Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ut-ngp.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!unc!mcnc!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!hplabs!hao!seismo!ut-sally!ut-ngp!judy
From: judy@ut-ngp.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: Holier Than Thou (from Judy Ashworth)
Message-ID: <867@ut-ngp.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 23-Aug-84 14:49:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.867
Posted: Thu Aug 23 14:49:31 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 26-Aug-84 01:14:18 EDT
References: <218@uwmacc.UUCP>, <855@ut-ngp.UUCP> <222@uwmacc.UUCP>
Organization: Comp. Center, Univ. of Texas at Austin
Lines: 25


  What I meant is that there is a big difference between a righteous person
and a SELF-RIGHTEOUS person. I believe that people who truely live by
the teachings of Christ should not consider themselves SUPERIOR to others
simply because they try to live by a different code of ethics. No matter
how much "better" this code of ethics is, Christians should never forget
that they too, are sinners, and no "better" than anyone else.
  I believe that this is what many people get upset about and why they use
the "holier than thou" term. In other translations this term may appear as
"self-righteous". The chief priests and pharisees were self-righteous because
they believed they were better than others whereas Peter for instance could
be called righteous because he maintained his humility while striving to 
"follow" Christ. I believe this is the main reason that Christ prefered the
company of the common folk - even prostitutes and tax collecters, to the
religous leader of the time. 
  Paul, you seem to be a sincere Christian, I would not label you with
the term "holier than thou".


  One who TRUELY hopes to follow Christ must not forget what he said to
the people who wished to stone the adultress, in accordance with Jewish law:
"Let he who is WITHOUT sin, cast the first stone."

Judy
(ut-ngp!judy)