ah, greg, you are making some interesting points about hypocrisy in the church. 1. how many pursue activities when done in excess, e.g. drinking and smoking, are detrimental to one’s health, relationship with others and one’s ability to live a faithful xn life. 2. then there are instances where there are those in the church willfully pursue activities which the Lord forbids, e.g. committing adultery, as if doing such has little impact on one’s life and the lives of those around them.
i know, however, that those activities and the abuses of xn freedom are not catholic issues alone, but regularly happen amongst protestants as well.
in fact, i happen to know quite a few protestants who in the name of jesus and an odd tradition of what is and is not "american" advocate the death penalty for minors and the mentally disabled. oh, and lets not forget the protestant groups who support, in the name of jesus, state sanctioned torture! :D
greg, on a less critical note, i am at a bit of a loss to understand the nature of your frustration with catholics, catholicism, and religious tradition. a number of the abuses aside, i happen to find lent and the preparation it entails for good friday/easter to be a highly instructive and useful spiritual excercise. it is an opportunity for a mindful act of self-discipline, something which the bible repeatedly advocates.
when did practicing spiritual self-discipline become wrong?
crlynvn
Jun 23 2006
11:31 pm
ah, greg, you are making some interesting points about hypocrisy in the church. 1. how many pursue activities when done in excess, e.g. drinking and smoking, are detrimental to one’s health, relationship with others and one’s ability to live a faithful xn life. 2. then there are instances where there are those in the church willfully pursue activities which the Lord forbids, e.g. committing adultery, as if doing such has little impact on one’s life and the lives of those around them.
i know, however, that those activities and the abuses of xn freedom are not catholic issues alone, but regularly happen amongst protestants as well.
in fact, i happen to know quite a few protestants who in the name of jesus and an odd tradition of what is and is not "american" advocate the death penalty for minors and the mentally disabled. oh, and lets not forget the protestant groups who support, in the name of jesus, state sanctioned torture! :D
as an aside, this is an interesting story on evangelical allegiences
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5502785
greg, on a less critical note, i am at a bit of a loss to understand the nature of your frustration with catholics, catholicism, and religious tradition. a number of the abuses aside, i happen to find lent and the preparation it entails for good friday/easter to be a highly instructive and useful spiritual excercise. it is an opportunity for a mindful act of self-discipline, something which the bible repeatedly advocates.
when did practicing spiritual self-discipline become wrong?