Christians Who Don't Help Others (Buddhist, hell, churches, Muslim)
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do you know of any structure that doesn't have the flaws you point out?
No I don't. That is because skills are difficult to develop or master and there are who people cannot learn many of the skills. So people rely on rules.
Hi nobodysbiz,
This is one subject I was going to touch upon on my thread in the Christianity section eventually.
'Why don't some Christians act Christian'...hahahaha
....not to attack them, but to aid them in some ideas to get the love back, yeah!
Added: Btw, I like the words 'theological virtue'...excellent.
I was also Catholic...my family did little to zero for people...sure, my dad helped friends build
things, then the 'manly code' was come over and now help build his project.
That was something I absorbed.
And to help a loved relative...or feral cats.
That was IT!
The church did no winter coat drives...and there were needy folks in my small country town of 5000.
So, I had no examples of charity.
Last edited by Miss Hepburn; 02-10-2019 at 09:55 AM..
I feel so strongly that the theological virtues *should* be the focus of church members - I don't remember much from the bible anymore, but isn't there something about "acts?"
I currently live across the street from a church, and it sometimes triggers a response in me because I perceive the congregants as sitting in church for hours and hours (on Saturdays and Wednesday nights) and I feel they *should* be out in the community helping people - there is so much that needs to be done and so many people could benefit from the kind of Christianity which is based on helping others.
I belong to no church, but do GoFundMe drives for people I notice are in need and pass supplies out on the streets sometimes (was doing it as an ongoing "hobby," but got burnt out).
These three entities who disappointed me: Two were couples I attended high school with and was very close to - If they had just opened their doors to me to offer me a meal (as a means of support, not for the food), it would have been everything to me at the time. Instead, I felt so unloved and abandoned.
The third disappointment was a family, and again, I thought they would offer kindness in terms of sharing a meal - I felt so alone and they had each other.
I was very hurt by all of the slights - and especially so because of what I thought was their hypocrisy regarding religion.
It was very personal for me, and for them, nothing registered on their radar.
I guess I needed those experiences to understand that organized religion REALLY is not for me.
I still don't fully understand the scope of why it was such a big deal (probably friendship, betrayal, feeling abandoned, let down by God in some way, etc.) It was a huge trauma for me.
And just as a P.S. about my family and helping others . . . I did not see that modeled at all.
I do remember when the theological virtues were taught that there was an exercise where we had to take to the streets and help people - give them groceries, etc. It made a huge positive impact on me - I LOVED being of service in that way. It made the *faith* real to me. I will never forget that lesson.
I don't know if this is written anywhere - must be in Catholic doctrine? But they said the virtues were: Faith, hope and charity and the greatest of those is charity. It really made an indelible impression on me.
And just as a P.S. about my family and helping others . . . I did not see that modeled at all.
I do remember when the theological virtues were taught that there was an exercise where we had to take to the streets and help people - give them groceries, etc. It made a huge positive impact on me - I LOVED being of service in that way. It made the *faith* real to me. I will never forget that lesson.
I don't know if this is written anywhere - must be in Catholic doctrine? But they said the virtues were: Faith, hope and charity and the greatest of those is charity. It really made an indelible impression on me.
It's impossible to speak to why these people didn't invite you over for a meal, but I don't understand how that should have been known to them as something that you needed?
Friends had dinner at my house in the course of hanging out with me and visa versa but I don't remember anyone being invited to sooth someone in need the way you are describing.
We hosted two separate girls who needed a place to LIVE. And had anyone been hungry they would have been invited every night for dinner. Given lunch money along with me at school.
I was raised Catholic, and despite any arguments to the contrary, Catholicism is Christian.
I was taught the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity - were integral to leading a good, moral, Christian life.
There were times in my life where I could have used Christian charity (from supposedly "deeply religious Christians") - and in each case, there was no extension of friendship.
Two of the people were close high school friends, who could have had me over for dinner when I was in a time of need, but didn't. The third was a family who was sharing a trauma with my family - I was all alone and they couldn't be bothered to reach out.
The simple act of being charitable (in these cases, merely hospitable - just extending friendship to someone in need), was never even on their radar. It was deeply disappointing to me and made me realize what shallow, fake Christians they all were (and probably still are).
If you consider yourself a Christian, do you go out of your way to "do good works," or is it "every man for himself?"
I am not a Christian, yet I try to help others in need, as frequently as I can, and definitely when I see a need.
James wrote in James 2 that if you claim to know Christ, and don't help those in need, you're not much of a Christian -- and your faith is "dead faith", of the kind of "faith" that the demons have.
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