anything resembling "systematic" theology or philosophy -- the attempt to coalesce one's worldview into a concise set of concepts -- puts us in danger of creating fodder for the perpetuation or justification of injustice. This is where I think most of the religious community gets distracted from the point. They try to describe their beliefs in a set of statements, rules, guidelines, whatever, and it inevitably leads to conflict when you encounter a situation not explicitly described in the canon. That confusion feeds the "us vs them", which usually results in injustice.
I don't think WWJD is a valid way to go about Christianity either. It places too much emphsis on the individual of Christ, instead of what he was trying to teach. I don't think he'd give a rat's ass, really, if people remembered his name as long as they remembered what he said, the kinds of behavior he encouraged. Personally, I think any description more detailed than the Golden Rule of how we as Christians are supposed to act is getting into dangerous territory. The example of Christ gives us some good object lessons in how to apply it, but we should not LIMIT ourselves to those examples.
The Golden Rule is evidenced in multiple religions because it is the guiding philosophy for how to make life better for us and those around us. I am Christian because Christianity reinforces for me (in ways and language I can understand and relate to) applying the golden rule. I use my religion as a tool to keep me focused on the objective, not as a goal and rulebook, an end in and of itself. It also reinforces for me the concept of "you are valuable" in the very basic "Jesus loves the little children" kind of way. I was taught from Day 1 that I am valuable because I am a child of God, and that I am loved at all times because of the same, and I find that reassuring, even while I continue to struggle with believing in my self worth as relates to other humans.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-05 05:51 pm (UTC)This is where I think most of the religious community gets distracted from the point. They try to describe their beliefs in a set of statements, rules, guidelines, whatever, and it inevitably leads to conflict when you encounter a situation not explicitly described in the canon. That confusion feeds the "us vs them", which usually results in injustice.
I don't think WWJD is a valid way to go about Christianity either. It places too much emphsis on the individual of Christ, instead of what he was trying to teach. I don't think he'd give a rat's ass, really, if people remembered his name as long as they remembered what he said, the kinds of behavior he encouraged. Personally, I think any description more detailed than the Golden Rule of how we as Christians are supposed to act is getting into dangerous territory. The example of Christ gives us some good object lessons in how to apply it, but we should not LIMIT ourselves to those examples.
The Golden Rule is evidenced in multiple religions because it is the guiding philosophy for how to make life better for us and those around us. I am Christian because Christianity reinforces for me (in ways and language I can understand and relate to) applying the golden rule. I use my religion as a tool to keep me focused on the objective, not as a goal and rulebook, an end in and of itself. It also reinforces for me the concept of "you are valuable" in the very basic "Jesus loves the little children" kind of way. I was taught from Day 1 that I am valuable because I am a child of God, and that I am loved at all times because of the same, and I find that reassuring, even while I continue to struggle with believing in my self worth as relates to other humans.