Real Christian Ethics... OK? :)

[Verv]

Christianity over the last century has succeeded greatly in making itself look hypocritical: we have taken great issues with strange sins, sins that are often not preventable or even curable for the person (homosexuality, most forms of sexual fixation), while ignoring the most obvious amongst the sins... E.G., the ones you are probably doing, guys.

When the Church came up with the Seven Deadly Sins it was a great advance beyond Jewish law. It was the realization that mankind should not be expected to barely cohabitate with one another, simply avoiding murder and theft and adultery; it spoke of no dietary laws which now were outdated and more symbolic than actually being fundamentally sinful.



Essentially, Christians must struggle daily as our sins are some of the most natural and inherent activities that we can have as people. The level of repentence called for is utterly laughable to a modern person -- as a modern Christian looking at these, I almost begin losing hope for myself and for countless others who are even leaders of our Churches.



Essentially, Christians are called upon to...


- Not entertain sexual lust for people who are not their spouse.
- Do not overindulge in anything to the point of waste.


- Do not acquire vast amounts of wealth or do immoral acts to get wealth; do not focus on wealth.



- Not despair in the world but enjoy it, nor have spiritual apathy.
- Do not be hateful, angry or wrathful to others nor seek revenge.


- Do not be envious of others and obsess with what they have nor wish ill upon them for having it.



- Do not be prideful or vain, which is considered the most serious of the sins and a sort of origin; essentially, a Christian ought not to desire to be more important or attractive than others (as wikipedia joyously sums up) and of course was the original sin of Satan.


The modern Christian is content to... Not have promiscuous sex. And... Not despair. And the 'not despairing' part is pretty easy when the majority of Christians I am criticizing are accumulating wealth and taking pride in themselves for doing so.


In early Protestantism, women even covered their hair to avoid vanity and men often grew facial hair in a sense to cover their face. Clothes were of simple colors and no one focused on being attractive or prideful.



People did not even have to worry about 'acquiring too much wealth' or 'wasting' as often times one would have to break their back to simply avoid starving in winter. I am sure we could go on -- books have been written on this.



So here is the question...


Why don't we do this?


And more than that... Why is dark, metal music and punk rock music targeted? Albeit, the sin of rejecting God is present in much of this but isn't it then a mere duty to try to be loving towards these people and lead them to a better way?



And why is it that only the most 'extreme' groups see a problem with mainstream culture in and of itself? Mainstream culture defines the sin of pride and vanity at every corner. Common things Christians do not bat an eye at, such as the Oscars, is nothing more than contests of beauty.
Major corporations and their executives and their 'success stories,' yearning to be like them, is yearning for wealth.


Christians live in a society which fuels their envy for others through the above two in every sense.


And no one bats an eye at the overindulgence in food or waste of resources we do in modern society.


Modern existence in all forms is so far from the most basic Christian ethics that it is utterly astounding.



I would challenge Christians to read some of the more interesting passages in our New Testament:
Mark 10:

17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'[a]"
20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is[b] to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
​

And what of this?
John 12:25
The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Joined with this:

Romans 8:

5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind of sinful man[e] is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind[f] is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness
...
36As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."​

Galatians 2:

20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
​

I think it is kind of obvious...
The true path of Christianity is something that is utterly contrary to what we have been doing for decades and we have grown to become comfortable Pharisees.

 

[Polycarp_fan]

What a wonderful post.

Though when we read what Paul wrote to Philemon, we never see Paul telling Philemon to give up his wealth, that he (Philemon) had acquired.
We see Paul deftly uses Christian logic around a very secular situation.

But wonderful post overall.

 

[Verv]

Thanks.

I have also heard the interpretation of Mark 10:17-31 as Christ knowing specifically that this man may suffer from greed.

I have thought about it and I do know people who live comfortable lives that are not guilty of greed in any sense nor actively pursue wealth, but rather the natural job course they wanted landed them very good jobs.

I think in one sense, perhaps we are meant to truly cut back all the time on our wealth and our profits and to give more to charity, but in another it is also considered a blessing.

As it also says in the same passage -- if we give up our homes, our fields, our lives for Christ we will be rewarded with much more in this life and the next. Perhaps the reward does not mean we will find profound content in poverty, but rather, that by giving so much we will indeed have decent lives.

 

[Beanieboy]

Did you write this yourself? It's very insightful, and food for thought.

 

[Verv]

Did you write this yourself? It's very insightful, and food for thought.

Yeah, I put some effort into it.

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[billwald]

The simple reason is that it is human to emphasize the faults of others and ignore our own faults. Also, follow the money. That is why you will never hear a sermon about speeding on the freeway. Preacher will never pay the bills by criticizing parishoner's driving.

 

[billwald]

The simple reason is that it is human to emphasize the faults of others and ignore our own faults. Also, follow the money. That is why you will never hear a sermon about speeding on the freeway. Preacher will never pay the bills by criticizing parishoner's driving.

 

[Tenka]

Christians live in a society which fuels their envy for others through the above two in every sense.
And no one bats an eye at the overindulgence in food or waste of resources we do in modern society.
Modern existence in all forms is so far from the most basic Christian ethics that it is utterly astounding.

If you want to create an empire you need lots of individuals who feel a strong devotion to your group/clan/nation/organisation and will do what you say. The time tested, best way to ensure this is to offer them a focus of aggression, an enemy.
The group won`t work so well if the enemy is themselves.

For years the religious right has been mobilised in order to exploit the political power their numbers provide and their zeal by pointing them at the gays. Meanwhile, you`ve got bastions of American patriotic pride, so cherished by the RR, Ford and GM offerring 500bhp coupes and not a peep is heard of the gluttony going on there.

Love for the current American way of life seems to contradict the values of your OP, but for a large number, their Christianity and Americanism are indistinguishable.