Pariah or Prodigal son?

caspian

Who was REALLY right the father or the firstborn son?

outbutnotdown

caspian,

I think I'll take a stab at your question, however broad.

I remember always thinking, when I was younger, that the firstborn son got the raw end of the deal, since he had always stayed dedicated, yet never got the feast that his younger brother got. However, when I consider that the father did say that everything of his belonged to his oldest so, I think that he still got his reward.

But this parable is about God being there for us and he will always be there for us, but he is likewise if we leave, (or sin), for awhile. Good parable, but not completely relative, IMO.

Have you ever read the Buddhist prodigal son story, where the life lessons are somewhat different?

Brad

outbutnotdown

caspian,

I was thinking a little further about your question and I was wondering if you meant who was MORE right.

Ahhhh.... doesn't really matter.... it's a good life lesson, but I tend to lean more towards being perfect at birth and appreciating and respecting life rather than the more Christian theory of needing to be in fear of it all the time. None of it is perfect..... just works better for me.

Brad

LittleToe

Brad:

...appreciating and respecting life rather than the more Christian theory of needing to be in fear of it all the time.

???
Lost me there, buddy.
Do you mean the JW theory?

outbutnotdown

LT,

Is it not a basic CHRISTIAN philosophy, (not solely attributable to JW's), that without Jesus as our saviour, we are sinners? What if we are neither sinners nor perfect?

Actually, we've had many lengthy discussions about this in the past, so I'll just give you a simple theory of what I mean. When I send my kids out to play soccer or hockey, etc., I encourage them to do the best that they can, which implies that it comes from a POSITIVE mind-frame. I don't send them out and tell them that IF they screw up, it'll still be OK, that I'll still love them anyway. This instills in them an already NEGATIVE starting ground.

Yet this is what the basic premise of Christianity is...... all humans are screw-ups..... it's well recognized that children react best to POSITIVE life lessons and yet Christianity does it backwards, to a certain extent.

Brad

LittleToe

Brad:That's a whole different ball of wax from "fear".

So would you prefer to go from the premise that we're imperfect, striving for the best; or we're perfect, and royally fail?

ozziepost

Brad:

I gotta tell ya, I read your "message" as being a whole lot more negative than anything I'm used to in church.

But if it keeps you happy.....

actually the Christian message is entirely positive....it's all about gaining glory, not because of works but because of a promise. I like that!

Ozzie

caspian

Positive or negative..it does kind of make you think!!!!

It might seem a funny question that I asked, it just after a night of debate and too much of the red stuff it seemed the right thing to ask.

ozziepost

too much of the red stuff

too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never!!!!

outbutnotdown

ozziepost,

You take that I believe that we do not need a saviour as being negative? It seems as though you may be just saying that because I am not COMPLETELY accepting the Christian viewpoint.

How can it be construed as being negative the fact that I feel that humans are quite beautiful poeple and when we follow our very deepest of emotions and thoughts..... such as love and empathy and understanding as our starting ground for ALL humans of ALL religions and ALL races, etc........ that we are living up to our potential very well? If you want to judge taht as being negative, that's up to you, but I don't think it's a negative viewpoint.

LT,

To answer your question, I believe we can view ourselves as being very near perfection, but with still some progress to be made. For me to suggest, as you seem to want to categorize my thinking as, that we are perfect but just fail miserably is kind of Christian in its thinking and I'm not accepting that as COMPLETELY accurate in describing my viewpoint of life.

Brad

Pariah or Prodigal son?

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