Who is a Christian?
There are *moral* and *moralistic* responses to the question of suicide,
assisted or not. The "moralistic" response is that suicide is wrong (so
says the moralist) and therefore should be prohibited. The moral response
is that suicide is often the choice of someone whose judgment is impaired by
circumstances, and that it is moral to require a legal process to be
followed to insure that suicide is the rational choice of the person seeking
it. A waiting period, as for gun ownership in many states (to inhibit
persons from buying guns while in a hot rage), and perhaps a sanity hearing,
might resolve the moral question concerning suicide.
This distinction between "moral" and "moralistic" approaches might be
applied to the question of "Who is a Christian?" If a Christian is defined
as someone who is a follower (a "disciple") of teachings attributed to
Jesus, then a person who, without particular attention to Jesus's teachings,
follows the teachings and dogmas of churches or persons *about* Jesus, or
about various emanations and penumbras from their *idea* of Jesus, might be
called a "Christianist". Consider how few (if any) of the dogmas of the RCC
actually state or explain any actual teaching of Jesus. Name one, just one,
if you can.
Yet, many laws and policies implementing social, political, economic, or
class prejudices are justified in the name of "Christian" teachings. Thus,
as with "moralists" who cluck about affronts to their personal prejudices
while ignoring real substantive moral questions, the "Christianist" (at
least in the US) fusses about same sex marriage and abstinence only sex
education while voting for persons and policies which oppose feeding the
hungry, clothing the naked, and other social justice issues that Jesus
talked about. What would a "Christian" be more concerned about, "welfare
reform" to make it harder for poor people to eat, or feeding the hungry?
To the extent that scripture is a useful guide, it appears that Jesus did
not spend much time talking about theology, but did spend a lot of time 1)
talking about how we should behave toward each other and 2) behaving that
way. As far as I can tell, he didn't talk about a single dogma of the RCC,
and not a single dogma of the RCC explains a single teaching of Jesus. And
the other Christian (Christianist?) flavors are not noticeably different.
Jim Burt to GoddeWords
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
My New Year Message by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
From The Times
December 27, 2008
(Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty)
According to Hugo Rifkind
Greetings!
In the name of the Humblest, the Most Merciful, the Boss, the Top, the Tip, the Indisputable Leader of the Gang, Top Cat, I am His Most Excellentness Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the democratically elected dictator of Iran!
And, in order to give your Acclaimed Christmas Channel 4 Massage, have I been learning the full grasp of the humorous English idiom? Fan-dabby-dosey! Welcome to the jungle, we’ve got fun’n’games! Oh yes! For I am only the second Middle Eastern Gentleman to be entrusted with this task, I learn, following in footsteps of one by the name of Ali Gee. But.
With the Acclaimed Christmas Channel 4 Massage, it turns out my bosses are most displeased. “Mahmoud, baby,” said the one with the goatee, “this is not what we wanted, at all. Too moderate. Too restrained. Where was the fire? Where was the thunder? Where was the hate?” “Reuben is right,” agreed the other, a She-man. “There was barely anything offensive in there at all. The Daily Mail probably wasn’t even watching. We’ll never be controversially appointed anywhere, at this rate. You’ll have to do another one for new year. Otherwise the deal is off.” “You mean . . .?” said I. “Yes,” declared goatee producer. “You will never be invited on to Countdown.” Woe! Woe and fie! And so, in spirit of getting a consonant a consonant a vowel a consonant a consonant, even without Carol Vorderman, I have agreed to make second Massage, putting in all the bits that goatee boss and the Hairy Lady were so annoyed that the last one left out. more
December 27, 2008
(Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty)
According to Hugo Rifkind
Greetings!
In the name of the Humblest, the Most Merciful, the Boss, the Top, the Tip, the Indisputable Leader of the Gang, Top Cat, I am His Most Excellentness Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the democratically elected dictator of Iran!
And, in order to give your Acclaimed Christmas Channel 4 Massage, have I been learning the full grasp of the humorous English idiom? Fan-dabby-dosey! Welcome to the jungle, we’ve got fun’n’games! Oh yes! For I am only the second Middle Eastern Gentleman to be entrusted with this task, I learn, following in footsteps of one by the name of Ali Gee. But.
