RE: My honest review of Christianity
October 23, 2014 at 9:00 am
(October 22, 2014 at 11:08 pm)Lek Wrote: Because we we were incapable of doing what Jesus needed to accomplish--leading a sinless life and then taking on the sins of all people. Only Jesus could accomplish that.
What does any of this even mean?
Let's take the "sinless life" part first. As I understand it, and please correct me if you have a different take, that "sin" is defined as acting contrary to the will of your god. The theory is when we fail to do what your god commands or we break one of your god's laws, we have "sinned". Correct?
So leading a "sinless life" would be defined as leading a life that perfectly conforms to the will of this god of yours.
So saying Jesus lived a "sinless life" is saying that Jesus lived his life as Jesus wanted to. It becomes a meaningless tautology. To say that Jesus was without sin is to say that Jesus conformed to his own will. Jesus is a bit like Popeye then? "I am what I am".
"I'm Jesus of Nazareth and I yam what I yam"
Moving on, we come to the part about gathering up all this sin and taking it upon himself. This is really making a simple process of forgiveness awfully complex.
First of all, when I forgive someone, it's pretty straightforward. I forgive them. It's a decision to let go of resentment or any desire to somehow even the score. It's a decision against any notion that this person owes you anything more for what was done or not done in the past. That's it. Why does your god need to make it so complicated?
And what does this "taking on the sins" mean?
When we act contrary to the wishes of your god, does that produces some sort of negative ectoplasmic goo that accumulates in some unseen parallel ethereal plane? If so, how does that prevent me from going somewhere else, specifically Heaven? Perhaps it clings to us somehow, like dirt? Well, that would fit the common metaphor I hear from Christians. So Jesus needs us to take a shower and clean up before we meet him in Heaven? Fair enough. It wouldn't do to have all this ectoplasmic filth stinking up the place. So how do I clean up so that I'm presentable to him?
Oh that's right, he needs to suffer and die on a cross. So, his suffering and dying works the ethereal shower how? What's the mechanic here? Can we get some clue on the cause and effect?
Well, we're washed clean by the blood of Christ, or so I'm told. You know, getting clean by washing myself in blood isn't working for me as a metaphor, but let that go. Does the blood from the cross trickle through the Ethereal Plane and wash away all the ecoplasmic sin-filth? But I guess it only works somehow for those who believe something seemingly ridiculous based on the say-so of one particular religion, chosen among many others?
Perhaps the ethereal divine blood cleanser is powered by gullibility? I use that word because, put bluntly, that's what faith is, believing what you're told for no reason and against all reason. Another word for this is gullibility. But then why does it particularly have to be gullibility only with regard to one thing in particular? If I believe in healing crystals, emails from Nigeria or homeopathy, would that kind of gullibility suffice? Why does it only work if you're gullible about one particular claim?
The suffering of Jesus as the mechanic by which sin can be forgiven reminds of of a Monte Python skit where someone says "mattress" causing Mr. Lambert to put a bucket over his head and he won't remove the bucket until someone gets in the fish tank and sings.
"Did someone bear false witness?"
"Yes, Lord."
"I did ask you not to bear false witness didn't I?"
"Sorry Lord"
"Now I have to get on the cross and bleed"
"Sorry Lord"
"Oh dear, it's not working. Someone beat me with a whip."