I have much to reproach to Christianity. Apart from being nonsensical, irrational belief system built on fairy tales and contradictory rules, and apart from all the excesses of the Church committed over the centuries, there is a more pernicious element to being a Christian that has, IMHO, had a tremendously negative influence of the behaviour of its believers for centuries: confession.
I am sure that it will come as a surprise to many unsuspecting Christians. But give it some thoughts. Christianity was founded on the belief that God is infinitely good and merciful. God will forgive anything as long as believers acknowledge their sin and repent. To obtain God's forgiveness (or absolution), the faithful needs to confess their sins. The problem with this is that any Christian can basically commit any sin or crime and expect to be forgiven as long as they confess and repent. It's essentially a "get out of jail free card", at least from a spiritual point of view. But that is all that matters to true believers.
Let's not forget that Christianity's early success during the Roman Empire was first and foremost based on the idea of a better life in Heaven after what was for many a wretched life on Earth. The belief in Heaven in the after-life is one of the most powerful selling point of religions like Christianity and Islam. Most religions have a sort of after-life, but that could be reincarnation (Hinduism, Buddhism) or just an underworld of the dead in most ancient European polytheisms, with an alternative better underworld (Valhalla, Elysium, Mag Mell) accessible only to a select few - a sort of "exclusive club", a concept that humans seem to have held dear since the rise of civilisations and social classes.
For Christians (and Muslims) far more than for polytheistic people, the after-life can be seen as the ultimate goal of life, the main reason why they believe. For ancient Greeks, Romans, Celts, Slavs and so on, the Gods were fickle and played with the destinies of mere humans. But the Gods also didn't have a say in whether people went to hell (Tartarus), the normal afterlife (Asphodel Meadows), or the exclusive club (Elysian Fields). That was decided by the judges of the underworld, who were themselves deceased humans, not gods. Judaism centralised all the power of the gods and the judges into a single omnipotent despot, a single God. Christians (and later Muslims) inherited this concept of an Almighty God, with the main difference that the New Testament God was no longer a vengeful, choleric and judgemental despot (like most human rulers at the time the Old Testament was written), but a completely different kind, benevolent, merciful God, a protective father who will do everything to help his children.
Of course, throughout the history of Christianity believers had to reconcile this schizophrenic image of their single God, who appeared to be two very different entities depending on whether they read the Old or the New Testament. Nowadays far more people prefer to believe in the merciful New Testament God. In any case, most Christian priests or pastors, of any denomination, will tell you that God is merciful and that you can "wash out your sins" through confession and repentance, so that the road to Heaven always remains open. I am not sure if they realise how dangerous that is. It is basically a religion that says that this life doesn't matter much because it is very short compared to the eternal after-life, that this after-life will be infinitely better, and that whatever you do here on Earth, as God is infinitely merciful and kind, you will be forgiven no matter what you do, as you as you keep the faith and repent your sins. The message is clear: do whatever you want: cheat, lie, kill, rape, lead a life of the worst excesses, as in the end all will be forgiven. You may fear the justice of humans (prison or even capital punishment), but that is nothing as once you die you will have all eternity to enjoy Heaven.
I don't understand how it's still possible to teach children (and adults) stuff like this in today's world? That's basically telling people that morals don't count as long as you don't forget to go to confession before you die. Christians are quick to point out that Muslims brainwash Jihadists and suicide bombers with the belief of reward in the after-life for dying for their faith. But their religion isn't better. It's the same, and maybe even worse as you don't even need to die for your faith. Just do anything you want and all will be forgiven by Almighty God in its infinite kindness and mercy.
I think that this goes a long way in explaining why Christian religion has never managed to engender a peaceful society. Indeed the more religious a Christian country or region is (think of the South-East United States or most of Latin America) or was, the higher the crime rate and the more endemic the violence. In contrast, Japan is one of the most peaceful societies on earth with some of the most altruistic people and yet only 1% of them are Christian (ironically most Japanese politicians happened to be Christian).
I think that the reason why Christian societies have not degenerated in a free-for-all chaos is mainly because Christians cannot be sure whether their God is the harsh punishing one of the Old Testament or the all-forgiving one of the New Testament. That and human nature, as I believe that most people have the potential to be good, but that it is poverty, ignorance (the mother of fear) and corrupting influence of religion and superstitions (fomenting more fear and ignorance) that is the root of most evil.
