Why is Christianity a profound philosophy of pessimism?

Question

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Have a great day!

Answer 1

Why do you think this? Christianity is wonderfully beautiful and the only true Life Insurance that we have. Jesus did want to make the goal of salvation clear in our minds because the world and its evil temptations are always in our face 24/7/365. We do not want our souls robbed by these temptations before we reach our true goal. For a view of total simplicity and beauty of our faith I would recommend Saint Therese of Lisieux's Autobiography. I love her so much and she presents even the most troubling issues (Dark Night of the Soul) in such incredible loving beauty and this is why Pope John Paul II named her a Doctor of the Church.

Answer 2

There are several ways in which this is true.

First, Christianity is based on a system of Dualism (good and evil, right and wrong dicohtomies) is present throughout the scripture. Life and the world don't work that way. You can't compress real life into only two options.

As a corollary to the last paragraph there is an underlying belief that all sins are equal. How can that be true? Is a ghastly premeditated murder the same thing as cursing under your breath? Once again there is a mis-match between this idea and reality.

Next, one of the tenets of Christianity is the Doctrine of "Original Sin". This idea is perverse, wrong and can be harmful to raising children.

Next, there is the implicit assumption that we cannot be responsible for our own sins and errors. We must put our faith in Jesus, either because we are not good enough to be trusted to do it or not strong enough.

Next, there seems to be a philosophy of hypocrisy concerning tolerance and love of others. Well, which is it? Should we be tolerant or not? Also, why does the Bible not mention that we must love our own children (we are supposed to love our neighbor and strangers)? Some branches of Christianity are even insisting that those Christians who do not adhere to their sect are damned to Hell. If Jesus were alive today, he would be apalled by this kind of cynicism and by the fact that some people are trotting him around like a second God.
I am not a Chrisitan, though I was confirmed as an Episcopalean. I now consider myself an Agnostic who believes in God.

Answer 3

I have a feeling your question will be deleted. I asked a question the other day that showed Christianity in a bad light and someone reported me. Apparently "Are Christians the most overtly sensitive hypocritical judgmental people on the planet?" is actually "Violation Reason: Not a Question or Answer." Sorry, still a little bitter. Now, on to your question.

“Christian pessimists” believe that this world is fundamentally disordered, that it will always contain evil, and cannot be set right, except, perhaps, by God at the Last Judgment. {1} That sounds pretty pessimistic indeed. I hate sticking up for a culture that's so sensitive that they can't take ANY criticism, but here it goes.

Father Karl Rahner, a theologian and writer, says that Christian Pessimism "is quite legitimate because the Christian message is convinced that, in the final analysis, to admit sin is the same as to admit suffering." {2}

Sooo... basically, to show a Christian his/her faults is to bring them closer to God because they are admitting to themselves that they have sinned. That's why Christianity pushes pessimism. By having their member brooding in their guilt they are easier to control. I'm going to get at least one thumbs down for that one. Every religion, culture, government, etc. tries to control their members. Does this mean we all have to be Outcast Atheist Anarchists to really be free? Maybe. Personally, I'd rather not be. Agnosticism works fine for me.

Answer 4

Christianity believes that human nature is fundamentally flawed, dating back to our origins at Creation. It is the Christian answer to how evil entered the world a problem because if God is perfect, how could his creation be imperfect. The source comes from the material, "from dust we are and from dust we shall return." Like anything material, we suffer flaws even if the designer is perfect, the material can fail. Unlike material, we all have souls that represent the mark of our creator, much as the signature on a piece of art can tell us who made the painting.

Christians for this reason believe that human nature has not and will not change, which is a pessimistic outlook. We do believe that mankind can be saved from themselves by grace through faith in christ, which is the optimism, anyone can be saved, it does not matter their previous sins. We look forward to the life to come in heaven, at the expense of our life here in earth.

In short, Christianity is pessimistic and suspicious of the "world", but believes in eternal life in heaven.

