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0 pointsSolaceQuantum10y ago0 comments

I struggle to grasp this concept when USA, a very Christian county, doesn't seem to have policies that follow loving each other. Income inequality is rising and there is plenty of argument on who can marry whom, etc. It's very strange that a religion founded on love has not been in some military conflict more than a decade or two.

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iamthepieman10y ago· 2 in thread

I'm Not sure exactly what you're saying here. (I understand that perhaps English is not your native language)

There are many christian churches and religious groups that function more as social organizations than religious ones. I wish they organized around something besides religion as it would make it less confusing but I don't really have a problem with this. I just don't expect the same views and behaviors from them as I would from myself or from people who take their religious beliefs more seriously.

Most political leaders in the United States these days make only the most feeble attempts to convince constituents of their "faith". So it should not surprise you that this country is not a beacon of Christian values in policy or actions.

SolaceQuantumOP10y ago

Sorry, I can't speak properly when I'm on my phone. Now I'm on the computer I hope I can be a little more clear. I struggle with the notion of Christianity = love when (arguably) one of the most Christian countries is rife with problems and conflict distinctly un-lovelike. America has horrible education, especially for the children that need it most. It incarcerates a huge amount of people (many used for forced labor) and as far as I know there is a large culture behind punishing more than rehabilitating. Its healthcare system charges people to broke when they need it most, and the mental health system is bad on its own merits. If the majority of the people are based on a religion of loving each other, how can this happen in such a country?

emilecantin10y ago

I agree with you, and I think it's sad that things like this happens. However, I think that the source of the problems you're describing is more cultural than religious. The United States were founded on the values of individual freedom and self-determination above all else, and I think that makes for a very selfish culture. I also think that most "religious" people in the United States (and in other countries too) are mostly doing it to look good to others and don't actually listen to the real message there.

Another issue is that the Bible is quite thick, and it's very easy to forget that it's actually a collection of many different texts with very different importance, authors, meanings and context, and mistaking it with a coherent book to be taken to the letter. The tone of the Old Testament is very different from the New Testament, and people often forget that they were written at very different epochs, for very different audiences.

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