Should religions focus more on compassion and less on holiness? (salvation, soul)
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Do you believe God decides? Because ultimately, we are going to argue all day until the cows come home, then some. If someone with atheistic presuppositions can't fathom the concept of a sovereign creator deciding what is right and wrong, then we're at an impasse.
We could start with the sins as being wrong. I think those are typically driven by ego and putting oneself before others. If one feels holier than someone else say of a different religion, I'm guessing they also feel more pure and closer to God. However, those are feelings of superiority which is a sin, right?
Good bunch of people, worth checking out, especially if your local church is worthless in the area of community effort.
I'm sure they're a great bunch of people. But that's my question...if God is not the focus of one's religion...why bother with it? Why not just join a great bunch of folks like the Kiwanis club?
That is noble and worthy. But why should religion focus on social issues instead of God? Why not a secular, fraternal organization?
Because people are killing each other over whose God is 'more holy'. We've turned religion into a battleground, literally and figuratively.
The truth is, most religions have forgotten themselves. They're more interested in proving themselves 'more worthy than the other guy' than they are in actually effecting useful social and political change in their spheres of influence.
To me, 'focusing on God' is just an excuse to quietly play the 'not my problem' card. Just sit in church once a week, give lip-service to the message of love and tolerance, and then go home and ignore the suffering masses until next Sunday. Rinse and repeat.
Why should God pay any attention to such petty, selfish creatures?
And without Jesus all you've got is a social program. Might as well be a Kiwanis club.
Can you substantiate that adherence to your particular belief system renders "social programs" unnecessary?
Or do you simply feel that "social programs" should be confined to organizations such as Kiwanis, while churches focus on doctoring people's immortal souls?
Can you substantiate that adherence to your particular belief system renders "social programs" unnecessary?
Or do you simply feel that "social programs" should be confined to organizations such as Kiwanis, while churches focus on doctoring people's immortal souls?
It's been said that when Calvin was leading the church in Geneva, there were no hungry in the city. He had a strong deacon ministry to care for the poor and needy. Yes--the church SHOULD be taking care of the poor. But oftentimes, to do so, we take our eyes off of God, or we think that the main purpose of a church is that, rather than that happening as a result of our faith.
Our faith should motivate us to want to help the needy--even to the point where it surpasses the good deeds done by the non-religious, as great as those works may be.
I'm not suggesting that we should disband all social programs...but I'm just saying that the main purpose of church is not that---the main purpose of church is to worship God. Otherwise it's not church.
It's been said that when Calvin was leading the church in Geneva, there were no hungry in the city. He had a strong deacon ministry to care for the poor and needy. Yes--the church SHOULD be taking care of the poor. But oftentimes, to do so, we take our eyes off of God, or we think that the main purpose of a church is that, rather than that happening as a result of our faith.
Our faith should motivate us to want to help the needy--even to the point where it surpasses the good deeds done by the non-religious, as great as those works may be.
I'm not suggesting that we should disband all social programs...but I'm just saying that the main purpose of church is not that---the main purpose of church is to worship God. Otherwise it's not church.
Did I not see you post more than once that you do not attend any church?
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