Good will to all men? Not from the grumpy atheists! (Thank God not all atheists are grumpy but there sure seems to be a lot of them)
Why is it that so many in the atheist community cannot bring themselves to get past their anger whenever they engage in discussions? The language of many of their contributions in public debate is laced with invective and dripping with sarcasm and bile. There are exceptions of course, but they tend to fall more into the category of being the 'exception that proves the rule' when compared to the hostility of many of today's atheist posters. Comment offered by the theists in the public square is often depicted as being 'malicious' or 'venomous' and intended to enslave the 'feeble minded and weak' by those who post. Nothing could be further from the truth. Venom is something that is oriented to death. Christians are oriented in a 180 degree different direction. We speak not to the culture of death that grips our world but rather for the culture of life and light which ends with the gift of eternal life. For example, the Catholic Church in its hum...
the bottom line is that the evaluation is the 1 that our merciful God will make at our particular judgement....may all of us hear what the good thief on Calvary heard..."this day you will be with Me in paradise...NOTHING else matters.
ReplyDeleteA interesting point of view on this subject is in the New Yorker at:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2010/04/19/100419taco_talk_hertzberg
It would appear the sexual abuse crisis within the RCC is a result of a religious system which has broken down or slid completely off the rails, possibly as far back as the early centuries. Who could argue that the doctrine of enforced celebacy has not greatly contributed to the problem? Even though the Bible clearly speaks against enforced celebacy, most within the RCC accept it as a legitimate way of life. "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." 1 Timothy ch4 vs3.
ReplyDeleteSound familiar? Do you recall when meats could not be eaten on Fridays?
However, this is only one element of the picture. The whole structure with a claimed "infallible person" with it's top-down control creates a situation where it is next to impossible to change or correct serious problems. How can a totalitarian hierarchy ever be expected to change or rectify itself from the bottom up when the orders go from the top down, not the bottom up? But more serious than this is the fact that the Bible does not sanction such a system whereby sinful men act as mediators between God and men, dispensing forgiveness, absolution, grace, and claim the administration of their sacramental system is the way to heaven?
None of this is sanctioned or taught in the Bible.
Jesus made it clear the only way to heaven is through Him: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6
"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent." John 17:3
The head of the true church on earth is Jesus Christ. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to teach his disciples (the church) all truth. He did not make someone or any group "infallible" teachers.
"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." John 16:13
Michael, Tim,
ReplyDeleteBy God's grace the personal failings of my life have led me to believe in my own sinfulness and need for the Saviour, Jesus Christ. God by his divine grace allowed events to occur, and at about 30 years of age, I heard the gospel preached from 1 Corinthians ch15:1-4 over the radio. I immediately cried out to the Lord to save me (Romans ch10 vs13). "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.