2007-07-20 01:51:38 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Amber, what church do you go to?
2007-07-22 02:32:57 · update #1
Three Words....
Fear of God.
Churches use propaganda to place feelings of shame and fear into parish members to keep them coming back, seeking forgiveness and aspiring to be worthy.
It is manipulation plain and simple.
An all loving god is ALL LOVING and would love the worthy AND unworthy the same.
2007-07-20 01:55:25 · answer #1 · answered by Lilly 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Welcome to the razor's edge of spirituality.
There is a fine line between humility and degradation, between confidence and hubris. Many religions do start from the premise that the petitioner is worthy of their God's attention, but even those religions have fables about such 'abundance' going to the person's head.
If you are afraid of people becoming complacent, you start a religion that praises humility and humbleness; the first shall be last and the last first, yada yada.
Of course, it also needs to be said that the knowledge of being 'saved' can also make one arrogant and given to hubris, which in turn can cost the person the very thing that they were given in the first place.
Teaching unworthyness was not the intent of the original teachings, if you actually stop to read them and analyze them carefully. Humbleness and piety come from knowing and accepting one's limitations (God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference) and the parables and stories from the NT are meant to illustrate that. For some people, that means being taken down a notch, but only to the point that one is put back in balance. Being taken down a notch and communicating unworthiness are two different worlds altogether, although many move fluidly and erroneously between the two.
2007-07-20 09:11:01 · answer #2 · answered by Khnopff71 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe that churches do the opposite of what you are suggesting.
It seems to me that Christians try to emulate the example set by Jesus, which was a pretty amazing example. I mean, the guy is dying on the cross, and he stops to ask God to forgive the people who are mocking and killing him.
The feeling of not being worthy comes from the impossibility of living up to Jesus' example, Christians teach, "all men fall short of the glory of god." I believe you will find that most Christian churches discuss not being "worthy" as a means of commiserating. As in, don't give up just because you failed - we all fail - keep trying!
2007-07-20 09:05:33 · answer #3 · answered by Dutch 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It isn't simply about making a community feel unworthy and lowly. Its about understanding the connection between non-perfect human beings and how sinning is just part of acknowledging that fact, that Jesus Christ is our saviour and our role model in all goodness and righteousness.
So in the end we aren't worthy in the way of perfection, but worthy to repent for our mistakes.
2007-07-20 09:00:08 · answer #4 · answered by -Нџήтея’ѕ Ғє£ǿηу- 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
When the Centurians servant was ill, Jesus wanted to go to his home. But the Centurian said, "Lord, I am not worthy that Thou should enter under my roof, say but the word and my servant shall be healed." This was a figure or type of the Christian soul. We are not worthy before God because we are sinners. God is all good, we are sinners. In our sin we betray God. So we are not worthy to come to God, but God in his goodness accepts our unworthyness and allows us to come to him.
It is a form of humility, not humiliation. True humility, the human creature says to the creator, Thy will be done.
2007-07-20 09:00:23 · answer #5 · answered by hossteacher 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They seem to have taken this verse from Romans 8
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
and applied it across everyone but they apparently disregard the verses preceding and following, presented here for your convenience.
21...now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,
2007-07-20 09:01:33 · answer #6 · answered by credo quia est absurdum 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because we are sinners, we are not worthy, except that Christ died (and rose) to make us worthy. It's not a church by church thing: it's fundamental Christian doctrine.
2007-07-20 08:56:32 · answer #7 · answered by Mister J 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
They don't teach that at all. I used to go to church and I never heard anything like that, in fact the people there were the sweetest peole I have ever came acrossed.
2007-07-20 08:55:08 · answer #8 · answered by Amber 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
because we are not. It is only by the grace of God and Jesus coming to earth that will give us salvation. "no one is good...not one" We are not worthy, and because we are saved while not worthy we should give thanks and praise. Jesus came to earth for us, the unworthy.
2007-07-20 08:55:30 · answer #9 · answered by christnogol dilynwr 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The bible says our righteousness is as filthy rags. Its only when we repent and ask Jesus into our heart that we are clean.
2007-07-20 10:20:45 · answer #10 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