With the Acclaimed Christmas Channel 4 Massage, it turns out my bosses are most displeased. “Mahmoud, baby,” said the one with the goatee, “this is not what we wanted, at all. Too moderate. Too restrained. Where was the fire? Where was the thunder? Where was the hate?” “Reuben is right,” agreed the other, a She-man. “There was barely anything offensive in there at all. The Daily Mail probably wasn’t even watching. We’ll never be controversially appointed anywhere, at this rate. You’ll have to do another one for new year. Otherwise the deal is off.” “You mean . . .?” said I. “Yes,” declared goatee producer. “You will never be invited on to Countdown.” Woe! Woe and fie! And so, in spirit of getting a consonant a consonant a vowel a consonant a consonant, even without Carol Vorderman, I have agreed to make second Massage, putting in all the bits that goatee boss and the Hairy Lady were so annoyed that the last one left out. more
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Krishna Iyer on Christmas:Remembering a glorious rebel
V.R. Krishna Iyer
...............
For all of humankind, Jesus’ magnificent, yet militant, teaching was a lofty testament of egalitarian liberation from obscurantist faith, authoritarian politics, theological orthodoxy and big business freebooting. Similarly, the ring of his message constituted a de facto revolt against Roman imperialism, absolutist injustice and priest-proud godism. He stood for a higher culture marked by a sacred, sublime, compassionate ethos, and a divinity of humanity that is free from crass, class-mired materialism and gross, greedy, grabbing riches. This rare man of Nazareth resisted Jewish ecclesiastical domination, opposed discrimination among brothers and demanded, in God’s name, socio-economic justice. This is the essence of the Jesus jurisprudence of human dignity, inner divinity and fraternal obligation to help every brother in distress.
..........................
Rare daring
Jesus, the glorious rebel, proclaimed the reality of a universal moral order. He called it the kingdom of heaven and told the people that the kingdom of god was indeed within them. He outraged the hypocrites who did their commerce inside the temples and the shrines. He drove them out with rare daring. Now, right before our eyes, our temples and churches are again centres of big business.
Jesus, to the anger of the proprietariat, resisted the commercialisation of god and the commoditisation of man. Big temples, great churches, god-men, bishops, mullahs and acharyas are a mundane part of the capitalist establishment and are anti-Jesus in spirit. India’s Constitution mandates equality, secularism and economic democracy. What a marvel it was that Jesus preached ages ago — that God was equal in granting his favours to all, as was the sun. Jesus was a raging egalitarian, an invisible socialist, an economic democrat. Proof of this lies in his parables and preaching.
.................
Barabbas jurisprudence
The abolition of poverty is a socialist feature of the societal structure. In order to wipe every tear of grief from every eye, you need a social transformation and an economic regeneration, a special concern for women and children, and a rage against those who rob the people’s resources. This is the majesty and humanity of true spirituality that was absent during the era of Emperor Tiberius. It was his administration and justice delivery system, presided over in the region by Pontius Pilate, which decreed, with perverse judicial power and under pressure from the priestly class and in exercise of state authority that Jesus, who argued for the kingdom of heaven, be put to the cross. When treason was the charge and the priestly order was exposed by the accused, there was terrific pressure on the Governor-judge to sentence him. The same judge set free Barabbas. Even today innocence suffers state punishment and robbery rides state power. Barabbas jurisprudence is in currency even today.
....................
To my mind, this glorious dimension of the kingdom of god is the forerunner to socialism, social justice, secularism and democracy. The life of Jesus was absolute simplicity, matchless humility, compassionate humanity, gender reverence and pro-poor egalite. He washed the feet of his disciples, he defined godist superstition. To share and care for your neighbour, even your enemy, were the fundamentals he taught. He was thus a pioneer of world brotherhood, who advocated freedom from dogmas and obscurantist cults. Such a universalism is the testament of Jesus. This is the Christianity to be practised daily — not the Christianity for a Sunday ritual, or for an alibi to hold the world under imperial might and big business power. Not showy charity coupled with mighty rapacity. The Buddha was a predecessor of Jesus. The Mahatma whom Churchill called “the half-naked fakir” was his successor.
Yet, Jesus if born today will meet Pilate’s justice yet again. Barabbas is in power everywhere again. Judas the pretentious disciple and arch-betrayer is a subtle and slight presence practising diplomacy — the Cross in one hand and nuke bomb in the other. The terrorist incarnation today masquerades as the ruler of the earth.
