THIS is why Christianity must change...

[Steamboat Ricky]

Who do we hurt when we use drugs?

No, this isn't a joke. A person posted this on his Facebook wall, clearly suggesting that people who choose to do drugs either hurt Jesus or in a more symbolic way...the "body" of Christ.

It's shit like this that pisses me off to no end about Christianity. I mean, it's as if the artist who drew this picture knew nothing about the Gospels and just feels incredibly guilty about the fact that he or she does drugs. It's as if the heroin user is being portrayed as recrucifying Jesus, bringing absolute physical pain and shame to him.

If Jesus already "died for our sins" as classic Christianity would have it, then another sacrifice need not be made, as Jesus served as the "last" physical sacrifice. Jesus was crucified and conquered death and structures of an evil world so that the heroin addict need not live in fear. Thus, instead of being nailed to the cross once more...wouldn't Jesus instead be inviting this man into his fictive kinship? Was Jesus wounded by those with demon possession? The Gospels suggest that Jesus came to heal the sick with his power and grace, not guilt them into change of action.

 

[IHW]

I am a Christian and I think that picture is completely stupid. The biggest problem with Christianity is that it has changed to much. People are trying to mold it into what they want, and not based on The Bible. If you are going to believe in the Christian faith, then do it right or do not do it at all. It is people that do it how they want to that are ruining the image of the Religion.

 

[Remy LaCroix]

I blame the preachers who joined the GOP during the 70's/80's. Bad influence on the sheep of America.

Why I typed this that has nothing to do with the OP, idk. I was just reading something at theocracy watch.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

I am a Christian and I think that picture is completely stupid. The biggest problem with Christianity is that it has changed to much. People are trying to mold it into what they want, and not based on The Bible. If you are going to believe in the Christian faith, then do it right or do not do it at all. It is people that do it how they want to that are ruining the image of the Religion.

Sometimes shit like this happens because preachers use SHITTY exegesis (bringing meaning 'out of' the text). Unfortunately this goes beyond shitty exegesis...there is no way that ANY exegesis could have been done here.

 

[Remy LaCroix]

I was told as a kid that if I looked at the back of a Yu-gi-oh! card for a long time I'd be sucked into the "portal". Don't get me started on Pokemon cards.

 

[SalvIsWin]

Besides the picture being melodramatic, how does the view behind it not make sense with the teachings of the Bible? I don't think being a heroin junkie is in line with what's considered a good Christian. I would assume the message is something akin to, 'you're ruining the gift of life that God gave you, and that Jesus died for'.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

Besides the picture being melodramatic, how does the view behind it not make sense with the teachings of the Bible?

In every way imaginable?

I don't think being a heroin junkie is in line with what's considered a good Christian.

The Bible doesn't give any guidance on how to be a good "Christian," seeing as the religion had yet to be formed at the time of authorship.

I would assume the message is something akin to, 'you're ruining the gift of life that God gave you, and that Jesus died for'.

A shitty message to be sure, one that does not parallel the message in the Gospels.

 

[SalvIsWin]

In every way imaginable?



The Bible doesn't give any guidance on how to be a good "Christian," seeing as the religion had yet to be formed at the time of authorship.



A shitty message to be sure, one that does not parallel the message in the Gospels.

You're saying the new testament doesn't offer any guidance on how to be a good Christian?

 

[The Dewbliners]

Besides the picture being melodramatic, how does the view behind it not make sense with the teachings of the Bible? I don't think being a heroin junkie is in line with what's considered a good Christian. I would assume the message is something akin to, 'you're ruining the gift of life that God gave you, and that Jesus died for'.

Department of Redundancy Department, call on line 1....


Anyway, about the picture, I think it was illustrated so the artist could make a pretty bad social commentary.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

You're saying the new testament doesn't offer any guidance on how to be a good Christian?

Correct. How could a text directly offer guidance on how to be a good member of a group that was not in existence yet? The books of the "New" Testament were written to Gentiles and Jews who were and who were not part of the early Jesus movement. Even labeling it as a "movement" is a stretch.

 

[SalvIsWin]

Correct. How could a text directly offer guidance on how to be a good member of a group that was not in existence yet? The books of the "New" Testament were written to Gentiles and Jews who were and who were not part of the early Jesus movement. Even labeling it as a "movement" is a stretch.

So nothing in the Bible is valid to a Christian? Where it says in Galatians not to take drugs is not relevant (or where some people perceive it to say that)? Where does a Christian get any of their belief / teachings then?

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

So nothing in the Bible is valid to a Christian?

What you are asking here is far different than asking if the New Testament 'offers' anything to Christians. Scriptures do not directly "offer" anything to Christians, as they were written for other communities for specific purposes. That being said, Christians do and will continue to derive validity from the New Testament. Unfortunately, much of it will contrast with the intentions of original authors.

Where it says in Galatians not to take drugs is not relevant (or where some people perceive it to say that)?

I don't have a reliable Bible in front of me at the moment, so I can't offer proper exegesis on the matter. However, I am certain that the text does not suggest that if you are to take drugs that you are bringing physical pain upon Jesus.

Where does a Christian get any of their belief / teachings then?

Scripture, tradition, "revelation," and reason generally are the 4 sources, in no particular order.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

In completely unrelated news I have my Sociology 1st year finals tomorrow.
That I'd let you all know. I have no idea what I'm gonna do.





