Semi-random thought

[unixronin]

The problem with believing in a god who forgives all of one's sins is that it leads to the assumption that all sins are forgiveable, and therefore permissible.  (But perhaps that's the point.)

Discuss.

Comments

[ithildae.livejournal.com]

That only applies if you assume that forgiveness is automatic, requiring no effort or activity on your part. The real question is: What is the goal of G-d? What role should He play in our lives? If there are no good answers forthcoming for those questions, talking about G-d is kind of pointless.

[In my religious tradition, not all sins are forgivable. Granted, there are very few in that category, but the category exists.]

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

That only applies if you assume that forgiveness is automatic, requiring no effort or activity on your part.

Most of the ostentatiously pious — particularly the ones who like to tell everyone else to do as they say, not as they do — certainly seem to operate under the assumption that it doesn't require any actual sincerity, and that it will be granted pro-forma simply because they went to church on Sunday morning and went through the motions pro-forma.

(Hey, wait a minute ... didn't the Christian Savior and Messiah say something about not needing to build churches because the Omnipresent, Omniscient Christian Deity was, like, everywhere anyway? Right there in the Bible that we're repeatedly told is the literal word of God and therefore every word is and must be literally true? Come on, people, if you're going to insist it's the literal word of your deity, then at least pay attention to what it says. I continue to maintain that churches aren't places for believing in or worshipping your god — they're places for being seen to do so by your neighbors.)

[ithildae.livejournal.com]

Gatherings of worshipers are for the purpose of reinforcing the idea of G-d in our minds. Left to ourselves, very few of us can maintain the focus on Deity with the distractions of life around us. We need to gather to worship. I never said that we needed a particular building type to worship in.

Generally, we find what we are looking for. If we go to church looking for hypocrisy and ostentation, we are bound to find it. (There are a few choice words about those in the Bible too.) If we attend Church looking to find a spirit of peace and love that will allow us to change our desires to help others more, we can find that too.

The best part about G-d is that He takes us as we are, and helps to make us better. We don't have to be perfect (or even good) to start.