God is Love, pur Love. What is Love? Love is: patient, kind, does not envy, it does not boast, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, keeps no records of wrong, does not delight in evil, rejoices with the truth, always protective, always trusts, always hopes, always perserveres, never fails. Yah this person is right, having a close relationship with my Father won't improve me, the alternative is so much better. Let's inspire to hate. Let's storm Wall Street with a "Peace rally" full of hate, because that will DO something good. All actions with hate turn out for the good. Geeez!
Do you know why our world is like it is? We as a culture embrace Satan! We embrace negativity, we thrive on it. News stations would announced good news people won't pay much attention to it, however if they talk about death, violence and destruction, we are all ears. If you focus on the negativity of the world, guess what you get more of? Uh duh! It's a narrow path to be a true Christian, it's hard and a road many are not willing to go. It's about Faith and believing in something you can't see.
When you get sick, what do you do? You complain about how you feel. Does this make you feel better, worse or the same? I can tell you right now it won't make you feel better. I hear people at work all the time... "I can't afford to get sick", or "Look at what Wall Street is doing; those bastards!", "I can't afford to pay my mortgage", "I have too much credit card debt", "The job market is the lowest it has ever been", etc. Now let me ask you all, these statements are they focusing on Gods strength and promises (Deut 28) or perhaps focusing on evil? C'mon.. give you one guess. Oooh yep.. Evil! So why is our world "damaged goods"? Because we focus on what we see, when in FACT we are actually creating what we see by acting the way we are acting, If you find a good Christian based Church and LEARN and read the Bible you will find the answers and if each person does that, this world will change and finally we will be creating a world of Love!
Excellent. Hit the nail on the head. One big reason why Christainity has such a bad taste.
You must relate if you are going to have relationship. You share and do life together. That's obviously measurable in relationships like marriage and parenting. You engage! You practice experiencing, appreciating and connecting with the ones with whom you are in relationship. The same is true with God. I am no more aware of God in church than I am in the shower or at a football game. I am no less aware of Him when in an argument with my wife or a moment of distress with a piece of equipment. God is! I am! We are! I experience Him as Father, as Jesus the Son and as the Holy Spirit! When I am in church on any given day - I experience God as I connect with a few hundred others. Of that number I will connect with as many as 40 to 50 person to person and not always the same from week to week. There are special unexpected moments when I experience God in a conversation with a stranger. Therefore, I endeavor to treat strangers as real people and as people who matter. Sometimes people do wrong and hurtful things toward me. As a Pastor for more than 30 years, let me assure you that if I started counting the scars - I might think myself to be Jesus! However, only He is Jesus and by His stripes I am healed. Therefore, I am free to live as He lived and forgive as He forgave. That is when I am challenged to be like God and God is love! God forgave - so I endeavor to forgive.
When I blow it! I turn to Him and seek His forgiveness! He then sets me free to pursue His standard of perfect love all over again.
Very convicting and an excellent argument for doing stuff that matters and makes a difference instead of practicing false piety.
Btw, I always make it a point to tip well. :)
And don't forget that Article VI of the Constitution specifically forbids the use of religious tests to choose candidates for public office.
Love it..so TRUE..Toatlly get it..!!
I'm an agnostic, and stuff like what you listed and a few other things convince me daily I'm a "better christian" than half the so called "Good Christians" I know.
I use to be a waitress and Sunday Mornings were the worst day of the week to work. It wasn't that they didn't tip or leave $1. for a family of six but how they looked down on those of us working. They treated us like we were blessed to see them because they had gone to church. They made the biggest messes, changed their orders, complained about every little thing, while sitting there for hours. This is an excellent article!
Awesome! you are absolutely spot on! Religion is supposed to cultivate our spiritual being, such as excercise does our bodies and thinking does our minds. In fact, when the spirit is cultived, it integrates and mind and body...hmmm, kinda like the Holy Spirit integrates Source and Flesh....had I realized as a child that religion, Christianity in particular, was about my relationships with myself, others, the planet, and not some [ mythical to be taken as literal ] reality theory I had to believe without rationale, I might have been a minister instead of a scientist. Thanks you for this very nice and truthful article! Peggy
Wonderful post! You hit the nail on the head.
The only thing I would add is in regard to the political reference (voting republican). I have a lot of friends who approach this in exactly the opposite way. For some of my friends, voting democrat is "christian" substitute....almost a sacrament. I would suggest a vote for whatever political view assures you of nothing, except voting for an earthly politician.
Amen. That was so refreshing.
