One of my favorite topics is the idea that Jesus can forgive your sins. Even when I was a little kid, I couldn't figure this out ... if I hit you on the nose, some other guy can forgive me and make it OK? It just seems wrong. No, it's more than wrong, it's immoral. So why does Christianity have this at its core?
I've written about this before, but today I want to bring you a four-minute video by Christopher Hitchens, who explains this incredibly well. Click the "READ ON" link to see the video...
Christians will argue with you (as they have me) that Hitchens is wrong, and explain that asking Jesus for forgiveness only works if you're really sorry. It's not enough, they say, to simply ask for forgiveness if in your heart you're not really sorry. And being truly sorry implies that you'll try to make amends for your bad behavior, help your victim, and so forth.
That's bull. The truth is that according to Christian theology, if I repent on my death bed, if I'm truly sorry, and ask Jesus for forgiveness, He will grant it. Never mind that I might have been a rapist or murderer, and that I left a trail of tragedy behind me. Never mind that, no matter how sorry I am, it makes not one whit of difference to those I hurt. I'm dead, but forgiven.
Monday, April 12, 2010
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6 comments:
Dear readers -- I am no longer blogging and after leaving these blogs open for two years have finally stopped accepting comments due to spammers. Thanks for your interest. If you'd like to write to me, click on the "Contact" link at the top. Thanks! -- CJ.
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I don't think this is what is meant by Jesus forgiving you for your sins. Yes yes you are quite right, but that's just smoke and mirrors. No Christian thinks of it that way. Christianity offers salvation from ones own remorse. The belief is what saves you from your guilt and worries of the world. No matter how logically correct we are as atheist and rationalist. We do not offer salvation from guilt. And that's why Christianity will not be eradicated by pure logic.
ReplyDeleteNice try Christian (May 18, 2010 poster)
ReplyDeleteChristianity doesn't offer salvation from anything. Anyone that believes in the crazy crap in the bible or the ever changing beliefs about god is deluded or a loony.
If there was no Jesus and there is no heaven or no hell, no consequences whatsoever, why do you not buy a gun and take whatever you need and desire from someone who has what you want? Why not have sex with whoever you want through rape? Rob a bank and not worry about money, kill someone for his Air Jordan tennis shoes, kill a unwanted baby through abortion, steal money posing yourself as a financial advisor, take somebodies flat screen TV, kill a wife or girlfriend that has cheated on you or has become a thorn in your side, beat her if she is disrespectful to you, sit on your butt and collect from the government while everyone else pays taxes for you to do so, kill thousands of people by driving an airplane thru their buildings in the name of Allah, behead people who do not think like you. oh yea, this is exactly what a life and society without Jesus does do. I choose Jesus, His teachings, His actions, not religion,Christ followers are not religeous and hey do not follow man-made useless religion. Religion kills and distorts and judges, Christ followers feed the poor and the widows and the fatherless, look around, it is not the agnostics and atheists bringing fresh water and food and medical supplies into the likes of Haiti for instance, it is the Christians. Jesus loved but did the support the actions and beliefs of the most religeous people in the history of the world, the Pharisees. First do your homework and before speaking out, quit listening to your mind for answers or the words of anyone, Jesus said you will know by their fruit. Without hearing or listening to a word, it is the Christ follower that is feeding the poor, trying to save the unwanted baby from abortion, supporting the death penalty for those who kill others, loving, and respecting and honoring their spouses and children. loving their neighbor, praying for their loved ones and their country. Trying to make a positive influence in their communities. Get a clue.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous October 10, 2012 at 7:16 AM
DeleteIn your reply you completely missed and made no reference to the two very points Christopher Hitchens addressed in this 4 minute video. They are how is it MORAL for any one to forgive another, other than the victim AND how is it MORAL to have raped someone, killed someone, steal from the poor, commit whatever crimes that deserve Hell when "IF" on their death bed any Hell bent sinner can ask, from their heart, for forgiveness in the name of Jesus that he be forgiven and that they are granted eternal life in heaven? That belief should be for anyone with any sense of morality be seen as "IMMORAL".
Anon - If you'd spent even one minute searching for other blogs I've written about morality, you'd have discovered that I've answered all of your questions. You're spouting one of the most thoroughly discredited philosophical arguments in the history of religion.
ReplyDeleteYou are wrong when you say a murderer or anyone else can ask forgiveness on their death bed from the heart in jesus name and recieve eternal life. God is a righteous and holy judge and he will judge us all for the real motives of your heart regardless of how you lived. Someone can be the greatest preacher in the world and help millions of people but only God knows the condition of a mans heart and if the things being done are out of a real love for God or just a love of money and fame or merely from just a fear of going to hell. Jesus said many are called but few are chosen. God is a righteous and holy judge...He can do anything but He cant sin and He put us all exactly where we deserve to be. Jesus is NOT a scapegoat. But He did provide a way for you to have a personal relationship with God its totally up to you though to decide and a decision to either love God and grow spiritually or love yourself and the world. This life is test to see where you decide to spend your eternity.
ReplyDelete