genuine question from atheist - view on Christanity and personal responsibility

[kentishgirl]

Hi - promise this isn't just Christian-baiting.

I've come to the conclusion that Christianity is a substitute for having a personal conscience or taking personal responsibility. Being a Christian is like having a 'get out of jail free card' in that you are taught God will forgive you anything. So you can do anything, as bad as you like, go and pray for forgiveness and move on, slate wiped clean, feeling great about yourself. So it doesn't matter if you do wrong. As an atheist, if I do something wrong, it's always with me, it's always on my conscience, so that makes me always try to do the right thing.
I didn't always think this way. It's the only way I can make any sense of something that happened to me at the hands of a couple of serious, committed Christians. One of them even works full time for a church. They did something terrible to me but have shown no remorse, no guilt, and made no attempt to make things right with me. I'm positive they prayed for guidance at the time and then forgiveness afterwards, and now all's good in their world, while I'm still dealing with the fall-out.
Am I really wrong in interpreting Christianity in this way? Isn't it true that it enables horrible behaviour by teaching you that if you do wrong, all you've got to do is pray for forgiveness afterwards, and you are ok, never mind the effect of what you did? Basically if God is your only judge, and forgiveness is guaranteed, it gives you permission to act like a right bastard as long as you say sorry to God afterwards? there's no personal responsibility for what you have done.

We've not got theocracy though, not by any stretch of the imagination. I'm not arguing for one either.

We also have a monarchy.

We still have hereditary peers and life peers in The House of Lords.

Just that lack of equality within the British Government is about so much more than religious belief.

Proportionally less significant though.

Well I can have my Hope in Christ. So have less need to be concerned.

"Just that lack of equality within the British Government is about so much more than religious belief."

Capsium that is an interestimg point. I would suggest that it is partly because of religious belief that we have so much inequality. The religious principles that underpin much of patriarchial Western Society devalue women and feminine aspects of society.

In great part this has led to much of the inequalities we see. At the foot of the church.

atthestroke But is that down to Christian belief or the prejudices already present in the minds of men? Men and women are equal in Christ.

Prejudice exists outside of Christian belief too.

We are all equal in Christ.

Capsium that is down to the church having a stronghold in all aspects of society.

What / who do you blame for the prejudices that exist outside of Christian belief? The distinction between the status of men and women in non - Christian societies.

The differing gender roles in the animal kingdom? Chimp or Gorilla groups for example? Male Silver backs fighting for supremacy. I think the truth about this is more animalistic than you suggest....

But the point about different gender behaviours is what I refer to. If we lived in a system where women were sharing power with men then the whole of the West would not be just silverbacks pighting over wealth and power.
Men and women are different, but the church elevates the status of men so we end up with a very male societal slant.

atthestroke This exists outside of Christian society so I believe the causal factor is not the church. It is something already present.

Some people within the church have not overcome this flaw, that is all. As some people outside of the church have not overcome this flaw.

Those fighting over wealth and power are not putting God first.

We are all equal in Christ.

You tell me your church has a super powerful supernatural leader who is communicating with you all 24/7 but as an organisation it doesn't stand out in terms of morals or wisdom etc. it looks just like any organisation of humans with the same woes. You'd expect having the guidance of a mega powerful deity to confer some advantage surely?

"We are all equal in Christ" means "you're subject to long standing prejudices that the church propagate for varying ends but if you shut and put up then god will make it okay on 'the other side'"

Capsium, there's some truth in what you say about the origins of inequality, but it doesn't get religion off the hook because it justifies and perpetuates it.

Man walks up a mountain. You hear banging and scraping and the comes down shouting "look what god gave me!"

"It says here that all the prettiest women should sleep with me and do my washing and that all the men should give me money which I will spend on good works, a palace and a popemobile"

It's a human impulse, but to work outside of religion usually takes brute force. North Korea can do it because if you disagree you will be shot. To keep inequality in a democracy you have to somehow get the victims to vote in favour of it. For women to say "my place is in the kitchen" and for the poor to say "I shall get my reward in heaven".

Back Belief systems exist outside of Christianity. If biology is the origin of inequality what allows us to escape our biological predispositions? For me the answer is belief on Christ, because Christ sets us free.

head I can experience freedom in Christ in this life, as well as the next, through my Faith.

Capsium- the evolution of human intellect is what sets us free, education and knowledge.

atthestroke
We go back to my earlier comment:

Sun 06-Apr-14 15:15:16
BigDorrit I believe it is also more of a temptation for an intelligent, knowledgeable person to become power hungry.

Knowledge is power and power corrupts.... .

The point is, you need 'insight', which I believe Christ gives.