Is a Neurotic Form of Christianity Destroying America?

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-a-Neurotic-Form-of-Chri-by-Robert-De-Filippis-130712-650.html?show=votes#allcomments

"The deconstruction of Christianity is not an attack on the church but a critique of the idols to which it is vulnerable -- the literalism and authoritarianism, the sexism and racism, the militarism, and the love of unrestrained capitalism with which the church in its various forms has today and for too long been entangled, any one of which is toxic to the kingdom of God."

"Strategically, diplomatically, socially, politically, morally, economically, evangelically, in every possible way we are witness today to a low point in American leadership, an ethical, social, political and biblical catastrophe."

These passages from the book, What Would Jesus Deconstruct: The Good News of Postmodernism for the Church (The Church and Postmodern Culture) by John Caputo, taken out of context, might suggest that religion is the singular cause for the continuing trajectory of a deepening dysfunction in our society. But a twisted popular form of Christianity catalyzes two other more powerful ingredients; predatory capitalism and a government that serves the interests of big money.

These three powerful components work together to drag us down the slope to more and more dysfunction in the name of a more moral society. A moral society based on a set of values that are so misapplied as to become destructive.

In other words, a moral society that destroys its own villages in order to save them.


For instance, while we hammer home the lessons of radical individualism in the guise of moral virtue, we reduce the resources or opportunities required to become self sustaining for great portions of our citizenry.

Just to be sure no one mistakes our moral lesson of self-sufficiency, we raise the interest rates on student loans, and the vital college education needed for success in the future becomes less accessible to the masses.

To be sure our moral lessons continue, we keep our taxes low and maintain our spending on defense against an imagined enemy and our educational system is gutted to balance the budget.

We are cursed with near sightedness. We can't seem to see the long term effects on the country when a low skilled, minimally educated workforce must shoulder the tax load of the future or compete with highly educated citizens of other nations.

We have an amazing ability to blame the victims in our troubled society and justify our accusations on a revisionist Christian morality which would be unrecognizable to the Christ himself......

The handout entitlement mentality has done more harm to the human animal... teach a man to fish.

To everything there is a time and a purpose under heaven...

There is a time to teach to work and a time to be charitable. Jesus through his disciples required people not to be lazy or thieves but to work to have that which they could help the poor and old. God is love, start from there.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2119493/Private-jets-13-mansions-100-000-mobile-home-just-dogs-Televangelists-defrauded-tens-million-dollars-Christian-network.html#ixzz1qK3soxhq

It's just business.

It's completely unfair to blame Christians for being cruel, deceitful, arrogant and offensive -- and leave all the other religions out of the same condemnation.

Like I said, we need God(s) like we need cyanide-- all of them are irritating, arrogant and cruel pricks.

Let's keep our religious persecution politically correct. God bless.

http://christianleadershipcenter.org/me4.htm

I have always said god doesn't need me to do his killing for him. If he has something against a person, city, country whatever he is more than capable of tossing a virus or a meteor into the place. The idea of killing someone FOR god is an insult to the almighty..

We need another crusade. The first one ended way too early.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades

gulfbeachbandit wrote:We need another crusade.  The first one ended way too early.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades

Muslims are working on it hard.

Wordslinger wrote: we need God(s) like we need cyanide-- all of them are irritating, arrogant and cruel pricks.

I agree that gods are irritating, arrogant, cruel pricks.
And they can be like cyanide.

But we need them for other reasons too. Gods also provide us a coping mechanism to deal with life's hardest challenges. Illness, injury, pain, morbidity, loneliness etc.

Gods are like Coumadin. Yes it's a rat poison that can kill you. But it's also a medicine that can keep you healthy.

The simple answer to the question is yes or no. I go with something in-between. That is that a Neurotic Form of Christianity is working to destroy America, but it isn't succeeding. They are a powerful group that knows nothing at all about the Bible. They have their own TV networks and a lot of wealthy members who support them. With all that, they are aghast that we re-elected a black man as president and they can't get their agenda through our national congress. They succeed a lot in a few states, but not on a national basis.
I think the country is going to be just fine, given a few years. We may even become as civilized as Canada and England in the future. I'm hoping for it.

I am a christian. I am not without fault.

I think that the neurosis in this country is collectivist govt and that ideology taught in school and on television.

Future generations will know no different... including our founding history or failed examples of socialism, progressivism, fascism, communism... etc.

The new book by Reza Aslan: Zealot! about Jesus the man might be an interesting read.

It deals with Jesus as a radical political zealot dedicated to ridding Israel of roman control. Written by another scholar on the same theme, this book ridicules any idea of Jesus as a God figure -- a maker of "miracles."

The truth is, the real leader of the Christian movement after Jesus's death was Paul -- who lived long after his idol, and who, in fact, had never met him.

There is the real Jesus -- the man, and then there's the myth or legend, upon which all of Christendom is based.

One deals with truth. The other has always been used as a tool for political and economic control.

It's kind of like the America we're living in now. One image is that of a free, justice seeking, peace loving, democratic government that represents the will of the people.

And then there's the real Amerika Inc -- which like the Jesus myth has always been a government of the rich, by the rich, for the rich.

Reality

VectorMan wrote:I really don't care one way or the other what religion people choose to observe or not observe. As long as they don't physically entangle me in it. Yell it from the roof tops or a Pensacola street corner. Good for you. But, don't TOUCH me in the process. Hell, I might even listen to what you have to say.

Could a "Neurotic Form of Islam" be destroying America? I think they're trying. Convert or die motherfucker! It is the 21st Century.

Yeah...I was driving down Garden the other day and just as I passed, some idiot with a bullhorn scared the you-know-what out of me...I could have had an accident.

Once several years ago, I was in a local bar in which a wake was being held. Just at the moment that a tape was being played from the deceased to his 90-year-old mother, some fool with a bullhorn started yelling about hellfire and damnation. A friend of mine went out to stop him, with me following close behind (I know my friend). After a few words were exchanged, the fool went away. My daughter's favorite response to these people is to inform them she's Wiccan.

There is the real Jesus -- the man, and then there's the myth or legend, upon which all of Christendom is based.


I think you are entitled to your opinion. I have since I was a child found Matthew 6 helpful. If you think I rely on hipocracy and myth to guide my life.....I do not, but thank you for your assumptions as to my beliefs.

To become a card carrying member of any religion requires some degree of neurosis.

To become a card carrying member of any religion requires some degree of neurosis.


Please show me that person who does not have some degree of neurosis? I think you may have a flawed scientific method.

neu·ro·sis
[noo-roh-sis, nyoo-] Show IPA
noun, plural neu·ro·ses [noo-roh-seez, nyoo-] Show IPA . Psychiatry.
1.
Also called psychoneurosis. a functional disorder in which feelings of anxiety, obsessional thoughts, compulsive acts, and physical complaints without objective evidence of disease, in various degrees and patterns, dominate the personality.
2.
a relatively mild personality disorder typified by excessive anxiety or indecision and a degree of social or interpersonal maladjustment.



Yeah the idea of eternal hell does tend to cause anxiety. I try to focus on god's love but there are a ton of questions about the old testament.

2seaoat wrote:To become a card carrying member of any religion requires some degree of neurosis.


Please show me that person who does not have some degree of neurosis?  I think you may have a flawed scientific method.

"Please show me that person who does not have some degree of neurosis?"

You are absolutely correct!