- Oct 16, 2018
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I have a Christian friend who has been a Christian for decades who said that he is one of the most hypocritical people that I can know. This struck me as an odd thing to say for the following reasons. If a function of religion is to elevate one above their baser nature, then it stands to reason that one who makes a concerted effort to do so should not be able to claim after decades in the Church to be one of the most hypocritical people that I can know.
I understand that we are all hypocrites but from my personal experience such negative aspects of our baser nature can be mitigated and in some cases overcome, although through no small effort. I argue that the longer one is in a religion the less hypocritical they should become and if not then they are not diligently making a concerted effort to mitigate or overcome the more negative aspects of their baser nature, aka not walking the talk.
For those who will say "we are all sinners", I agree but see that argument as a deflection. Saying that we are all sinners does nothing to mitigate or negate the sin. Christianity is judged by the actions of its practitioners and when a practitioner says that they are one of the most hypocritical people that I can know then from my POV Christianity fails to curb baser nature or the practitioner is not diligent in adhering to the teachings of Christ.
Thoughts?
I understand that we are all hypocrites but from my personal experience such negative aspects of our baser nature can be mitigated and in some cases overcome, although through no small effort. I argue that the longer one is in a religion the less hypocritical they should become and if not then they are not diligently making a concerted effort to mitigate or overcome the more negative aspects of their baser nature, aka not walking the talk.
For those who will say "we are all sinners", I agree but see that argument as a deflection. Saying that we are all sinners does nothing to mitigate or negate the sin. Christianity is judged by the actions of its practitioners and when a practitioner says that they are one of the most hypocritical people that I can know then from my POV Christianity fails to curb baser nature or the practitioner is not diligent in adhering to the teachings of Christ.
Thoughts?