-Removed-If you are talking in terms of morality, then, of course, behaviour is more important than thoughts.
The way I see it [as someone who does not believe in "cosmic justice"], morality governs action and interaction. I am not impressed by the notion of "thoughtcrimes".
Beliefs are interesting or revealing up to a point, but unless they translate into certain patterns of behaviour [including propagating those beliefs], then they are undetectable and so ~ in terms of human interaction ~ neither here nor there.
-Removed-Loving someone is acting on beliefs, loving God, and each other is acting on beliefs,
it becomes who we are as it is who God is. You separate this turning into just an
opinion, as you do all things, it all boils down to us, what we think. More times than
not what you think is more important than even scripture, God, or other people.
-Removed-If it is not enough to act on is it really believed? Our faith is tested no matter how much we have, if we believed stealing is wrong and we believed in God, would we steal? If we act against what we know to be true what does that make us? Partial obedience is disobedience, the truth about us is always revealed in what we say and do.
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@fmf saidI am not impressed by the notion of "thoughtcrimes".
If you are talking in terms of morality, then, of course, behaviour is more important than thoughts.
The way I see it [as someone who does not believe in "cosmic justice"], morality governs action and interaction. I am not impressed by the notion of "thoughtcrimes".
Beliefs are interesting or revealing up to a point, but unless they translate into certain patterns of beha ...[text shortened]... eliefs], then they are undetectable and so ~ in terms of human interaction ~ neither here nor there.
[Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV] 27 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
It's clear by the teachings of Jesus that most, if not all sin, starts with our thoughts or heart first, before we actually act upon these thoughts.
Not acting on our evil thoughts is a start; however, not having evil thoughts is clearly the goal Jesus has given us through Him.
This is what Jesus meant when He said 'we must clean the inside of the cup first, and then, the outside of the cup will be clean also (paraphrased).'
One of our greatest problems is we're always trying to clean the outside of our cup (our outward appearance or actions), when it is our thoughts (inside of our cup) that needs the cleaning, through Christ and His Love for us.