Who is God to judge?

[Xeno.of.athens]

Society in Australia and probably in Europe and other parts of the West is transitioning to types of religious belief that either have no God or have a God quite unlike the God of their forefathers. There are many reasons for this. Some are education, availability of information, wealth and increased time for intellectual curiosity; this is a little like the people that saint Paul encountered in the Areopagus in Athens. In the Areopagus saint Paul's efforts at evangelism were not very successful, he didn't have an existing Jewish community listening to his sermon, and the philosophers who were mentioned in the passage (Acts chapter seventeen) had what saint Paul says is "worldly wisdom"; it seems that worldly wisdom is mostly religion proof.

So, here we are, Christians in a well educated culture where religion has lost authority and retains only some credibility, and we have only the same gospel that saint Paul preached on our lips, or do we? Maybe worldly wisdom has touched our thinking too, and if it has is that bad or good or neutral from your perspective?

I watched a short video on this topic, not from a Christian (I think), here it is

 

[eleos1954]

Society in Australia and probably in Europe and other parts of the West is transitioning to types of religious belief that either have no God or have a God quite unlike the God of their forefathers. There are many reasons for this. Some are education, availability of information, wealth and increased time for intellectual curiosity; this is a little like the people that saint Paul encountered in the Areopagus in Athens. In the Areopagus saint Paul's efforts at evangelism were not very successful, he didn't have an existing Jewish community listening to his sermon, and the philosophers who were mentioned in the passage (Acts chapter seventeen) had what saint Paul says is "worldly wisdom"; it seems that worldly wisdom is mostly religion proof.

So, here we are, Christians in a well educated culture where religion has lost authority and retains only some credibility, and we have only the same gospel that saint Paul preached on our lips, or do we? Maybe worldly wisdom has touched our thinking too, and if it has is that bad or good or neutral from your perspective?

I watched a short video on this topic, not from a Christian (I think), here it is

Humanism - not a good idea


hu·man·ism
/ˈhyo͞oməˌniz(ə)m/
noun

1. an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.
   
   • a Renaissance cultural movement which turned away from medieval scholasticism and revived interest in ancient Greek and Roman thought.noun: Humanism

Humanism came from .... comes from Greek and Roman thought .... not biblical principles.

The importance is always on God ... precepts taught in His Word not mans "rational" thinking.

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

Humanism - not a good idea


hu·man·ism
/ˈhyo͞oməˌniz(ə)m/
noun

1. an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.
   • a Renaissance cultural movement which turned away from medieval scholasticism and revived interest in ancient Greek and Roman thought.noun: Humanism

Humanism came from .... comes from Greek and Roman thought .... not biblical principles.

The importance is always on God ... precepts taught in His Word not mans "rational" thinking.

Did you watch the video, it is interesting from an anthropological perspective and from a theological perspective; it has a lesson or two to teach about evangelism in our secularised culture.

 

[RandyPNW]

Society in Australia and probably in Europe and other parts of the West is transitioning to types of religious belief that either have no God or have a God quite unlike the God of their forefathers. There are many reasons for this. Some are education, availability of information, wealth and increased time for intellectual curiosity; this is a little like the people that saint Paul encountered in the Areopagus in Athens. In the Areopagus saint Paul's efforts at evangelism were not very successful, he didn't have an existing Jewish community listening to his sermon, and the philosophers who were mentioned in the passage (Acts chapter seventeen) had what saint Paul says is "worldly wisdom"; it seems that worldly wisdom is mostly religion proof.

So, here we are, Christians in a well educated culture where religion has lost authority and retains only some credibility, and we have only the same gospel that saint Paul preached on our lips, or do we? Maybe worldly wisdom has touched our thinking too, and if it has is that bad or good or neutral from your perspective?

I watched a short video on this topic, not from a Christian (I think), here it is

Yes, I agree with you. Western Society, which is the only society I can personally address, has become hardened to the truths of the Gospel, and immune to critical thinking of a nature that is at all concerned with religious truth. It appears to be either a rationalization for not believing in anything, to allow for a permissive, libertarian society, or it is tainted by some kind of political agenda, eg socialism and one-party rule.

Perhaps this is what you call "worldly wisdom?" If so, I think you're right. We have the philosophers in the Areopagus who wish to sell their books, inviting all who wish to be "permissive" to join in with the rationalization. That way they can base their ungodly conduct and lack of any sense of justice on feigned intellectual content. "Since God cannot fit into my test tube I have no choice but to allow everybody to do their own thing, including, of course, me."

 

[Xeno.of.athens]

some kind of political agenda, eg socialism and one-party rule.

I think that right wing politics is more of a danger to Christianity because it corrupts from the inside, or at least from the people who seem to be inside because they use Christian vocabulary yet believe in some quite terrible ideas.

 

[RandyPNW]

I think that right wing politics is more of a danger to Christianity because it corrupts from the inside, or at least from the people who seem to be inside because they use Christian vocabulary yet believe in some quite terrible ideas.

100% agree with you! Liberal Christianity started in Europe and spawned socialist/communist thinking. It uses Christian arguments to fight Christianity. In other words, it is a cancer.

Of course, I wouldn't identify all socialist-kinds of programs as "Antichristian." Some of the corrupt thinking came due to the failure of Christian society to meet certain needs.

I think the New Deal in America had this in mind, along with the entire Social Security system currently in place in the U.S. It meets the needs for people who are less responsible or have legitimate needs due to circumstances beyond their control in a flawed society.