Sally, there's no need for the comma after "In what dictionary." "Learn to spell and use proper grammar" is imperative, not declarative, and is perfectly "proper" English grammar.
... and capitalization. And don't use sentence fragments. Oops!
Without knowing it, what this blogger is referring to is known as the immature Christian or Mechanical Mary/Mike; doing things simply because you think you’re supposed to. The mature Christian fully embraces the greatest commandment . . . Matthew 22: 36-39 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus loved his neighbor to the point of giving his life for us. We are all called to serve and make sacrifices for all of our neighbors, especially the weakest among us . . . and we are called to forgive 7 times 70 times. . . .
Question; is spending time with the wisest/best Dr. or Aikido master a “waste of time?” Can a young student just decide to be a Dr. and the next day practice medicine . . . or must they study long and hard, have intense hands on clinical experiences, which include spending time with/following skilled Doctors who are wiser than they. . . Then when one becomes a Dr, is the growth over, is the individual able to quit studying or learning from other great Doctors?
The same can be said for a Christian. . . To be a truly Mature Christian . . . one must study and learn about God’s teachings. . . it IS important to spend time with God, “working on our relationship with Him.” We must quiet our minds and seek His words and Truth about His will for our life. . . it’s called prayer. . . Jesus even went away from the crowds to spend time with his Father so that He could go back out and “serve/sacrifice” for His neighbors. . . Jesus IS the greatest Dr. . . the greatest teacher. . . our Creator and Savior and when we spend time at His feet, when we receive Holy Eucharist, He fills us with the strength and knowledge necessary to go and be more than just a “decent human being.” He commissions us to serve and make sacrifices for others. . .
As for the goofy details in this blog let’s start with the Sunday lunch crowd. . .hmmm years ago when I worked at Perkins the busiest time of the week was Sunday lunch (and we the waitresses loved it, that is if WE were up to the busy work). Being a “jerk” is not ok, but have you ever spent a lot of time with ANYONE who wasn’t a “jerk” sometimes? And as far as this bloggers punch list; . . seriously “voting Republican” Do you know how many Christians are Democrat. . . what does party affiliation have to do with “spirituality or being a decent human being” this blogger really does not know Christians or he couldn’t/wouldn’t lump either party. Typical “Christian” voting is dependent on where the individual’s priorities are . . . Is social justice at the top of the list or the sanctity of life. . . good arguments both ways (personally I can’t trust a politician who does not care for the weakest among us. . . the old, the unborn, the dying), and if I can’t trust them I can’t in good conscience vote for them.
I could discuss this all day and although I won’t say I’ve “wasted enough time” . . . as talking about Jesus is never a “waste of time.” I will end for now as I have other more pressing issues. . . like going to the women & family shelter and helping with toys for tots. . .
Quite possibly your comment opened some eyes that needed opening, namely mine . Thank you for exposing a lost art ....being human !
I agree completely, and in fact this has been my notion for several years!
At Starbucks the other day I payed a couple pay forward coffees as I do on paydays. The girl at the register said there were six people ahead of me that day who did pay forwards and mine was already paid for. Isn't it a wonderful world we live in.
Though I agree with the intent of the post, we know what is said about the road to hell and good intentions. Jesus most definitely focused his message on 1) loving the Lord and 2) loving your neighbor. My question: does setting up a straw man (vote Republican, argue with evolutionists, avoiding offensive movies and books, using religious language) so you can take a few wakes at him promote good relationships?
On the other hand, does being a good person get me right with God? I think one might have a hard time backing up that statement. The Lord teaches us that every time we look at anyone, we are looking at someone made in His image. When we feed the poor and care for the widow, we are caring for Him. So, yes, I agree with you that Churchianity is a waste of time in the Lord's eyes. He was very clear when repeatedly saying he was not interested in our sacrifices and tithes, but in how we take care of each other.
Let us encourage each other in our words and our deeds, that others may look at them and say, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."
How come so few sermons get anywhere near this??? Must be because too many preachers think that we don't want to hear this kind of challange (we just want to be comfy in our pews). Only this kind of message can save christendom from irrelevance and us from nakaise and missing out on something truly life-changing---Jesus.
Love it .More people should think like this
This article is amazingly eye opening and true. It's sad that people spend more time going through the motions, rather than actually internalizing something. I always found it strange that people spend so much time going to church, and reading the bible and listening to sermons... but really all Jesus expressed was going out into the world to love each other and yourself. Somehow that was lost in translation... you can practice behind closed doors and in "sacred" walls... but God/Goddess/Jesus/Spirit/The Universe/Divine.... is out there in the world... in everything and everywhere. And like you basically said, its not what you do when you are in a room of like minded people that counts... its what you do when everyone else is watching.
