I had a relatively marginal Christian upbringing as a child and really didn’t become interested in questions of a metaphysical nature until later in life. My relationship to organized religion has always been to meet it with skepticism. I appreciate the fundamental moral messages and the aspirations to care for your fellow man, but I often wonder if a theocratic system would just end up becoming another form of tyranny. There are so many elements of organized religion that can be exploited by evil people who want to use it for their own ends. Collectivism is collectivism, is it not?
I don’t think I became truly immersed in the concept of a creatively engineered universe until I started studying quantum physics and Jungian psychology – Then I realized, there was FAR too much synchronicity in the world, far too much evidence that there is some kind of design, some kind of plan to life. I might not understand what the plan is, but I can see the mathematical and psychological fingerprints of what one might call “God.”
It’s the reason I could never take atheism seriously. The claim of atheism has long been that the philosophy has nothing to do with faith and everything to do with evidence. Yet, every time I see an atheist confronted with evidence of creative design, they dismiss it blindly. This kind of ignorance has always been more horrifying to me that anything else – The notion of “scientific cultism” and tyranny hiding behind false claims of logic and rationalism.
ht/ little morphin annie
The Lutherans and Catholics have totally sold out for illegal immigration and are in the employ of the government to place them in every corner of the country. Many of them believe they are being compassionate.
I am a simple man who condenses complex concepts down to simple ideas. When man believes he is equal to or greater than God, the breakdown of civil society takes root. Clergy insert their own beliefs into the written word of God and the liturgy that emanated from it. Politicians believe they have more power than God. Doctors believe that can heal better than Jesus. And multi-national corporate executives believe they are bigger than God. In other words, God takes a back seat to all these individuals who have power, influence and control over yours and my life.
My two cents, for whatever it’s worth.
I forgot to include the love of money which permeates all of the aforementioned groups above.
Not all churches are silent. There’s a church, “Hungry Generation,” in Eastern Washington that has youth groups in many local Middle and High schools. They’re called, “Unashamed” clubs. They are very popular among students and fast growing. Founders of the church are from Russia. The pastors grandfather spent time in the gulag for preaching the gospel. They know the score and are unabashedly speaking truth about every evil going on in the world right now.
I believe we are in a time of separating the wheat from the chaff, in the church. The real church is rising up and training the next generation to be warriors in the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s beautiful and powerful and will not be defeated!
Everyone with any Morals is Silent
Churches are basically corporate entities and have been since … just about forever.
Corporate entities are, by nature, cowards – disinclined to “rock the boat” and interrupt the cash flow.
The churches in the old Soviet Union and National Socialist Germany were pushing each other out of the way to accommodate themselves to the grotesque tyrannies their respective nations were under.
Go further back in time and the Greeks and Romans used their Pagan deities to consolidate their controls on their populations.
The Persians did much the same with their Ahura Mazda cult, even though the Persians were tolerant of local religions and cults, they expected (and, I assume, demanded) that none of those religions and cults inspired any revolutionary notions.
The Hebrews, izlamics, and Medieval countries were largely theocracies (in most cases using religion as a convenient universal cudgel).
Our churches are hypocritical, for the most part; embracing socialism, various perversions, and eschewing the Word of God.
mortem tyrannis
izlamo delenda est …
Pray for those who love us and those who hate us.
@BFH: My relationship to organized religion has always been to meet it with skepticism. I appreciate the fundamental moral messages and the aspirations to care for your fellow man, but I often wonder if a theocratic system would just end up becoming another form of tyranny.
——————–
Well, I won’t get into the tyranny part of religion because it would ruffle the feathers of several religions out there – Muslims are a good example. Christians also have a very dark history of being tyrannical in their teachings. That’s a part of history I have studied. I too am against organized religion….been down that road. We know Christians in our area who hike and bike the trails here. We sometimes meet on the trail, share and have a short Bible study – without even realizing it. We all agree on the premise of the Gospel. Here’s your answer as to why silence: Thessalonians 2:2–3, 7–9. Satan will cause a falling away or apostasy before the Lord returns. 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled by letter, except ye receive it from us; neither by spirit, nor by word, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
The Lord is coming back, no do overs. John 3:16
I read the book so I don’t have to accept someone’s interpretation.
Udogu Sunday, 24 September 2023, 6:53 at 6:53 am
Everyone with any Morals is Silent
——————-
Thanks a lot, I spewed coffee all over my screen! I immediately thought of Trump and his LGBT party he held at Mar-a-Lago. Here’s his morals, he told the faggots that “we’re working hard for you, we’ve made great strides in the LGBT community.
I think the last morally sound person I knew was Billy Graham. He never went down the Jimmy Swaggert road.
I’ve said it for years, many churches are in the business of putting butts in the pew and in turn dollars in the coffers.
putting butts in the pew: Providing feel good secular programs, avoiding social issues in sermons, teachings or anything that would divide attendees or hurt their feelings, free donuts and a full coffee bar for those who attend the watered down Sunday services.
Money in the Coffers; the more inviting to the secular community, the more church goers, the more tax free money donated. The more Money, the creation of more secular feel good programs, more attendees. More money is used for new, “greater” buildings and greater salaries for an increased staff and housing for the pastor’s family.
If Jesus walked into many Church services today, His Biblical Message would be rejected, through this rejection, He would no longer be welcome.
“W” got churches involved in that “faith based” initiative bs
if your church is registered as a 501c3 org they took taxpayer money to move illegals into our country under the radar
Too many churches have lost their faith; fear government more than they fear God.
That guy that overturned money-changers tables and whipped them out of the Temple grounds would be ashamed.
Thank God I’m an atheist!
End of the day question.
Who do you say I am.
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Acts 5:29
The article struck me as noteworthy, not because of the failings of mainline churches that it pointed out (woke ideology, silence on moral issues, wimmen priests, closures during covid, etc.) but because it so clearly blames these failings on the timidity that is the direct result of 501c3 tax exempt status that subjects religion to judgment by the IRS.
Seems to me, churches could be structured as corporations or LLCs and if they’re doing their job right, they would break even or operate at a loss and there wouldn’t be any profit to tax. But, as Wild Bill points out in the first comment, then they wouldn’t qualify for the grants to NGOs, whereby they fund their so-called charities with tax dollars and provide an imprimatur to the government’s schemes.
Wisest words ever spoken to me about the church infrastructure came from an old monsignor who said very clearly, “Trust no one.”
^^^^ Goldenfoxx SUNDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2023, 8:47 AT 8:47 AM…give it a rest.
Many people believe in God ,but don’t believe God.
Different Tim,
Not meaning to start any shit, but unless you read Greek and Hebrew you’re reading someone’s interpretation.
mortem tyrannis
izlamo delenda est …
Merely calling yourself Christian is pointless.
He will never be fooled.