How does anyone get beyond infusing doctrinal beliefs with interpretive understanding of the Bible? That’s impossible.
Not impossible if they acquiesce to God’s Will.
Surely though this at least presupposes a stable state of mental health. For instance, one relatively free of paranoia, etc.
But what, if so, then, is to be said for the mentally imbalanced? Is Religion an aide to daily living, or a curse, for those who’s acquiescence to God’s will is radically skewed?
I knew a fellow who was mentally impaired whose father was a pastor. He worshipped God as anyone in church. Now as to his level spirituality, I have no clue. Though when viewing him during service, his love for God seemed to be equal to anyone else there. I was told he had the equivalence of a four year old mentality with him being around 30 years of age when I witnessed this.
Ya, I can recognize positive aspects of religion for persons with otherwise uncomplicated developmental issues. In fact, I’d guess it would be a great assistance in terms of sincerity. Persons with developmental delays are not, however, “crazy”.
With persons battling, say, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and the like, though, I would suggest that the “magical thinking” inherent to religious practice is rarely if ever a kosher addition to their mindset.
Now, take one of those kids from Jesus Camp… any predeliction to paranoia on their part would surely be exacerbated by the imposition of deranged metaphysical rantings, don’t you think? In such cases, is not the practice of “religion” producing mental disorder?
How do they get beyond interpreting what God’s will is?
As I had stated earlier, anyone who infuses their doctrinal beliefs over and beyond Jesus’s Teachings will undermine His original intent.
By following Jesus’ example to the ‘T’ without inflicting one’s ego into the mix.
So Liteninbolt, how do they get beyond interpreting what Jesus’ example is, what means and so forth?
So. Here’s “MY” Jesus-to-a-T: Leave your mother & father & all earthly attachments behind, give incessantly to the poor (with the occasional massage ointment break), and don’t accumulate material wealth? would that be something like a clear basis?
In my estimation, through prayer, reading of the Scriptures while holding God in reverance.
Wow… maybe it’s just me, but I honestly can’t tell the difference between what Liteninbolt is saying here and what those nut jobs in the video believe… He hasn’t specified WHAT exactly God’s will is and so for all I (or even liteninbolt) knows those people are doing IS “God’s will”…
This would almost be funny if there weren’t so many theists out there fueling this fire of insanity!
Isn’t your estimation, though, a rather definite interpretation?
I take your position is strictly that of “Salvation-by-association”, and ultimately distains the “do unto others” active social(ist) message of Jesus. Isn’t that a definite schizm in the whole Christian construction? And if so, doesn’t it make failures to communicate inevitable, …indeed, necessary? Divide & conquer comes to mind…
Do you think that fundamentalists in the main do follow Jesus’ word to the T because that’s not the impression they give, they have a tendency to be quite judgemental in my experience.
Do they though? I think its the fact that they have sometimes strayed from his easy to understand path, that has put them under so much fire in recent years. The positives are humility, faith, charity and understanding of all Gods creatures and faiths and a lack of hypocrisy that that entails. Jesus was after all a bit of a hippy preaching that you remove that beam from your own eye before you remove the mote from others and turn that other cheek in an effort to make an enemy a friend. Sometimes I get the impression that they spend too much time dwelling over The Old Testament, and not enough over The New.
The Pharisees prayed, read the scriptures and held God in reverence. Yet Jesus said they fell short of the Kingdom of God.
Your “estimation” is synonymous with your interpretation. Oughtest’s Jesus-to-a-T is his interpretation. Mad Man P’s judgment that you are doing the same as the preachers in the Jesus Camp is his interpretation. I’m giving you my interpretation right here.
I don’t see how any of us can transcend our interpretation to certainty about what Jesus, of the Gospels, or the New Testament, or the Bible or God’s will really means. The protestant reformers promoted the Bible and the individual conscience as the best criteria. But we have learned that the conscience is programmed by culture from birth to grave.
Perhaps the best we can do is humbly admit that this is the case. None of us possess the ultimate truth with unadulterated purity. We are each products of our individual genetic potential, cultural programming, experience, choices and limitations. All that makes up the psychic filter through which we view the truth. At least that’s how it appears through the Felix Dakat filter.
“None is righteous, no not one”. That would include you wouldn’t bro? 'Tis the fulfillment of scripture, right?
We all fall short of God’s Grace.
Do you ascribe to Jesus’ response above Felix?
I don’t understand the question. Do you mean do I subscribe to it? Yes. But I have to interpret it as do you no less than me. Or do you mean do I ascribe the saying to the historical Jesus? That seems doubtful. It isn’t backed up by the synoptic Gospels.
Incidentally, I suspect your question is a shibbloleth by which you intend to pass judgment on me.
There is no judgement being made by me. It was a simple yes or no question.