Hello All. I was going to comment on a post by Scottie (here) of Pastor Ed Trevors, but I runneth off at the mouth. So, I made a post of it. If you have not listened to that 8-minute video yet, it would help to understand this comment post. I apologize if it comes off a bit preachy, that is not my intent.
A good portion of that video is Pastor Ed speaking on how they have taken steps to protect their parishioners but also spoke on how Jesus spoke on hypocrisy quite often. What I know he also knows but didn’t speak on yet struck me as central to the argument is the understanding of judgement and sin in opposition to love and respect.
Scottie and I have had great conversations about belief and faith, and it has taught me that there is a huge variance of people. I believe we very well may find ourselves up for Judgement one day, and so many will be surprised to find someone being told “Well Done” who never went to church but did their very best to be good loving people. But, so many others who claim that they are righteous because they go to church, that they are good people because they are Christians, are so godly because they tithe and demand the Ten Commandments be posted in the schools, are so holy because they shame the sinners – will be disappointed when He says He doesn’t know them.
In recent times, we have seen people laying hands upon Trump and speaking of him as some prophet or good man sent by god. And, while this is not a dump on drumpf post, it very much is a post about Christian Values and how the boundaries are so situationally elastic for far too many.
I recognize that it is human nature to look upon others and judge them harsher than ourselves. The saying “If you can’t dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with your bullshit” has more value in the Christian Church than it has any right. I guess it could be said that if we were to look upon our sins honestly we would either become indifferent out of the need to be sane or suicidal in the need to be accountable.
Jesus reportedly spoke on this very thing. He didn’t think we were to be perfect. If you consider the woman accused of adultery that was to be stoned, he didn’t excuse her of what she had done, in fact he told the crowd to throw their stones, but only if they were perfect. When none could, he told her he didn’t condemn her either but to sin no more.
But that huge difference shown in that example is the defining point that I believe is the root cause for so many of our problems in this world; Some believe that “your sin is so very much worse than my sin” and not only should you be ashamed of it but made lesser for it is destroying what we could be for the ability of others to control who we are and what we do. My readings of the Gospels are not about seeking some sort of ‘get out of jail’ card for myself by offering up another for sacrifice, but being honest and seeking to improve.
To say that ‘the sin another committed is proof for judgement while my sin is not’ goes above and beyond any scope of what Jesus reportedly came to teach and modeled for us to follow.
Franklin Graham famously showed his hypocrisy in this, but he did far more: He showed his willingness to publicly judge and shame one sin while all but condoning the same sin from another – and for political purposes at best and personal gain perhaps as well.
THIS is what religion into politics has brought us: This notion that someone is “approved by God” despite what they do, and others should be chastised no matter what they do.
To conclude: I believe “Love your Neighbor as Yourself” means we all will fail, we all will come short, but we all deserve to find love, to find meaning, to be free and whole, to find our way. And just as I have no right to abuse others or force my neighbor to conform his actions to my beliefs, he has no right to force himself upon me or others, for that violation of another’s identity or freedom of personhood is the very worst abuse we can do.
Hugs.
Randy
Scottie's Playtime 
Amen Randy. Brother I do not know who said it, but the saying is the church is not for the holy but the sinners, for all have fallen short of the kingdom of god. I am a big believer in people being more than their shortcomings, because I have many myself. Yet when I encounter the check out clerk and get them to smile and take a relaxing breath because I am not in a hurry so talk to them, see them, ask them how they are doing … Maybe they gain something but I know I do. When I walk into the allergist office and all three people behind the counter brighten up and want to greet me. Why? Because I see them as people, I talk to them about … them.
Randy about your post and the Reverend’s video. You know far more than most the abuse I lived as a child. But for a couple of years … one year … it seemed an eternity to me at the age of 7 nearly 8 that we moved to the new small cow town. The adopting mother and her hell spawn daughters joined a church in that small town. They insisted I be baptized for the second time I knew of. They taught Sunday School and every Sunday I had to get up from being raped, shower, dress up nice, go to the building where a man with big robes would say words I had no clue what they meant, then as I was leaving the church would have me help him snuff out the candles while he rubbed my butt. Sometimes we would get there early and I would get to ring the church bells, but I was not strong enough / weighed enough so the Reverend had to hold me tightly to him and help me … ring the bells.