Right that picture. I am certain in concluding that 'tis the Old Testament that offers advice to be a 'saintly' man.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

I'm pretty sure Jesus can't tell Sylvester Stallone what to (or not to) do, the picture must be ironic in nature

 

[Lowdown]

I came up as a Christian, and I still believe in some of the teachings of the Bible, yet I have had a few questions to events and such and gospels. I don't recall any scriptures in which the topic of drugs was discussed. In a sense, Jesus didn't die for the sake of the multitude to continually do harm to ourselves. Yet I heard that marking your body like piercings and tats is against "the word of God". Now with that said, a lot of Christians throw around what's right and wrong per the beliefs of Christianity. But the way I was taught was that God (if you believe in God or another deity) gave people the freedom to choose and do what they wish with their lives. Christianity probably will never change as a whole. Too many differing attitudes towards it and all. But the artist's view seem a little jaded. But its purely opinionated and speculative. At the same time the pic itself might represent a user that wants to change to quit and turning to religion as salvation.

 

[Harthan]

Drugs are awesome, let's all do heroin and read passages from the Satanic Bible. Maybe murder a few babies, whatever. Fuck babies, who do they think they are?

 

[GI Cake]

I wish religious people used their bibles/religious text as more as a guideline on how to live a peaceful, and happy life instead of seeing it as a strict set of rules to run everyone else's life's.

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

I wish religious people used their bibles/religious text as more as a guideline on how to live a peaceful, and happy life instead of seeing it as a strict set of rules to run everyone else's life's.

You forget that most religious people don't use it as a gideline. They use it as gospel.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

[QUOTE="Mr.Incredible" DC;3875864]You forget that most religious people don't use it as a gideline. They use it as gospel.[/QUOTE]

No. "Gospel" means "good news" bro. Many use it as a hammer.

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

I wish religious people used their bibles/religious text as more as a guideline on how to live a peaceful, and happy life instead of seeing it as a strict set of rules to run everyone else's life's.

You would love the guy in my sig.

 

[Shadowmancer]

[QUOTE="Mr.Incredible" DC;3875864]You forget that most religious people don't use it as a gideline. They use it as gospel.[/QUOTE]

correction most use it as a guideline, a lot go far further than what they should.

Think about it in terms of Census numbers, a vast majority of people in western countries will denote themselves as some denomination of Christianity. the vast majority will use it as a guideline, it is the vocal group that gives religious people a bad name for the most part.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

I am a Christian and I think that picture is completely stupid. The biggest problem with Christianity is that it has changed to much. People are trying to mold it into what they want, and not based on The Bible. If you are going to believe in the Christian faith, then do it right or do not do it at all. It is people that do it how they want to that are ruining the image of the Religion.

That's always been the issue with... religion, aside from the obvious problem with literal interpretations of religious text.

People have always been able to go out there and do what they want and say 'Well, my God said it was OK" Then someone else goes "Fuck you, MY God said that's wrong and I can do this.

"Wtf, you're God aint even real mate"

"You're God's got like 12 fucking arms and my God isn't real?"

"Quiet, my God said it's alright to kill you now, because you're doing my nut in"

"My God just told me you're bad and naughty"

BOOM. Crusades.

Plenty of people don;t really follow their doctrine and what it dictates, they do what they want and justify it by being of their chosen religion. That isn't a gripe with religious people, it's a gripe with people in general.

I went to church from young up until I was 17, I got baptized and confirmed. In that time I had confessions as mostly you do, and being young and not taking it seriously I just said things like 'oh, I pushed my sister" and the like. When I got a bit older and a bit more curious I decided to admit that I was battling with my faith. The first time I admitted it, the priest was clearly shocked and tried to avoid talking about it, rather just absolved me quickly and booted me out of there.

I tried again the next time with my local priest, a nice guy about 80 who was always approachable. After I told him, he just said that's it's perfectly natural and it's actually a good thing to question your faith because you reach a more well informed decision. We had a discussion about it for like 5 minutes even.

Now I realize that story probably didn't have much to do with the subject, but the point is that there can still be good and bad religious people. The person who posted the picture is trying to mold religion around their personal beliefs and use it as a back up even though I'm pretty sure there aren't many verses about the perils of doing heroin in the bible.

It's not an issue with religion, Christianity in particular, it's an issue with certain people who would have religion serve them, and not the other way round.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Correct. How could a text directly offer guidance on how to be a good member of a group that was not in existence yet? The books of the "New" Testament were written to Gentiles and Jews who were and who were not part of the early Jesus movement. Even labeling it as a "movement" is a stretch.

Because your point is offering invalid truths. The whole of the new testament was written decades after Christ's death. The Christianity movement that transitioned out of Judaism started before the death of Christ and by the time Peter, Paul, and Mary (see what I did there?) started writing, the movement was in full swing. All of the NT letters were written to churches in specific areas.

If you're going to use facts, at least make sure they're not total bullshit.

NOTE: I'm aware Mary did not write a book of the Bible. I was making a musical joke. Get over it.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

On point, this picture is stupid. Modern Christianity is stupid. 99% of Christianity in America is stupid. It's all about getting you "saved", not growing as a person or developing any sort of relationship with a God. If the entire point of life is to get to Heaven, then this is pointless and the so-called "loving God" modernists believe in is just playing a giant cosmic game.

That being said, I'm toying with the line between Christianity (which I've believed in my whole life) and atheism. It's probably just a classic college-age existential bullshit, but right now I just don't see it. Above all, I just don't care. If any all-powerful God can make a universe with the wiggle of his nose, there's no point in letting millions of people suffer for a "relationship" with the "chosen". Of course that sounds perfect for the people who believe themselves "saved", but image how the rest of humanity feels...

Don't even get me started on heaven and hell theory. The shit people believe because 20th century preachers found a way to make money off people's fear of death is laughable. It's even more funny when they try and use Biblical "fact" to back it up, quoting shit they have no idea the true meaning of.

And before some super right-wing conservative modernist attacks me for being a heretic, 1) I don't give a shit. Go study the Bible and get your head out of American Christianity's ass, and 2) I have several years of theological and ministry classes under my belt. I'm not just some jaded punk who thinks he knows what he's talking about.