lynx wrote:
> Chris Bell wrote:
>
>> lynx wrote:
>>
>>> Mark T wrote:
>>>
>>>> "lynx" wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>> No Christian follows what Jesus says in the bible when I ask them
...
>>>>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>>>> Jesus said in Matthew 5:42, "Give to him that asketh thee, and
from
>>>>>> him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away." May I have
>>>>>> your house and car and may I borrow your most prized possession?
>>>>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Perhaps it's implied that the request stems from genuine need.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The passage says nothing about genuine need ... only a request.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Well if you're going to apply a strict literal interpretation, and
>>> you accept that Jesus did say this, then you only have the conclusion
>>> that Christianity imposes impossible demands on us available to you,
>>> which then begs the response, so why even bother trying to live a
>>> christian life?
>>>
>> Jesus said many things which appear to us to be impossible. eg about
>> moving mountains by faith, about selling all your possessions and
>> giving the cash to the poor. There is no way you can rationalise them
>> away no matter how hard you try.
>>
>> That is why I object to those people who pick on homo***uals as the
>> only ones living lives of sin and not changing that as a matter of
>> course.
>>
>> So why bother even trying, you ask? It is a very good question, one of
>> the best in fact. And I don't have a good answer. Its rather like the
>> problem of evil, much discussed, but there are no clear answers.
>
>
> I think that if we're talking in terms of practical christian living,
> then it has to be considered as a principle to follow, rather than an
> instruction; which would then allow for some discretion as to when and
> what to give.
>
IMO Jesus used lots of hyperbole just to get his listeners thinking, so
I agree with you. I see this as only a problem for the literalists,
which is why some of us keep quoting the bible back to them to see them
try to wriggle out of it.
In the past found it difficult when I went to Europe and you find
beggars everywhere, particularly in churches and cathedrals. Australians
are just not used to that sort of thing (because it is illegal here).
But even here it is changing now that social and economic division is
growing so fast. My general principle is to help when I have enough
loose change for immediate purposes, but I understand the negative
effects this has too.
>>
>> If God forgives our sins (if we repent), then why don't we just keep
>> on sinning, then repent just before we die (cf Augustine)? And if
>> we're worried about being hit by a bus, then we must repent at every
>> possible op****tunity, while also knowing that we are liable to sin
>> just before the bus hits anyway. That way is the "good life" scenario,
>> but its pretty problematic anyway, as most sins are sins of omission,
>> not commission, and there is no guarantee of heaven. This is why the
>> church got into such problems in the Middle Ages, when the priests
>> thought that they had some influence over this and could guarantee a
>> trip to heaven for the right consideration.
>>
>> My take is that it is asking the wrong question. Being a christian is
>> about belonging to God's kingdom, called the Kingdom of Heaven in
>> Matthew, and it is firmly here on earth. Its rewards are also found on
>> earth, and come from the way you live and the life you lead, not as a
>> reward in the afterlife.
>>
>> Chris
>
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