Comments | packbat: Everybody Loves Him

packbat

Everybody Loves Him

Mar 29, 2011 11:28

I am not a Christian, but there are a number of things I admire in the theology of most Christian religions. One of these goes back to the titular Christ himself: his affection for all peoples. Heretics, sinners, those judged impure and those despised, all these were the people he chose to spend his time with, the people he was loyal to. Fred ' ( Read more... )

christianity, link time: many minutes, thoughts, religion, read time: a minute

Comments 5

feech March 29 2011, 19:06:36 UTC

Good thought.

packbat March 29 2011, 19:18:59 UTC

Thank you!

roaminrob March 31 2011, 07:06:02 UTC

If we can set aside our fears, our prejudices, our social- and self-conditioning, and spend our time with people that we wouldn't ordinarily look upon twice, it gradually becomes impossible to see them as anything other than whole people.

They stop being mechanics, plumbers, criminals, addicts, friends, family, enemies, liberals, conservatives, whites, blacks, racists -- all those labels fade away and you -- I -- end up finding something about most of them that I can truly appreciate, and relate to. If I'm not able to connect with someone, I usually figure it's because I didn't spend enough time with them.

When I'm able to do that, I usually find genuine appreciation from the other person. They stop feeling guarded, because I'm not there to judge them or change them or do anything to or with them. We get to become just two people sharing a moment in space ( ... )

packbat March 31 2011, 14:29:18 UTC

I see what you mean, and it seems true to me, and important. I don't think it's a counterexample to what I was suggesting, even: you accepted the tracts because they wanted you to, not because you wanted the tracts independent of their desires - you did something for them, because you cared about them.

roaminrob April 3 2011, 05:23:03 UTC

Yeah, it wasn't intended as a counterexample; I was not (and still am not) convinced that someone that gives me religious tracts cares about me, because their motives are unclear. An elderly woman came to our door today to invite us to have dinner with her church to celebrate Jesus' death -- we've never met her before. Although she was pleasant enough, she didn't stick around for conversation, probably because she had many more doors to knock on.

Does she care about the people she's inviting? That's impossible to tell without getting to know her better, and unfortunately, I was distracted and didn't take the time.

I was especially commenting to your post though because you said:

> These people who would have nothing to do with self-righteous, cleanliness-obsessed Pharisees accepted Jesus. Prostitutes, lepers, tax collectors, fishermen would hang out with him. Everyone loved him....and I think that follows from his willingness to love them and approach them as though they were other people, even if they had other differences ( ... )