That assumes that perpetuating one's genes is the only moral justification for acting, which I think you would be hard-pressed to find a proponent for from the set of "Darwinists" (an ignorant term if I've ever heard one). Frankly, I find this kind of mindless vilification absolutely appalling.
Muphry's Law strikes again. (Well, that or Dunning-Kruger. Probably both.)
Actually, gratis in Latin doesn't really mean "free" (it actually does mean that in a variety of other languages that borrowed the word from Latin), but "out of favor or kindness." We get our English word "grace" from the Latin gratia. (A word closer to "free" in Latin is liber, from which we get words like liberal, liberate, liberty, etc.)
But even so, arguing that a tip isn't "deserved" doesn't mean that it's not earned, and neither does that justify taking it from someone when their wage is diminished because tips are in fact expected by the employee and the employer (I believe that employers do have to make up the difference when wages plus tips do not equal at least minimum wage - that's how it worked when I was a server back in 2003 in Illinois - so you're actually hurting the business if you don't tip). Personally, my short time (about 4 months) as a server has instilled the value of tipping in me; I don't think I've ever tipped less than 15% since then, and I like to go closer to 20% if I can manage it, especially for servers who go the extra mile (one recently brought balloons to our table when our autistic boys were having meltdowns) and are exceptionally good. It's a difficult, often thankless job, and those tips do mean something.
In response to Zander: Because he thought that the moral teachings of Christ were admirable, but he disavowed the miracles and supernatural elements of the New Testament. He could be called a Christian only in the very loosest sense because of this, but he wasn't in any way orthodox: on the virgin birth of Christ, he said, "The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter."
Wow - that is all I can say - oh & RIGHT ON!!!
I found my church because there were protesters outside of it. I am told one woman from the congregation went out, offered them coffee and conversation. Now, that probably changed not an opinion on gay people or even the congregation. But it is the right thing to do. I heard that after I joined, but it made me really happy about my choice.
What? That has little to nothing to do with the theory of evolution and less to do with the question posed.
No, but "Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." That is its own reward, no?
I agree that this a very thought provoking post. And I certainly have no pause with it. My only caveat is that we see many people on the other extreme of this who are caught up in being such tireless workers that they have no time for the tempering of their eternal soul. Triumphs, setbacks, people who touch us, people who hurt us, etc. all go into that big melting pot of making us who we are spiritually. Jesus healed hundreds - why didn't he issue a blanket order and heal thousands? He (God) planned for our spirit - not our flesh. Yes, do good. Yes, work tirelessly for others. Yes, give generously. But do not neglect the spirit. We're here for 70-90 years, the other is around for eternity!
Personally, I think Mac did it because the "Christian" wouldn't do the "Christian thing." It's got nothing to do with God.
He made the decision on his own.
Wow, Lee - what a great post. It echos some of the feelings that I have around living the Christian life.
Thank you for your candour and wisdom. Looking forward to reading more from you .....
I am a newcomer to your blog. I discovered this post when a friend shared it on Facebook. I have to say that I was almost in tears by the time I got to the end. What you've explained here is everything I've been struggling with in reconciling going to church vs. following Christ. I so appreciate the way you've presented these issues and the straightforward way you were able to convey your point. I'm really looking forward to reading more of your work. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Excellent post. Wish all Christians would read it.
A very good blog...It parallels my current state of reflection on Christianity in general. The older I get, the more difficulty I have with the idea of substitutionary sacrifice as a ground for my faith. The idea that someone else is paying the price for what I did. If I can skate into eternity on the coattails of someone else, who paid the price for my shortcomings, then what motivation do I have for becoming a better person? And can you imagine a heaven/eternity populated with beings who have not engaged in the hard work of trying to become better individuals, because they were confident in their ability to ride the divine coattails? What kind of place must heaven/eternity be, if it is full of souls like that?
No...I think that the idea of substitutionary sacrifice as the central point of a religious system doesn't work.
That's the difference between what my Mom called "practicing Christians" vs the kind that just talk the talk without behaving in a Christlike manner.
I agree with this mostly, except that it seems to make it sound like being a decent person through your own efforts is more important than having the best relationship with God. Now there is a right and wrong way to seek to strengthen that relationship. There are right and wrong reasons to go to church, study the Bible, answer skeptics, etc. And I firmly believe that if you have most Biblically correct relationship with God, the "being a decent person" thing will follow naturally. People who act like uncouth jerks at Cotton Patch after church obviously aren't getting very much out of church while they are there.
