Quote:
Originally Posted by paul
I find it very interesting, this directive, credited to Jesus. Imagine being a teacher coming into a culture who's morality is carved in stone and then teaching that morality is relative to how you want to be treated? To me, these are some of the most profound words in the bible.
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Good thoughts, Paul. (Isn't this guy amazing?) I have always been resistant to the idea of "moral relativism". It seems to me that oftentimes that is an excuse people use to condone selfish behavior and attitudes. I think morality is carved in stone, and that is so summed up by Jesus when he says that the law is to LOVE God and to LOVE each other.
The legalistic Christians are the worst when it comes to moral relativism. They ignore the principles that the Bible sets forward and use the Bible as a weapon to use to suit their own purposes.
The concept of LOVE is set in stone, I believe. It is a lot easier to adapt a list of regulations and call them the "law" of God. But God doesn't make it so easy. Jesus said that we must use out heads and act out of love; we are forced to evaluate our motives with every action we take. I believe that our motivation to act out of love is what should be set in stone; the rules and regulations which govern our lives should be able to adjust to that concept.
I think that anyone who has a list of regulations from the Bible and says everything is black and white, and that they adhere to all those regulations is deluding himself. The Bible constantly contradicts itself when looked at in that way. Most of the Old Testament regulations are totally discounted by modern day Christians. Many of the New Testament rules as well are discounted. Legalistic Christians have to go to great lengths to explain why they believe some regulations and ignore the others. However, if we believe that what Jesus taught is true, and that following the law is an exercise in love, then our actions can adapt to changing situations and times.
(Forgive this confusing post; I am having a hard time making my point this morning, sorry.) So as I see it from a Biblical persepective,
what we do is not black and white, set in stone;
why we do things is.
Tu (rambling) Amigo, Pablo