Do you believe religion relieves people of personal responsibility?

[Peter_J]

I think that can happen.

For one thing, in my decade on Christian (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant) forums on the web, I have been amazed over and over, again and again, and over and over, by how unChristian they are.

 

[LiamQ]

IWe do ask these folks if we can pray for them and tell them about Jesus Christ.

And that is what filling bellies should be all about. Too many Catholics are worried about relieving hunger as an end in itself, when the true need is for people to know Jesus.

 

[Peter_J]

And that is what filling bellies should be all about.

So then, would you give them food if they were so hungry that they were incapable of listening?

 

[MikeFr]

Yes.

Blessings,

Mike

 

[ffg]

Thank God that’s not normal, since that’s a wonderful way to chase people away from Confession altogether. The Church is very clear that habitual sin could actually diminish a person’s culpability, not make them so far gone they’re ineligible to go to Confession at all. Are these priests “traditionalists” by chance?

Having a penitent who is manifestly not repentant is one thing. The proper response should be to refrain from giving absolution, as all good priests will do. But interrogating penitents about their level of sorrow?

Of course most penitents are sorry. What the heck else would they go an embarrass themselves in front of a priest for? Kicks?

Oy vey.

A conversation with a priest once was interesting as I was talking about the frustration of doing the same stupid thing over and over. Returning over and over to confess the same thing.

He said he’d be more concerned if the sin was different each time. Sin xxxxxx this week and yyyyyy the next is a little more difficult to deal with, but he said most people have a similar repetitive sin.

It’s a grace we need to get over beating ourselves up over our sin and just doing the sacrament to clean the soul.

Knowing that confession is ‘doing the right thing’ is a step to getting past the sinful behavior and the mind games we sinners play on ourselves.

 

[ffg]

I think that can happen.

For one thing, in my decade on Christian (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant) forums on the web, I have been amazed over and over, again and again, and over and over, by how unChristian they are.

The term unchristian is commonly used about the acts of a Christian.

The term’s use bugs me because sinners don’t turn in their ‘sinner card’ when they are baptized.

Unfortunately there are those that think they do, but that’s simply evidence of the scariest sin - pride.

A Christian acting ‘unchristian’ is human.

Making strides in understanding sinfulness is the separation.

Acting Christian is letting God’s grace work through us.

We tend to desire God’s grace often, but pushing it through takes focus and determination in humility.

It’s not easy, since it’s the front line of the spiritual war. It’s easier to not do, than do.

Baptism’s power is on display when Christian’s act like Christians.

Take care,

Mike

 

[adamhovey1988]

It can be argued religion leads to be more personally responsible. The Catholic idea of sin does not excuse human behavior.

Ditto. This what I wanted to say.

 

[adamhovey1988]

Not my fault. The devil made me do it. Sound familiar?

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard that. Even my southern Baptist grandma wouldn’t have said something like that.

 

[Tarquin]

DDo you believe religion relieves people of personal responsibility?

I have heard this said three times by atheists or agnostics. I do not understand what that means actually. Do you agree or disagree? Please explain.

I am pretty much in agreement with what ReubenJ and others have said. Those atheists who say this, and I have known more than a few over the years, really are not talking about “personal responsibility” but about the source of moral behavior.

A religious adherent naturally derives his moral perspective from the morals taught by his religion. An atheist who believes religious people are free of personal responsibility, means that he decides, picks out for himself, what is right and wrong. So he takes “personal” responsibility in the sense that he does not rely on other, higher moral/spiritual authority.

What that atheist fails to understand is that a person takes, or at least can take, as much personal responsibility in deciding to follow a religious path, to adopt a religion’s moral teachings, and to behave according to a religion’s precepts, as an atheist can take “personal responsibility” in rejecting religion, moral teachings, and acceptable social behavior. The real difference that is being made is whether one is open to the insights and experiences of others, or one wants to start from scratch and “figure everything out for himself.” But even that latter sort of “personal responsibility” is dependent on others. They may not call it religion, but it has religious, moral, faith content. It cannot be otherwise.

 

[PelagiathePenit]

I am pretty much in agreement with what ReubenJ and others have said. Those atheists who say this, and I have known more than a few over the years, really are not talking about “personal responsibility” but about the source of moral behavior.

A religious adherent naturally derives his moral perspective from the morals taught by his religion. An atheist who believes religious people are free of personal responsibility, means that he decides, picks out for himself, what is right and wrong. So he takes “personal” responsibility in the sense that he does not rely on other, higher moral/spiritual authority.

What that atheist fails to understand is that a person takes, or at least can take, as much personal responsibility in deciding to follow a religious path, to adopt a religion’s moral teachings, and to behave according to a religion’s precepts, as an atheist can take “personal responsibility” in rejecting religion, moral teachings, and acceptable social behavior. The real difference that is being made is whether one is open to the insights and experiences of others, or one wants to start from scratch and “figure everything out for himself.” But even that latter sort of “personal responsibility” is dependent on others. They may not call it religion, but it has religious, moral, faith content. It cannot be otherwise.

Ok. I understand