Your consistent assertion that we should strive to be a decent human being is exactly the admonition the deist Thomas Payne gave to the "Christians" of his day. It's basically atheist Hans Selye's moral imperative, as well. Thanks for reiterating What should be the goal of every human. What better way to "work on your relationship with God?"
A zygote is a collection of cells that can produce a human being. If you remove them from the source of their development, they become nothing. A zygote could be the first stage of many mammals. Remember that humans need a nurturing parenting , education, and provision for their basic needs in order to survive. Bringing a child into this world is not an end into itself. The whole community must be available to provide the nurture and care for this human to develop fully. It is not a "Godly" activity to give birth. The 'Godly" activity is the care given after birth. If a person or community is not able to provide the maximum care for this human, then, the zygote should be eliminated. The sin is not in the lack of allowing this group of cells to develop. The sin is committed when parents, community, and government cannot provide an adequate life for that human. You really think is is not a sin to allow a child to live in poverty? Check out what Jesus said about caring for the poor! He is never quoted as saying "Do not kill a zygote." He is quoted for his admonishment that we take care of the poor!!!!!!!!!! Wake up! It is easy to bring a life into this world. It is difficult to sustain it and make it 'bloom". The Christian way is the one where the camel must go through the eye of the needle. When you are ready to give up all you have and "follow" Christ into a life of poverty and caring for others, you have no right to sit in judgement of others or to legislate that everyone should follow your narrow definition of "sin-less-ness". Why don't you try taking some foster children instead of trying to blame others for committing sins.
REMEMBER...."JUDGEMENT IS THE LORD'S!"
Thank you for this article Richard. It is thought-provoking and an important issue in our current Christian culture.
hard to do when God is not on your side right? God is first
Thank you for this article.
It resonates strongly with what's written in Romans chapter 12 and Matthew 25:35-45.
Clearly we are to be good to each other.
If we're to call ourselves Christians, we should remember that we're saying that we follow the teachings of a homeless guy who wandered around healing people, being kind to the dregs of society, and teaching humility and faith.
Recently, in response to a post elsewhere suggesting that Christians do good things because of fear of Hell or hope of reward, I wrote:
Many of us are compelled to do good things out of an inspired love for our fellow human beings as
well as the desire to let the love of Christ shine through us.
And that's really the point. When my 4 year old daughter falls down and cries, the love I have for her makes any response other than comforting her unthinkable. To a lesser degree, I likewise feel compelled to try to help those around me, even those people I'm not fond of. It's not that I feel obligated to help, like it's a burdensome duty or responsibility... I want to help.
This is not the result of me being some kind of great human being, I'm not. I have many failings. But I reason that if Jesus, who had no failings, showed such respect and caring for those as miserable as myself, what excuse do I have not to likewise show that care and respect to my fellow man? The interesting part is that I have noticed a synergy between serving my fellow man and understanding scripture. They seem to feed into each other.
In the summer of 1990, I spent some time helping to clean up of the remains of the mess that Hurricane Hugo made of a small South Carolina town named McClellanville. We stayed in structures reminiscent of the tents on the TV show M.A.S.H. The male "dorm" where I slept was packed with shoddily made bunk beds consisting of 2x4s and chipboard with ratty foam cots for mattresses. Due to the proximity to the ocean, the beds were impregnated with sand. It was hot and the humidity made the air thick. For two weeks we did 10 or 12 hours a of manual labor a day (except Sunday), and socialized a bit in the evenings before collapsing into bed. Yet somehow, I remember this as one of the most peaceful and happy times in my entire life. This completely defies common wisdom.
I believe that we were created to help each other. Christians have certainly been instructed to do so. I believe when we have a relationship with God, we are compelled to be good to each other.
Your stingy, sanctimonious lunchtime Christians and Mac's disrespectful, unforgiving neighborhood Christian exhibit all too familiar behavior. I'm at a loss to understand how they could read all of the instructions to "be not proud" or much of what's written in Romans and still think that this sort of behavior is acceptable...
How we treat others is a reflection of our relationship with God. Whatsoever you do to the least of these...
Never the less I don't like the stereotyping of the list in the article.
I disagree with the last paragraph, which sums up the article. Jesus was the most compassionate man who ever walked the earth. Why? Because of his close relationship with his Father. Taking care of the person next to them is a result of being close to God, not a competition.
Jesus did as he saw his Father doing. Now that takes a close relationship!