Which is more damaging?

[Star Chamber]

Which is more damaging to the heart and soul of a Christian? Sexual immorality - or lack of charity?

 

[DaisyDay]

Lack of charity.

 

[Washington]

Lack of sexual charity.

 

[moonkitty]

Lack of sexual charity.

 

[Hentenza]

Which is more damaging to the heart and soul of a Christian? Sexual immorality - or lack of charity?

Both.

 

[LightSeaker]

Which is more damaging to the heart and soul of a Christian? Sexual immorality - or lack of charity?

Lack of Charity.

.

 

[Fenny the Fox]

I am going to say lack of charity. As, to me, that as well means inhospitability and the like.

 

[Hypothetical]

Ah, yes, the liberal Christian vs. conservative Christian flame fest of choice. A true classic.

I’m going to have to side with the safety net on this one.

 

[Verv]

Sexual immorality.

It defiles the body of Christ that we become a part of and it is disgusting.

 

[talitha]

This is a loaded question. Whoever asks it is usually wanting to excuse sexual immorality by saying "well at least I'm charitable". The person who answered "both" is proabably closest to the truth. I would say that sexual immorality is one evidence or expression of a lack of charity.

 

[The Nihilist]

The Last Judgment of Matthew (25:31-46) takes charity as its sole criterion for salvation. If not attaining salvation is the worst that can happen, then the cause for being rejected for salvation, which is lack of charity, is the most damaging. Chastity may also be important, but nowhere in the New Testament is it taken as the sole criterion, as charity is.

 

[Mystman]

I would say that sexual immorality is one evidence or expression of a lack of charity.

Mind explaining that one?

 

[talitha]

Sexual immorality betrays a lack of charity in that it is a disregard for the damaging effects on one's own soul and that of another for the sake of temporary pleasure.

 

[Mystman]

Sexual immorality betrays a lack of charity in that it is a disregard for the damaging effects on one's own soul and that of another for the sake of temporary pleasure.

Aha.

I actually kinda understand your point there.

But many of the 'sexually immoral' don't see their own actions as damaging (after all, the damaging effect on the soul is quite hard to quantify). When I engage in pre-marital sex, I don't see anything "evil" about it.

However, a lack of charity has clear direct effects*. Me deciding to buy that fancy iPod instead of donating to the Red Cross means that a bunch of kids in Africa are going to die. When buying that iPod, I know that I'm being an hedonistic bastard who cares more about my own little pleasures than about the suffering of my fellow man.

So the two mindsets are actually pretty different. The sexually immoral often doesn't think that he's doing anything wrong, while the uncharitable knows that he's wrong but just doesn't care.

*secondary, tertiary, quaternary, etc effects of charity (or any other action) are often/always too complicated and dependent on other factors to take into account, so I'll ignore those, just as most people ignore them when deciding what course is "right".

 

[The Nihilist]

Sexual immorality betrays a lack of charity in that it is a disregard for the damaging effects on one's own soul and that of another for the sake of temporary pleasure.

I don't really know that failing to take care of yourself constitutes a failure of charity. Damaging another, maybe, but not yourself.
To evaluate the whole of your claim, though, I think you'll need to explain what you mean by sexual immorality.

 

[visionary]

This should not be an either or question as both is the answer.

 

[brinny]

Which is more damaging to the heart and soul of a Christian? Sexual immorality - or lack of charity?

lack of charity.

 

[visionary]

Sexual immorality betrays a lack of charity in that it is a disregard for the damaging effects on one's own soul and that of another for the sake of temporary pleasure.

I can see where a lack of charity encompasses the selfish desires with the disregard for the damaging effects on both souls involved. There is wisdom here.

 

[Copperpennies12]

Which is more damaging to the heart and soul of a Christian? Sexual immorality - or lack of charity?

Yes.

 

[Inquisition]

Both.

How can both be "more"? The question begs an either or answer.