After a time we no longer went to that church. I no longer had to get showered after being raped and get dressed up. We just went back to life as it was before. My point being these people who went to church on Sunday and even the adopting male went on holidays abused me daily. I wonder what they thought their god they were worshiping thought of that? Or did they not believe at all.
One last thought. The adopting female, and her hell spawn the oldest daughter wear / are terrified of death. Seriously they fear death, not dying. I don’t fear dying, I have done it. They abused me and starved me so much I ended up in a children’s ICU and coded. But it did not scare me or frighten me, it felt great. No more pain, no more struggle. So death doesn’t scare me. But the manner of death is something to worry about. Dying in pain, dying alone, all those might be scary or something to worry about.
But that is not what they feared. They feared death itself. The only reason I can imagine is they felt they were going to the Christian made up hell to be tortured for the things they did on earth … maybe for the things they did to me. And if that is the god they worshiped … they did not worship it, they feared it. If your deity is one you fear, it is not a good deity, find another. Hugs and loves.
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🙏for you and Ron.
Roger & Sheila.
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Thank you both. I wish you the best health. It has been a joy and a blessing to have you in my life. Hugs
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Hi Scottie; I think you know the truth of that: to do evil and believe there are no consequences is one thing, but to do evil and believe that there are consequences after our life here on Earth, then, yeah… there’s something to fear. You get the last laugh on that one! 🙂
Hugs!!
Randy
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Hi Randy. I never understood why some people work so hard to do … evil to others? It is often more rewarding and feels better to do good than evil. Yes we all make a few mistakes, they say only one person who walked on earth was perfect. But the feelings of joy and contentment I get helping others, assisting where I can, the return on being nice to everyone is a boost to my spirits. Why be mean and selfish, it gets you nothing and is a drain on your own self. IMO. Hugs
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This is an incisive post that goes right to dirty little corner at the heart of this heretical movement which calls itself Christian.
It is a fact that every one of the differing version of Christianity (I don’t feel it my place to speak about other religions) has its flaws, its differing readings and of course points of disagreement with other Christians ,not forgetting the internal arguments.
This movement which supports and celebrates Trump, is however one which dabbles in new lows.
We have the traditional peddling of Hate, Intolerance and Sanctimonious judging of others (and never mind the planks they all have in their eyes).
We also have the willingness to ignore their own failings and offensive actions.
A MAGA cap on a picture of Jesus Christ- reprehensible.
A picture of Christ carrying a gun – blasphemous. (Not forgetting Beobart’s notorious blathering about if Christ had been carrying a gun the Crucifixion would not have happened).
You Randy have done a worthy job in highlighting their other manifold examples of how little they respect the teachings of Jesus.
This Lent I was supposed to resolve to be more understanding, to be more forgiving, to pray for the souls of these folk and for them to turn back from their ways.
Guess who is making a very poor job of that resolution.
Bears repeating.
Very good post 👍
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Hi Roger. You wrote “(Not forgetting Beobart’s notorious blathering about if Christ had been carrying a gun the Crucifixion would not have happened)”. So many of these fake Christians miss the most important part of the bible. Jesus died to save everyone. Judas was not the villain, he played the part he was assigned so that salvation could happen. As Rev. Trevors says the war has been won, Jesus beat the devil and won for all of us. If you believe and have faith. The Christians that follow tRump think they are in a war they are desperate to win for their god. They have to force everyone into the mold they think god wanted not realizing god created the differences because he already gave salvation. They want the fight to continue as it serves their desires, not the desires of Jesus. Jesus never taught hate for the LGBTQ+, Jesus never taught to hate those different from you, Jesus never taught to look down on others. Salvation was for all who followed the idea of doing the best you could to treat others as well as you could. Well at least that is what I got from the bible. I could be a friend to Jesus, but I think his “dad” was a complete jerk. Hugs
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Thank you Determined-. I applaud your attempts to be more understanding and forgiving, if for no other reason do we do that but our own sanity (too late for me :P.
It certainly does seem all too often that those who take on the name of christian forget that there is supposed to be a definition to that.
Be Well!
Randy
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