................
Structural splendour
Resurrection, not in the lexical or biblical sense, but in the grand moral dimension of the term conveying the spirit of trans-material mutation, is the structural splendour of the world order. Peace, not war; stability, not subservience; high morality, not any grab-based acquisitive success, is the new ethic. Exploitation has become the rule of law, and equity and justice have become the vanishing point of international jurisprudence.
The hidden agenda after a unipolar world is the malignant methodology of insatiable accumulation of wealth. This terrible trend must be trampled under the foot by a triumphant and dynamic generation. This should be done with socialist convictions and a profound prognosis — of work, wealth and happiness for every human being. This should be the ‘developmental drama’ of the New World Order.
read it all
...............
For all of humankind, Jesus’ magnificent, yet militant, teaching was a lofty testament of egalitarian liberation from obscurantist faith, authoritarian politics, theological orthodoxy and big business freebooting. Similarly, the ring of his message constituted a de facto revolt against Roman imperialism, absolutist injustice and priest-proud godism. He stood for a higher culture marked by a sacred, sublime, compassionate ethos, and a divinity of humanity that is free from crass, class-mired materialism and gross, greedy, grabbing riches. This rare man of Nazareth resisted Jewish ecclesiastical domination, opposed discrimination among brothers and demanded, in God’s name, socio-economic justice. This is the essence of the Jesus jurisprudence of human dignity, inner divinity and fraternal obligation to help every brother in distress.
..........................
Rare daring
Jesus, the glorious rebel, proclaimed the reality of a universal moral order. He called it the kingdom of heaven and told the people that the kingdom of god was indeed within them. He outraged the hypocrites who did their commerce inside the temples and the shrines. He drove them out with rare daring. Now, right before our eyes, our temples and churches are again centres of big business.
Jesus, to the anger of the proprietariat, resisted the commercialisation of god and the commoditisation of man. Big temples, great churches, god-men, bishops, mullahs and acharyas are a mundane part of the capitalist establishment and are anti-Jesus in spirit. India’s Constitution mandates equality, secularism and economic democracy. What a marvel it was that Jesus preached ages ago — that God was equal in granting his favours to all, as was the sun. Jesus was a raging egalitarian, an invisible socialist, an economic democrat. Proof of this lies in his parables and preaching.
.................
Barabbas jurisprudence
The abolition of poverty is a socialist feature of the societal structure. In order to wipe every tear of grief from every eye, you need a social transformation and an economic regeneration, a special concern for women and children, and a rage against those who rob the people’s resources. This is the majesty and humanity of true spirituality that was absent during the era of Emperor Tiberius. It was his administration and justice delivery system, presided over in the region by Pontius Pilate, which decreed, with perverse judicial power and under pressure from the priestly class and in exercise of state authority that Jesus, who argued for the kingdom of heaven, be put to the cross. When treason was the charge and the priestly order was exposed by the accused, there was terrific pressure on the Governor-judge to sentence him. The same judge set free Barabbas. Even today innocence suffers state punishment and robbery rides state power. Barabbas jurisprudence is in currency even today.
....................
To my mind, this glorious dimension of the kingdom of god is the forerunner to socialism, social justice, secularism and democracy. The life of Jesus was absolute simplicity, matchless humility, compassionate humanity, gender reverence and pro-poor egalite. He washed the feet of his disciples, he defined godist superstition. To share and care for your neighbour, even your enemy, were the fundamentals he taught. He was thus a pioneer of world brotherhood, who advocated freedom from dogmas and obscurantist cults. Such a universalism is the testament of Jesus. This is the Christianity to be practised daily — not the Christianity for a Sunday ritual, or for an alibi to hold the world under imperial might and big business power. Not showy charity coupled with mighty rapacity. The Buddha was a predecessor of Jesus. The Mahatma whom Churchill called “the half-naked fakir” was his successor.
Yet, Jesus if born today will meet Pilate’s justice yet again. Barabbas is in power everywhere again. Judas the pretentious disciple and arch-betrayer is a subtle and slight presence practising diplomacy — the Cross in one hand and nuke bomb in the other. The terrorist incarnation today masquerades as the ruler of the earth.
................