I am sure that it will come as a surprise to many unsuspecting Christians. But give it some thoughts. Christianity was founded on the belief that God is infinitely good and merciful. God will forgive anything as long as believers acknowledge their sin and repent. To obtain God's forgiveness (or absolution), the faithful needs to confess their sins. The problem with this is that any Christian can basically commit any sin or crime and expect to be forgiven as long as they confess and repent. It's essentially a "get out of jail free card", at least from a spiritual point of view. But that is all that matters to true believers.
Let's not forget that Christianity's early success during the Roman Empire was first and foremost based on the idea of a better life in Heaven after what was for many a wretched life on Earth. The belief in Heaven in the after-life is one of the most powerful selling point of religions like Christianity and Islam. Most religions have a sort of after-life, but that could be reincarnation (Hinduism, Buddhism) or just an underworld of the dead in most ancient European polytheisms, with an alternative better underworld (Valhalla, Elysium, Mag Mell) accessible only to a select few - a sort of "exclusive club", a concept that humans seem to have held dear since the rise of civilisations and social classes.
For Christians (and Muslims) far more than for polytheistic people, the after-life can be seen as the ultimate goal of life, the main reason why they believe. For ancient Greeks, Romans, Celts, Slavs and so on, the Gods were fickle and played with the destinies of mere humans. But the Gods also didn't have a say in whether people went to hell (Tartarus), the normal afterlife (Asphodel Meadows), or the exclusive club (Elysian Fields). That was decided by the judges of the underworld, who were themselves deceased humans, not gods. Judaism centralised all the power of the gods and the judges into a single omnipotent despot, a single God. Christians (and later Muslims) inherited this concept of an Almighty God, with the main difference that the New Testament God was no longer a vengeful, choleric and judgemental despot (like most human rulers at the time the Old Testament was written), but a completely different kind, benevolent, merciful God, a protective father who will do everything to help his children.
Of course, throughout the history of Christianity believers had to reconcile this schizophrenic image of their single God, who appeared to be two very different entities depending on whether they read the Old or the New Testament. Nowadays far more people prefer to believe in the merciful New Testament God. In any case, most Christian priests or pastors, of any denomination, will tell you that God is merciful and that you can "wash out your sins" through confession and repentance, so that the road to Heaven always remains open. I am not sure if they realise how dangerous that is. It is basically a religion that says that this life doesn't matter much because it is very short compared to the eternal after-life, that this after-life will be infinitely better, and that whatever you do here on Earth, as God is infinitely merciful and kind, you will be forgiven no matter what you do, as you as you keep the faith and repent your sins. The message is clear: do whatever you want: cheat, lie, kill, rape, lead a life of the worst excesses, as in the end all will be forgiven. You may fear the justice of humans (prison or even capital punishment), but that is nothing as once you die you will have all eternity to enjoy Heaven.
I don't understand how it's still possible to teach children (and adults) stuff like this in today's world? That's basically telling people that morals don't count as long as you don't forget to go to confession before you die. Christians are quick to point out that Muslims brainwash Jihadists and suicide bombers with the belief of reward in the after-life for dying for their faith. But their religion isn't better. It's the same, and maybe even worse as you don't even need to die for your faith. Just do anything you want and all will be forgiven by Almighty God in its infinite kindness and mercy.
I think that this goes a long way in explaining why Christian religion has never managed to engender a peaceful society. Indeed the more religious a Christian country or region is (think of the South-East United States or most of Latin America) or was, the higher the crime rate and the more endemic the violence. In contrast, Japan is one of the most peaceful societies on earth with some of the most altruistic people and yet only 1% of them are Christian (ironically most Japanese politicians happened to be Christian).
I think that the reason why Christian societies have not degenerated in a free-for-all chaos is mainly because Christians cannot be sure whether their God is the harsh punishing one of the Old Testament or the all-forgiving one of the New Testament. That and human nature, as I believe that most people have the potential to be good, but that it is poverty, ignorance (the mother of fear) and corrupting influence of religion and superstitions (fomenting more fear and ignorance) that is the root of most evil.
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