"Their faith is not mine, but they are not wicked for that".
A quote in a book I am reading* that made me think about some things. And that is an attitude that a true Christian should have, but that few do. Now, among the tenets of my faith is that there are certain steps that must be taken to be able to get into heaven, and that to be able to administer those steps, someone must have the authority granted by God to do so; that authority is only here on earth, at this particular time, through my church- it is the caretaker of God's authority here. So do I believe that the only way to achieve the absolute highest place in heaven you can is to be a member of my church? Yes I do.
However, does that mean I think that anyone of another faith is wicked/godless/damned.
No.**
Different faith's (or even in some cases no faith) produce fine upstanding people. Good, and even great people. I respect other's beliefs, even if in my own heart, I with they would see the truth as I see it (because then they might achieve everything that I know is possible for them), but I would never try and force my belief's on someone else. I might try a conversation or two discussing my point of view, but not as a reason to change someone's mind, just a for learning's sake.
And too many churches/faiths/whathaveyou do not. Too many Christian faiths do not. They proclaim loudly that anyone who is not of their particular approach is going to hell, and refuse to acknowledge anything good about others. Some go as far as to try and silence other points of view. And if anything is wicked, that is.
* Legion of Videssos by Harry Turtledove.
** My view on heaven is a little different than that of other Christian faiths. Heaven is a "Bell curve" of goodness, and people end up where they are most comfortable. But the highest degree is to be with God at the very top end. So someone can not be of my faith, and end up in heaven, they just can't get to the very top. And if it seems that I am just making the afterlife "heaven" and the lowest part is what is seen as hell... a prophet had said of even the lowest portion of this "bell curve", paraphrased :It is so great, compared to this world, people would suicide to get there.
2 comments:
Modern day Christianity is the greatest force for good the world has ever seen. While their are a few individual Christians who do this, and even some small sects of Christianity that do this, the vast, vast majority of Christians do not engage in this. Trying to silence other points of view? Maybe some smaller sects but not American Christianity. The only reason why America allows so many points of view is because of Judeo-Christian values. It could be argued that American Christianity is too tolerant of the opposition.
What you say describes the largest religion in the world actually better fits the second largest religion on Earth. :)
Yeah. I wasn't just talking about Christianity.
I was mostly thinking of extremists like the idiots interrupting the Hindu prayer in the Senate, or Jack Chick.
I don't find it common, just extremely irritating.
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