Structural splendour
Resurrection, not in the lexical or biblical sense, but in the grand moral dimension of the term conveying the spirit of trans-material mutation, is the structural splendour of the world order. Peace, not war; stability, not subservience; high morality, not any grab-based acquisitive success, is the new ethic. Exploitation has become the rule of law, and equity and justice have become the vanishing point of international jurisprudence.
The hidden agenda after a unipolar world is the malignant methodology of insatiable accumulation of wealth. This terrible trend must be trampled under the foot by a triumphant and dynamic generation. This should be done with socialist convictions and a profound prognosis — of work, wealth and happiness for every human being. This should be the ‘developmental drama’ of the New World Order.
read it all
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The Annunciation in the Quran
The Annunciation in the Quran
The Annunciation of Mary is also cited in the Quran, in Suras 3 (Aal 'Imran - The family of Imran) verses 45-51 and 19 (Maryam - Mary) verses 16-26. In the Quran there is never any mention or insinuation that Jesus is the son of God but is portrayed as a highly respected prophet.
From chapter 3
[45] (Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allâh gives you the glad tidings of a Word ("Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Isâ (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)) from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Isâ (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honor in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allâh."
[46] "He will speak to the people in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous."
[47] She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me." He said: "So (it will be) for Allâh creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: "Be!" - and it is.
[48] And He (Allâh) will teach him ('Isâ (Jesus)) the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom), (and) the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel).
[49] And will make him ('Isâ (Jesus)) a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, a figure like that of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allâh's Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allâh's Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe.
[50] And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Taurât (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allâh and obey me.
[51] Truly! Allâh is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path.
From chapter 19
[16] And mention in the Book (the Qur'ân, O Muhammad (peace be upon him) the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion to a place facing east.[17] She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh (angel Jibrîl (Gabriel)) and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects.
[18] She said: "Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Gracious (Allâh) from you, if you do fear Allâh."
[19] (The angel) said: "I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son."
[20] She said: "How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?"
[21] He said: "So (it will be), your Lord said: 'That is easy for Me (Allâh): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allâh), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allâh).' "
[22] So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place.
[23] And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: "Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!"
[24] Then (the babe 'Iesa (Jesus) or Jibrîl (Gabriel)) cried unto her from below her, saying: "Grieve not: your Lord has provided a water stream under you.
[25] "And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you."
[26] "So eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say: 'Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allâh) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.'" from: https://mail.google.com/mail/?zx=13eoytm0ku5m2&shva=1
The Annunciation of Mary is also cited in the Quran, in Suras 3 (Aal 'Imran - The family of Imran) verses 45-51 and 19 (Maryam - Mary) verses 16-26. In the Quran there is never any mention or insinuation that Jesus is the son of God but is portrayed as a highly respected prophet.
From chapter 3
[45] (Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allâh gives you the glad tidings of a Word ("Be!" - and he was! i.e. 'Isâ (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)) from Him, his name will be the Messiah 'Isâ (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honor in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allâh."
[46] "He will speak to the people in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous."
[47] She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me." He said: "So (it will be) for Allâh creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: "Be!" - and it is.
[48] And He (Allâh) will teach him ('Isâ (Jesus)) the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom), (and) the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel).
[49] And will make him ('Isâ (Jesus)) a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, a figure like that of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allâh's Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allâh's Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe.
[50] And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Taurât (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allâh and obey me.
[51] Truly! Allâh is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path.
From chapter 19
[16] And mention in the Book (the Qur'ân, O Muhammad (peace be upon him) the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion to a place facing east.[17] She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Ruh (angel Jibrîl (Gabriel)) and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects.
[18] She said: "Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Gracious (Allâh) from you, if you do fear Allâh."
[19] (The angel) said: "I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son."
[20] She said: "How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?"
[21] He said: "So (it will be), your Lord said: 'That is easy for Me (Allâh): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allâh), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allâh).' "
[22] So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place.
[23] And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: "Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!"
[24] Then (the babe 'Iesa (Jesus) or Jibrîl (Gabriel)) cried unto her from below her, saying: "Grieve not: your Lord has provided a water stream under you.
[25] "And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you."
