Christianity is About Joy, Not About Hate? Hard sell


I'm certain every Sunday there are thousands of preachers/priests talking up the "joy" of being in the faith. It is amusing the faith can be talked about in this way. At its center is sin and punishment for sin. Consider abortion and gayness: sin. Look out. As one of the regulars who posts on this site said a while back, "God hates abortion." It's not "God loves the women who have to get abortions and those who provide them and forgives them both even if this is a sin. The church will not interfere but stands in support if needed. It is a faith of joy." This is not the message people get about the Catholic Church today.  To claim it is a faith of joy is the ultimate stretch.

That Christianity insists on associating the Old Testament with the faith was not a good idea. The Jesus people should have presented the pre Jesus world as a happy place. Instead, it has a God killing two million innocent people. As the late George Carlin said in his parody schtick of Christianity, "But he loves you." 

Apparently, Christians are to experience "joy" by avoiding an eternity in a fiery hell. It seems like there would be more joy if the modern version of Jesus had been adopted back in ancient times. Today the all Jesus all the time version of the faith preaches Jesus accepts us as we are. There is no threat of hell. 

But the all Jesus version does not provide the satisfaction that comes with judging others. That Christians can feel superior has been a big part of the appeal. My own theory is this all Jesus version will eventually brush away the condemnation and judgmental branch of the faith. It will take a couple of generations, however.   

If I were a preacher/priest I suppose I, too, would find it necessary to preach that the faith is about "joy." It is not possible to stray too far from the company line. The toll of guilt on preacher who find it necessary to talk in this dishonest way might be a reason some leave the profession.

Comments

  1. little helperApril 22, 2023 at 11:51 AM

    'Joy?" Sounds like you are affected by the prosperity Gospel types.
    Try being thankful for what was done FOR us on the cross. The true Gospel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JonApril 22, 2023 at 12:49 PM

      helper --"..done FOR us on the cross."
      I seldom see or hear that line anymore. It seems to have outlived its self life.

      By the way, I went to a funeral at a rural church of your denomination last week. It's close to where I grew up, so I'd been in it many times. At the luncheon afterwards, my high school classmate, who belonged to it for many years until she moved away, whispered, "Talk to the preacher. He's really liberal. You'll like him." I did and she was correct in all counts.

      Delete
    2. little helperApril 22, 2023 at 4:03 PM

      Re. "what was done for us on the cross;" "Seems to have outlived its self life" A pity. A sure sign "prosperity" has taken over . Even in the world of unbelief. Humanism, secular and religious

      Delete
  2. Ardy BApril 23, 2023 at 2:58 AM


    “Christianity is About Joy, Not About Hate?”

    Seems to me some politicians of the Biblical Christian culture are the ones on a witch hunt. As a result of their latest fits of legislated self-righteous moral indignation a lot of good born people are getting pilloried. What joy stifling joy in others. Self-righteous moral indignation permits anger without guilt. Anger justified by faith alone.

    ReplyDelete

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