Comments on: Christian Compassion is Out?

By: Sukey

Sukey — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 02:14:37 +0000

Lots of talk about the J-man and love and compassion. Heidi, like I’ve said before, you are a truly talented and gifted writer. I love the way you made you points and the thoughtfulness you put in to this. It’s really scary when someone you care about seems so “out there” and removed from humanity – especially in the name of God. Personally, I still have the same problem with many of the so-called Christianity based religions. If nothing on this Earth matters, and we are inherently flawed and evil, then what kind of a God are we worshiping – when God is supposed to be the one who CREATED the Earth and the humans? Also, if we need to rely and worship and fear “God’s Will” so much, “God’s Will” ends up giving us a way to remove from us, responsibility for our actions and our lives.

I love your essay and I really think you should submit it to a publication. It’s very powerful and well written.

By: bingkee

bingkee — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:52:33 +0000

You’ve got an excellent discussion here and you’re honest to deal with it. I believe that humanly love is flawed and limited —and that’s why Jesus died for us so whoever believes in Him shall not perish from all the failures and sins we have committed. WE, humans are egoistic, and selfish creatures –even though we desire to love others and pattern our lives to Jesus, we always fail because we are flawed and limited egoistic , selfish by nature creatures. I believe in trusting the Holy Spirit of God enables us to do what are supposed to do—such as love and compassion. Love does not always begets love in the natural world. But in God’s kingdom, the love you give to others glorify Him and your rewards are not only here but also in the eternal life.
As for doing what we believe that is right in the eyes of God, we always need His help–His strength, might and power. We cannot love , be compassionate and forgive others by ourselves alone (I learned this in the most excruciating way) but we can only do it by trusting Him to help us do it.
Being Christians do not mean your life will be less troubled and less hurt—it means more peace—peace amidst troubles, peace amidst hurt–peace knowing that Jesus loves you, forgives you, helps you, uplifts you and provides for you.

By: VirusHead

VirusHead — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:52:25 +0000

Thanks for the touchstone, Matt – I was feeling woozy!

I’ve always felt very confident pointing to the fruits of the spirit and so on.

Maybe I should put it in context. Here is the paragraph:

“The thing I was worried about is you are on a compassion based religion. Well that’s fine, but the Bible mentions a love that is of the world, and not of the Father. This is a love in which everyone embraces everyone else, and no real sacrifice is made. When Jesus went to the cross, He showed a sacrifice, a true love, something that is not of the world. He didn’t come promoting “unity”, He came to die for the sins of the people, in this He showed a true love that is not of the world.” It all goes downhill into paranoia and endtimes talk from here, and I’m very familiar with that already.

So now the inferior “love of the world” – the love of money, power (or alternatively, paid-for sexual love, depending on the scriptures in question) is now interpreted as caring and cooperation and unity among people. And God’s love is sacrificial, so some people need to be sacrificed? Is that the message here?

I was listening to a comedian a few days ago who said something like, “What good is Jesus’ sacrifice if you don’t commit some sins? I don’t want to get to heaven and then he says – ‘Yeah, thanks a lot. I sacrificed everything for your freedom and then you were just obedient all the time. What a waste.’” Humor helps. But I’m feeling less sad now and more pissed off – those are the stages on my way to letting go, which seems inevitable.

I’ve SEEN the lack of compassion, but I’ve never actually heard someone openly describe compassion as a problem – and enough of a problem that he said he was worried about ME.

Well, I wouldn’t take it very seriously except that it would explain a lot. (Maybe it’s not just in the context of the problems of one young man, but actually represents a kind of widespread re-interpretation circling some segments of the christian right.)

So here comes the old familiar word on it all, the same old reason JWs gave for not voting or being involved in charities, or anything else…

“All of it’s just a mimic for the true reign of Christ (the millennial Kingdom) when there will be a one world government under him.”

Yeah, but we’re still told to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, and to see the face of God in everyone.

Maybe that’s set aside for “real Americans” a la Palin, while ummm.. who is being sacrificed again? Hmmm..

Here we are, the world celebrating the historic election of Obama – and I think he’ll be great although we’re going to be facing a lot of problems – and I’ve got to continue thinking about this kind of crap, now?

GRRRRRRR – I wish that I could just learn patience once and for all so that I could stop having to try to learn it. I try to be in compassionate mode, but sometimes I just want to shake people and say “what is WRONG with you?”

By: Lord Matt

Lord Matt — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:44:24 +0000

Forgive me if I missed something but wasn't the sign that one could identify a follower of Jesus "...by your love on for another" - now I get funny ideas but surely compassion, caring, humility, service are part of this? Maybe a read a different version of the Bible to anyone else but I remember things like Jesus acting as servant (that's what the whole washing feet thing was about I'm sure) so not compassion but pride doesn't make any kind of sense to my spiritual inclinations either. Even if we go with a different religion "being nice" one way or another is often the corner stone of it all. I can't imagine anything else working. Lord Matt´s last blog post - Personal Facebook (style) Wall