A lot of times I talk about the immorality of Christianity. Most of the time, Christians and even a few atheists jump to defend Christianity by talking about various good deeds particular Christians have done and continue to do. But I wasn’t talking about Christians being immoral; I was talking about Christianity being immoral. What can be more immoral then the vicarious redemption of sin?
The whole idea that I can go and murder someone or work on Saturday and have my sins forgiven vicariously by someone else is a license for crime. Christians often use the analogy of some small offense like a drunk driving charge (which for the record isn’t really a small offense) and they talk about how Judge God lets the offender off the hook because Jesus paid his or her fine. But that isn’t how the world works.
If someone went and murdered someone else and was found guilty, no one would be able to pay the fine of prison time except that person who was found guilty. There is an old expression, “If you do the crime, you will do the time.”
But that isn’t the worst part of the Christian redemption system. The way Jesus allegedly pays for your sins is through blood sacrifice. It is funny that when most Americans hear about some cult sacrificing an animal to the Gods they laugh and think such a ritual is absurd and yet 80% or more believe the same thing.
The whole Christian belief system centers around the idea of blood sacrifice. Back before Jesus allegedly came, the Abrahamic God wanted people to sacrifice goats to him so that he could forgive them for their sins. This is where the term scapegoat comes from. Everyone in the village puts all their sins on to the goat and kills the goat as a sacrifice to God. But God wanted more than just a goat.
Lambs were more desirable to God apparently, because he wanted the people to sacrifice an innocent lamb to show how much they care instead. Let me repeat that last part. God wanted people to sacrifice an Innocent Lamb.
Now of course there is no need to sacrifice an Innocent Lamb or any other lamb for that matter because Jesus is the “Lamb of God.” In other words, he is the innocent blood sacrifice that God needs for the redemption of sin.
Some people will say that not all Christians believe this and that I am generalizing. But the fact is that this whole blood sacrifice thing is a pretty central point the Christian belief system. I really don’t think one could seriously be considered a Christian if they don’t buy into the idea that the death of Jesus was a necessary sacrifice to God for their sins. That is pretty much the whole grounding of the religion. God forgives those who have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus for payment of their sins.
In reality, there is no vicarious redemption for sin. God can’t forgive you for your wrongs. Only those who you have wronged can forgive you. Next time you lie to a friend or family member about something, instead of asking Jesus for forgiveness, try slaughtering an innocent lamb instead. Let me know if that works out for ya.
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The moment we as people can understand what unconditional love is, is the moment we can understand what actually Jesus did on the cross. I would put this into more perspective, take someone you love, I mean you absolutely love…would you not want to live in a way that honors them and respects them. For example, I absolutely love my wife, I also know that she is the most forgiving person in the world, but that just doesnt mean I am going to go out and do whatever I want, because I know I can because she will forgive me. No, I want to honor her and respect her and love her back and a lot of times hold back my own desires because I want to show her that. I would die for her, I would run to the end of the world for her because I love her. The moment you can have someone like that in your life, is when you begin to just beging to scratch the surface with how intensely God actually loves you….soo much so that he was willing (He didnt have to) give up his own Son to pay a price for sin, that we could never pay. Someone had to pay for it, like you quoted “If you do the crime, you will do the time.” but in our place where we should have done the time, he with GRACE blew that concept out of the water for us. Thats the difference…yea I can look at it like the way you said and say I am now justified to go do whatever I want, but He lives within me and those desires are no longer
Now I dont desire to ever just go around and just take advantage of that, I want to live my life that honors him, aiming for perfection in a way. Thats the hard part, but like I love my wife and would do anything for her, is the same way that I want to love back the Creator of the World who came to this earth, something He didn’t have to do.
I ask you this chad, you say you love your wife and respect and honor her, if you had children by her and you had to sacrifice one of them for the sins of everyone in the world, would you do it? would it be morally right? I Know many believers and non believers and they all say they love their kids, and not one of them would do this! it seems that your god does not care about love and morality, if he did he wouldnt choose to allow his son to be tortured and murdered! but still id love to read your reply 🙂
This disgusting vicarious redemption is deeply gross, and utterly ludicrous. You would think in the USA with all these Christians floating around you would get rid of the prisons and the police and FBI, clearly they’ re a waste of tax payers money – you just don’t need them because Jesus H will sort out the redemption and the retribution. Good luck with all that.
This article, including the three comments, are counselors to fear and disdain for fellow man. Vicarious redemption has nothing to do what man does for man. It was an expression of love and salvation from Jesus. If people weren’t given a second chance in life, very few individuals would receive any forgiveness or trust from others. Imagine how ugly the world would be based on your moral compass.
Garlynne, I think you missed the part in the article where I said, “Only those who you have wronged can forgive you.” People are given a second chance… by other people. Being given a second chance by imaginary deities doesn’t do anything for anyone. People have to earn their redemption and it isn’t usually an easy thing to earn. That is what the Hero’s Journey is all about. It is about the journey to earn redemption after one has done terrible wrongs.
Garlynne, “Expression of Love and Salvation from Jesus”. I don’t think he had a choice because if we think the way you do Jesus had a fate which was planned by God. His Father! So yes his father did send his only son to be sacraficed! Which is not an expression of love it’s an extremely immoral thing to do to ones child.
It happens a lot in the middle east these days where fathers (Extremists) will train there children to fight and die for an apparent cause. For Allah or the gingerbread man or whatever imaginary God they have created. This is wrong, you do not plan a childs life for Oblivion. It’s morally wrong, full stop!
I think it is very messed up the way you think that is an expression of Love but how and ever. Your’e entitled to your’e opinion.
As for my moral compass. Its simple enough, I go by the old Chinese Philosipher Confucius when he said “never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself”. I believe this to be the only sound “moral law” if you may bearing in mind it can be contradicted in some circumstances.
He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”