Christianity v. MAGA Christianity

@Arkturos said
Yeah, and even Plato in "The Republic" said it was okay for the controllers of society to tell beneficial or medicinal lies for the good of society, but no-one else should be allowed to do that.

I am not 100% in line with Plato.

I also think that, prior to the divine revelation, it could be argued that there was use for collectively beneficial lies that exert some amount of control because the average person was living in such harsh conditions, and the fact of the matter was that some amount of unity was required from the people for society to function.

We still feel that sometimes even now.

@Arkturos said
It might surprise you to learn that I'm happy you have had such an experience or experiences and confirmation(s).

Now why would anyone give that a downvote unless they were a Heyoka or something like that?

@Philokalia said
I am not 100% in line with Plato.

I also think that, prior to the divine revelation, it could be argued that there was use for collectively beneficial lies that exert some amount of control because the average person was living in such harsh conditions, and the fact of the matter was that some amount of unity was required from the people for society to function.

We still feel that sometimes even now.

Yeah, I can understand that, for the sake of social harmony and improvement, and also to help others weather difficult times (personally or on a larger scale) that might lead one to despair and nihilism.

@stockcom removed their quoted post

You are woefully mistaken if you think his ministry was not to do the things he said.

Feeding the hungry, helping the poor, visiting those society forgets in prison, these are ALL things he was serious about. His ministry was one of tending to one's brothers instead of seeking gain for oneself. His ministry is not "theorhetical", but quite direct about things we need to DO, not just talk about. This is why we say that following Jesus is about walking the walk and not just talking the talk. Far, FAR too many "Christians" today only talk (mainly about what others should do), instead of doing. His ministry is quite real and it is alive for those who follow him.

@stockcom removed their quoted post

"Threads of unity" do not extend to you taking a dump on Christ's message and ministry.

If you can't correctly understand something this simple, your 'testimony' will remain remarkably ineffective. Take it to a church not interested in actually following Jesus.

@StockCom said
@Suzianne
I could elaborate much further if you'd like on the many bible quotations referring to Jesus teaching's but I think I can grind this MAGA interpretation to a halt very quickly by helping anyone that has not prayed to God extensively about why Jesus said things like "being hungry you fed me and when I was in prison you freed me"- these things Jesus said were not ac ...[text shortened]... massive state of confusion, so the use of parables was to show an illustration not anything actual.

and when I was in prison you freed me
No where in the Bible did Jesus say this: He said; "When I was in prison you visited Me (or came to Me)."

[Matthew 25:31-46 NKJV]
31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides [his] sheep from the goats. 33 "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 'I [was] naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed [You], or thirsty and give [You] drink? 38 'When did we see You a stranger and take [You] in, or naked and clothe [You]? 39 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did [it] to one of the least of these My brethren, you did [it] to Me.'
41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' 44 "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' 45 "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do [it] to one of the least of these, you did not do [it] to Me.' 46 "
And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."


Get ready smaller than average joe boy, Mott the Poop-el, etc . 🙂

@stockcom removed their quoted post

Ouch. I think, "when I was in prison you freed me," was said by Robert Downey Jr, not Jesus.