Basically, all 126 pages can be condensed into something like:
- You are a sinner
- Jesus wants to save the sinners
- Jesus will save you!
"A repentance [...] is beyond the reach of our own power to accomplish; it is obtained only from Christ"
Now, this I really disagree with. Only Christ can forgive us for our wrongdoings? What arse. The whole book, in fact, seems petrified that people will realise they've 'sinned' (I feel more comfortable going with 'done something wrong') and stop doing the sinning, and then be forgiven by their friends and family, and be content. It regularly stresses that friends and family can't forgive you. You can't forgive yourself. ONLY JESUS CAN SAVE YOU.
I've done some things I'm not proud of. I've done things that have hurt friends, and things that have hurt myself. Generally, I stop doing whatever it is, and apologise. Then it is up to whoever I've hurt to forgive me, and then for me to be at peace with myself for it. It's not easy, sure. But I don't need Jesus to do it for me.
Any thoughts? Are repentance and forgiveness human qualities, and indeed, duties? Or should we rely on a higher being to tell us we're bad people, then pat us on the back and say "there there. You're saved."?
4 comments:
I dont agree with it. Forgiveness comes from within and from those you have wronged.
If you say only jesus can do it then people wont bother to right their own wrongs.
*nods and agrees* It encourages people not to take responsibility for their own actions. Like the phrase I've heard a few times: "God must have another plan for me." when something goes wrong.
Make plans yourself. When they go wrong, accept your responsibility and seek forgiveness not from an arbitrary third party but from the people you wronged.
You know, this book doesn't mention at any point actually seeking forgiveness from the people you have hurt. Which propagates the concept that all you need is God/Jesus, and I think this sows the seed for people estranging themselves from their friends and family.
Fair enough, have religion if you want. But I really think that humans are more important. That comes down to this "this life is a practice for the next" thing. I'd rather have a nice life this time round, ta.
Absolutely, and I totally agree. What, though, if you're forgiven by others, and it's only you yourself that can't forgive you? This is where I think some people find comfort in religion. But I'm absolutely not one of them; as far as I'm concerned I am my own responsibility and must find my own forgiveness myself and from the people most involved.
This is how religion works, though: by taking away your responsibility for your actions and giving them to some deity, you're infantilising yourself, looking for the comfort found in being a small child again. Does it truly work for anyone?!
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