[26] "So eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say: 'Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allâh) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.'" from: https://mail.google.com/mail/?zx=13eoytm0ku5m2&shva=1
Friday, December 19, 2008
The Purpose-Driven Life of Rick Warren reviewed by Ronald J. Rychlak and Kyle Duncan
Wrong Turn
The Purpose-Given Life Gives Bad Directions
By Ronald J. Rychlak and Kyle Duncan
The Purpose-Driven Life has sold over 7 million copies and was named Christian "Book of the Year" in 2003. "Purpose-Driven" is now a registered trademark, and "Purpose-Driven" programs have been offered everywhere from schools and prisons to corporate headquarters, including Coca Cola, Sparrow Records, NASCAR, the LPGA, and the Oakland Raiders.
The book’s promise for those who follow its forty-day journey is that "you will know God’s purpose for your life." The book is being promoted and studied in some Catholic parishes, especially as a Lenten exercise, so it is worth examining whether it can deliver on its exaggerated promise.
The book’s author, Rick Warren, was labeled as "America’s most influential pastor" by Christianity Today. He is the pastor of Saddleback Church, which is situated on a 120-acre campus in southern California that was designed by theme park experts. Every weekend nearly 20,000 people attend services at one of nine "venues," including a 3,000-seat main sanctuary, a religious coffee bar, and a "beach hut" for high school students. Sculpted into the landscape are settings for forty Bible reenactments, including a stream that can part like the Red Sea.
The Purpose-Given Life Gives Bad Directions
By Ronald J. Rychlak and Kyle Duncan
The Purpose-Driven Life has sold over 7 million copies and was named Christian "Book of the Year" in 2003. "Purpose-Driven" is now a registered trademark, and "Purpose-Driven" programs have been offered everywhere from schools and prisons to corporate headquarters, including Coca Cola, Sparrow Records, NASCAR, the LPGA, and the Oakland Raiders.
The book’s promise for those who follow its forty-day journey is that "you will know God’s purpose for your life." The book is being promoted and studied in some Catholic parishes, especially as a Lenten exercise, so it is worth examining whether it can deliver on its exaggerated promise.
The book’s author, Rick Warren, was labeled as "America’s most influential pastor" by Christianity Today. He is the pastor of Saddleback Church, which is situated on a 120-acre campus in southern California that was designed by theme park experts. Every weekend nearly 20,000 people attend services at one of nine "venues," including a 3,000-seat main sanctuary, a religious coffee bar, and a "beach hut" for high school students. Sculpted into the landscape are settings for forty Bible reenactments, including a stream that can part like the Red Sea.
.........
Warren is also doing praiseworthy work in Rwanda. After he and his wife observed the poverty and AIDS epidemic ravaging that nation, they set up foundations to distribute 90 percent of the proceeds from Warren’s book to alleviate poverty and combat AIDS in that country. Unlike so many other programs, Warren’s seems to be focused on abstinence and monogamy rather than simple condom distribution. Of course, because of this morality-based approach, Warren has already been severely criticized in the secular press. It also means, though, that his program might have a real impact.
.....................
Purpose-Driven Salvation
Warren assures his readers that "God won’t ask about your religious background or doctrinal views. The only thing that will matter is, did you accept what Jesus did for you and did you learn to love and trust him?" For salvation, "all you need to do is receive and believe." He encourages his audiences to join God’s family as follows: "I invite you to bow your head and quietly whisper the prayer that will change your eternity, ‘Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you.’" Then, "if you sincerely meant that prayer congratulations! Welcome to the family of God!"
Entry into eternal life? "If you learn to love and trust God’s Son, Jesus, you will be invited to spend the rest of eternity with him. On the other hand, if you reject his love, forgiveness, and salvation, you will spend eternity apart from God forever."
All of this can sound plausible to a Catholic who doesn’t have a firm grasp of the faith. Surely God doesn’t care about "religious background or doctrinal views"! But Warren’s assertions are themselves "doctrinal views," unstated and undefended. More urgently, is Warren talking about the same "eternal life" as Jesus did, the Jesus who taught that "the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matt. 7:14)?
Warren is right that we must love and trust Jesus, but Jesus himself told us what that really meant. For starters, Jesus said: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). He also said, "Not every one who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). And to those who say "Lord, Lord," Jesus warned that God may reply, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41). But Warren makes little if any mention of sin, damnation, repentance, or the cross. read it all
Warren assures his readers that "God won’t ask about your religious background or doctrinal views. The only thing that will matter is, did you accept what Jesus did for you and did you learn to love and trust him?" For salvation, "all you need to do is receive and believe." He encourages his audiences to join God’s family as follows: "I invite you to bow your head and quietly whisper the prayer that will change your eternity, ‘Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you.’" Then, "if you sincerely meant that prayer congratulations! Welcome to the family of God!"