Answer 5

You find that in a lot of religions, not just 'Christianity'... controlling of the masses! There actually was one true religion. But in order to control overgrown populations, many were forced into converting into newly created religions. If they didn't comply, they were killed. And, using the Gods name to make people feel guilty about not doing the right thing is why people started "believing". It amazes me, that to this day, everyone argues over religion, but never question what it is they're defending. Family honor? Your Gods honor? Tradition? Do you know where your religion originated? Frankly, I'm not for any one religion, and Jesus Christ may have been a real person. Who knows? Religion was a way for your 'government' (or whoever it may have been) to control you...to make you believe what they believed. To know that you're only practicing/worshiping in the way they want you to. Purely out of fear. So no one gets "out of hand", and you'll never discover the truth. The mind and spirit is a powerful thing...you may be surprised if you knew what you were capable of!

Answer 6

Fantastic question. Christianity is profoundly nihilistic. It's basic message is this: this life is nothing in comparison to the life to come. Eternal happiness or eternal suffering will be based on belief (not dissimilar to Islam). Intellectual integrity is abandonded in favour of faith in the monotheisms. The pessimism comes in the form of the longing for the End of Days, for the Apocalypse, for life on earth to end. The sad thing is that none of the pessimistic, nihilistic monotheistic religions have anything near enough evidence to suggest that any of these incredulous beliefs are true AND YET they are willing to sacrifice everything for them. (Muslims realize this about Christians; Christians realise this about Muslims; but when it comes to looking at their own beliefs, generally indoctrination from childhood means that there's too much cognitive dissonance to realize how poisionous their own particular brand of religion is to both them and everyone else.)

Answer 7

"The first thing that must strike a non Christian about a Christian's faith is that it is all too daring. It is too beautiful to be true: The mystery of being, unveiled as absolute love, coming down to wash the feet and souls of its creatures; a love that assumes the whole burden of our guilt and hate, that accepts all the accusations that shower down... all the scorn and contempt that nails down his incomprehensible movement of self-gift-- all this absolute love accepts and forgives..." Han urs von Balthsar

The essence of Christianity is this: God took on a human nature so that humanity might share in the life of God... That is a pessimistic philosophy?

Answer 8

Why is there profound pessimism in any Faith? Because that one has yet to fully understand, there are inner & outer circles to all Faiths. Be patient with them, look past the apparent flaws if possible, they will come to understand. You cannot correct an error in action & thought with another error.

Answer 9

Third how could you think that Christianity is a philosophy of pessimism??? It's based on the premise that God and Jesus loved us enough to sacrifice what is most important to them. their Son and His life. That is not a philosophy of pessimism that is a philosophy of love and caring. You're are I think referring to what Man has done with this concept and turned it on it's head!!! They have caused it to become a statement of imperfection and guilt. You have a daughter that you love very much, when she makes mistakes, do you want her to so fear you and what you will do that she won't come to you??? People have made God a father to be feared and put on a pedestal that makes it hard if not impossible to truly have a personal relationship with him. People have taken their own personal ideas of what a Creator would act like, based on how they would act in that position. They have made God this sort of fire eating dragon who's just waiting to for us to make mistakes so that They can come down on us hard. That's not the God that I find in the New Testament and in the person of Jesus The Christ. I prefer to think of God as Jesus portrayed
Him as a father who so loved his children that he would do anything to bring them home. That's not a philosophy of pessimism, it's one of love and caring and willing to take care of those He's placed on this earth.

Answer 10

Christianity isn't a philosophy of pessimism, but of optimism.
Yes, Christianity does tend to dwell a bit on the negative...evil in the world, etc...but, ultimately, its the optimistic hope for the future, the rewards of good acts, that outweigh the negative aspect of its doctrine.
All religions, not Christianity alone, have a negative aspect to them. All religions also have an optimism which far outweighs the negatives, otherwise religion would be obsolete. Man is an optimistic creature. We seek love, friendship, comfort, beauty...these are optimistic functions.
Better to ask why men seek to make Christianity pessimistic.