briefly on hypocrisy and Christianity -- Adilbrand Noblesword's Hall of Warriors

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Date Posted: 19:44:33 03/10/04 Wed
Author: mt. healthy mountaineer
Subject: briefly on hypocrisy and Christianity
In reply to: Adilbrand 's message, "Thanks for your comment on that quote" on 13:01:18 03/10/04 Wed

Abba's son mentioned that Christians with porn is hypocritical. Of course it is. But, Christianity also teaches that that is the nature of mankind. In my mind, this is no more hypocritical than the Christians that steals, cheats on his taxes, beats his wife, curses his mother, etc. These are all hypocritical and to hold a sexual sin up as an extra-bad sin is just not Biblical. Besides that, Jesus himself treated women he had encountered who had committed sexual sins with extra care (I'm thinking of the Samaritan woman at the well who could have been on Jerry Springer due to the number of "husbands" she'd had and the woman about to be stoned). Note: he did not condone their behavior. He also did not condemn them. His comment to the nearly-stoned woman was "Go and sin no more."

But, as Christians, we cannot stop ourselves from sinning. That is precisely why we say we are in need of a savior.

Paul struggles with this same concept in his letters when he comments that he wants to do one thing but keeps on doing the other. The hypocritical Christian, in my mind, is the one who stands there like the Pharisee in the temple in the parable and says, "Oh Lord, thank you that I am not a detestable sinner like that other man!" That is the Christian who does not know what his faith teaches and does not know himself (to paraphrase Paul - he deceives and himself and the truth is not in him.)

Now, Abba's Son, don't get me wrong and think that I am accusing you of being the puffed up Pharisee type. I really haven't seen it in you, although I'm sure its there because I'm sure it is in everyone. (So, I guess I am accusing you, but then again I'm accusing the whole world. Man, now I sound like Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye and I really hate that book!)

I've made this comment before, but I really think that the only two Christian groups that are not surprised at the sinful nature of man and all of the little tricks, excuses, cover-ups and crimes he commits are Catholics and Lutherans because we both really stress man's sinful nature and we don't expect any better out of ourselves.

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Replies:

Briefly on Luther and Holiness -- Abba's Son, 15:55:54 03/22/04 Mon
- Re: Briefly on Luther and Holiness -- mt. healthy mountaineer, 22:43:55 03/22/04 Mon