Entry into eternal life? "If you learn to love and trust God’s Son, Jesus, you will be invited to spend the rest of eternity with him. On the other hand, if you reject his love, forgiveness, and salvation, you will spend eternity apart from God forever."
All of this can sound plausible to a Catholic who doesn’t have a firm grasp of the faith. Surely God doesn’t care about "religious background or doctrinal views"! But Warren’s assertions are themselves "doctrinal views," unstated and undefended. More urgently, is Warren talking about the same "eternal life" as Jesus did, the Jesus who taught that "the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matt. 7:14)?
Warren is right that we must love and trust Jesus, but Jesus himself told us what that really meant. For starters, Jesus said: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). He also said, "Not every one who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). And to those who say "Lord, Lord," Jesus warned that God may reply, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41). But Warren makes little if any mention of sin, damnation, repentance, or the cross. read it all
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Beyond Tolerance
I am currently reading a highly acclaimed recent book by Gustav
Niebuhr (great nephew of Reinhold Niebuhr and grandson of Richard
Niebuhr-two eminent Christian theologians of America)titled "Beyond
Tolerance" (published by Viking) which cites Swami Vivekanananda's
brilliant talk before the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago
(1893 CE) about the insanity of religions fighting each other in the
name of God and then quotes a New York paper's coverage of the
Swamiji's speech thus, "After hearing him we feel how foolish it is to
send missionaries to this learned nation" (meaning India).
However, India and other developing nations continue to attract
proselytizers of both Christianity and Islam which in recent years
have triggered the aping of their tactics by Hindu fundamentalists as
well, who are indulging in reverse "conversions". Net result,is
communal disharmony which often provokes physical violence, arson,
rape and even murder. All in the name of God, the very embodiment of
love and compassion!
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in going beyond the
notion of "religious tolerance". The author's message is that mere
religious tolerance is no substitute for the respect that we as
Christians must develop for the faith traditions of non-Christians, by
going deep into the study of them. As long as we remain superficially
educated about our own faith as well as the faiths of others, we will
always remain far apart, and we will never develop the much-needed
respect for the faiths of others.
Until the monotheistic faiths embrace at least modestly the humility
that eastern faiths such as Sanatana Dharma, Buddhism, Jainism, Taoism
etc have within their tenets, Christianity and Islam will remain at
odds with other faiths and the clashes of civilizations will become a
reality in our life time.
C. Alex Alexander to Gregorian Study Circle
Niebuhr (great nephew of Reinhold Niebuhr and grandson of Richard
Niebuhr-two eminent Christian theologians of America)titled "Beyond
Tolerance" (published by Viking) which cites Swami Vivekanananda's
brilliant talk before the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago
(1893 CE) about the insanity of religions fighting each other in the
name of God and then quotes a New York paper's coverage of the
Swamiji's speech thus, "After hearing him we feel how foolish it is to
send missionaries to this learned nation" (meaning India).
However, India and other developing nations continue to attract
proselytizers of both Christianity and Islam which in recent years
have triggered the aping of their tactics by Hindu fundamentalists as
well, who are indulging in reverse "conversions". Net result,is
communal disharmony which often provokes physical violence, arson,
rape and even murder. All in the name of God, the very embodiment of
love and compassion!
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in going beyond the
notion of "religious tolerance". The author's message is that mere
religious tolerance is no substitute for the respect that we as
Christians must develop for the faith traditions of non-Christians, by
going deep into the study of them. As long as we remain superficially
educated about our own faith as well as the faiths of others, we will
always remain far apart, and we will never develop the much-needed
respect for the faiths of others.
Until the monotheistic faiths embrace at least modestly the humility
that eastern faiths such as Sanatana Dharma, Buddhism, Jainism, Taoism
etc have within their tenets, Christianity and Islam will remain at
odds with other faiths and the clashes of civilizations will become a
reality in our life time.
C. Alex Alexander to Gregorian Study Circle
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