When loving their fellow man and taking care of the poor is a more pressing need in our world today ? Jesus did tell us to take care of the "least of my brother". Is this still aChristian priority? I really wonder what Jesus thinks sometimes, when he looks down on us.It is often been said by biblical scholars,that the we have been commanded to take care of the poor over 2000 times in the bible. I belong to a church where taking care of the poor and the less fortunate is a true priority. Not trying to point a finger at any one group of people. The question however, is one that begs for an answer. It surely will be one that Christ will be asking all of us Christians later.
2007-08-07 07:01:08 · 35 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I have to say, this question is one I ask over and over and over, and keeps me sitting on this damn fence. While I know that many Christians through their mission work do accomplish alot by way of teaching and helping the poor, I also drive by a Church that is HUGE and had to cost a fortune, that right across the interstate under the bridges, homeless people live. Makes no sense to me. In my opinion the Christians that want to Condemn Gays to hell, abortionist to hell, even bombing clinics in Gods name, and have such fits over stem cell research are falling way freaking short. "Thou shall not Judge"
I truly don't know the answer to this question but I haven't been to a church yet that I would feel comfortable being a member of for their judgments.
by the way...I'm not gay, been married to a man (christian) for 19 years with three kids. Wish I had knew him better before we started our family as I try to teach my kids tolerance and patience and love, while he is condemning.
Gee, who is the better parent here? The Christian or the Agnostic?
sigh
makes me soooo tired.
2007-08-07 07:11:44 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
Christians have a 2000+ year old book that they pull their knowledge from. The show contrite to science and discovery and rely solely on the the knowledge humans possessed 2000+ years ago. That's why it seems like they are living in the Dark Ages.
They must have skipped some classes on Government, Constitutional Law, and US History because the marriage of two consenting adults is a civil union, not a religious one. We don't live in a Church, we live in the United States. Christian morals which impede on the rights of others have no place in Government.
Abortion - They feel justified because they feel it is murder. Once again, their information comes from a 2000+ year old book. They have no idea of the science behind baby development. Just because a baby reacts to stimuli does not mean it has developed the mechanisms for consciousness. They feel that their God, while not the god of everyone, has the right to determine if rape victims are required to carry the reminder of their violation. Unfit parents should raise children in neglectful homes.
We won't see any Republicans getting behind stem cell research until someone close to them, or they themselves need one of the benefits that Stem cell research can provide.
Once again, it is their ignorance and lack of scientific knowledge which make them oppose things they do not understand. The cells used for Stem Cell research are just that, cells. They are no larger than a normal cell and would not be used for a human life regardless.
2007-08-07 07:12:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 3⤋
"When loving their fellow man and taking care of the poor is a more pressing need in our world today?"
You've answered your own question. They don't believe loving their fellow man and taking care of the poor is a more pressing need in our world today.
They believe that "our world today" is the realm of Satan and is going to end in apocalyptic fire.
Why? Because it says so in the Bible. You should read it some time.
If you like helping people, you should stop deluding yourself with Christianity and just help people.
2007-08-07 12:55:23 · answer #3 · answered by Sabrina H 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
People are concerned because they believe God is. They fear that if they don't insist on everyone obeying "Godly" values than they will go to "hell". This causes people to care more about what they consider morals (stopping gay marriage and stem cell research) rather than listening to Jesus's most important message-- love. Love everyone even your enemies. I'm glad you believe in helping the poor and do not try to point the world's problems on one group of people.
2007-08-07 07:09:51 · answer #4 · answered by I Am 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I am christian and I believe only God can judge people and every sin is the same for him so that's why we have Jesus to save the sinner by believing in him. We need to love every body if they are not evil. You have to reflect the love of Jesus. but that doesn't mean you can do every thing you want just let the holy spirit tell you what's right and wrong and do good.If some christian are worry about those sin they should look to there own sin because no body can judge any body.
2007-08-07 07:19:22 · answer #5 · answered by Babedahl 2 · 5⤊ 1⤋
You would be interested in the book Failing America's Faithful by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. She addresses this very issue.
Religion focuses so much on personal morality and ignores the plight of the world in general. I'd say poverty is far more important that abortion (for example). They want all these kids to enter the world, but then do nothing to keep them from dying in it. It doesn't make sense.
2007-08-07 07:25:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
I admire your concern, but you do need to realize that Christians are concerned with many things... just not all of them get as much publicity. Which do you personally think would make the 6 o'clock news- Christians protesting abortion outside a clinic or Christians passing out soup and sandwiches in Philly? I actually was part of a homeless ministry in college, and we never made the news. Wasn't our goal... didn't need to shout out what we were doing... we were reaching the people who needed us- not the ones who "needed to know."
Just b/c you don't hear about it doesn't mean it isn't happening.
2007-08-07 07:05:16 · answer #7 · answered by Adje J 3 · 7⤊ 1⤋
My Church also makes taking care of the poor a main priority. In fact, we have programs all over the world that do just that, in many different ways.
However, my Church is also concerned with other forms of morality, because that's another way of taking care of each other. The women who are taken advantage of while in terrible crisis through legalized abortion also deserve our care and attention (most women get abortions because they think they DON'T have a choice -- not because they do), as do their unborn offspring. Likewise, the freezing of and experimentation on unique, individual human beings is a situation that deserves moral guidance, so I feel the Church most certainly should comment on it.
As for gay marriage, in my Church, Marriage is a Sacrament, so it would make sense for my Church to have a concern about this issue. For other churches in which marriage is NOT a Sacrament, they probably have a lot less to say about it.
Regardless, though, one does not have to choose BETWEEN feeding the hungry and taking care of the poor and helping women caught in crisis pregnancies or speaking out on other moral issues. You can do more than one thing out of love for fellow man.
2007-08-07 07:15:51 · answer #8 · answered by sparki777 7 · 2⤊ 4⤋
Dylan,
You are right that there are other priorities. However, satan has his hands in each of the items that you mentioned and is attempting to keep people away from our FATHER. Gay Marriage does not exist because marriage was begun by GOD and Homosexuals are abhorrent according to HIM. Abortion is MURDER of a child and I could not imagine ignoring this and being a Christian. CHRIST Never approved of Murder and GOD certainly never did either. Stem-Cell Research would not be a bad thing except those who are interested in doing so want to use the fetus as the stem cells when adult stem cells are available and have had just as many good results. As I said, satan has his hands in each of these and we are to remember that he is the "king of all liars". Have a wonderful week.
Thanks,
Eds
.
2007-08-07 07:13:46 · answer #9 · answered by Eds 7 · 4⤊ 4⤋
Actually the more salient point is the bible verse that says something like "Examine the log in your own eye before you look at the speck in your brother's".
In other words, it's so much easier to come down on somebody else's 'sin' than to look at their own.
A cursory glance at the bible shows that Jesus is purported to have spent time with those he saw had the greatest need, and did not judge them or persecute them. Instead he appears to have simply been himself and waited for questions. It is about time the church adopted this policy.
2007-08-07 07:05:16 · answer #10 · answered by Dharma Nature 7 · 14⤊ 1⤋