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From: aeq@pucc-h (Jeff Sargent)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Why we attack Christianity
Message-ID: <655@pucc-h>
Date: Thu, 12-Apr-84 02:28:52 EST
Article-I.D.: pucc-h.655
Posted: Thu Apr 12 02:28:52 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Apr-84 08:02:50 EST
References: <547@uofm-cv.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Lines: 41

David Norris has replied to several pieces of Jan Wolter's article.  I just
wanted to add a few thoughts.

Many pious but misguided people seem to forget that Jesus said "I have come
that [you] might have life, and might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
Several times Jesus refer's to the disciples' joy being full; and the apostle
Paul says "Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, rejoice!"

The only reason that it seems that a good man must be miserable is that some
(many; all, really) of us, by nature, have a hard time doing good.  Thus,
initially (and for some time, as I've found out), doing good is doing
something we don't want and don't like to do.  But if we stay with God long
enough, we will be changed into Christ's image, and we will begin wanting to
act as Christ would, at least partially because we like to.

Good works are good (this is a tautology, isn't it?), but it is true that the
main point is whether we choose to submit ourselves to God or continue to go
only our own way.  In fact good works are not only encouraged, but virtually
demanded, by the apostle James, who wrote "Faith without works is dead"
(James 2:26).

Perhaps the Church has at times sought "mindless soldiers".  God does not wish
to make such poor specimens.  He wants people to be the best people they can
possibly be; and that includes having their minds in top shape.  (One has to,
in order to survive in this group!)

Alas, it is possible that some people are, in a sense I hadn't thought of
until now, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof", as
Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:5.  The way I've usually thought of this (which I
think is the traditional interpretation) is that people may go to (or even
be in charge of) churches, but not preach anything about the power of God
to save sinners; and that is certainly happening.  But it is possible that
another interpretation might be that Jan suggested:  Using Christianity, not
to allow God's power to work in one's life, but to gain temporal power for
oneself--i.e. dealing in the wrong kind of power, rather than just ignoring
power altogether.

-- 
-- Jeff Sargent
{allegra|ihnp4|decvax|harpo|seismo|ucbvax}!pur-ee!pucc-h:aeq
One man's data are another man's garbage.