Irony of Ironies

[SolaDude]

Never understood why some of my family's closest friends over the years (like over 70 years) have been non-religious....the irony is that they are more loving and compassionate than many religious people, esp. those in the CofC....why is that?? When supposedly it is those in the CofC who should be leading the way out in the world in terms of dispensing loving compassion to everyone....you know, the light on a hill thing.....but no, I think that although the tower may be on a hill, the light is on only inside it.....

Furthermore, in the communities I have lived in during my life, you hear nothing from the CofC doing anything in the community....they are really quite closed off, ISTM.....i.e., if there is a tower, it's just simply dark....you just don't hear much about them....and the people in the community sense that exclusivity, I believe....it's like they would never want to have to come out and mingle with the riff-raff....

I concluded early on that such behavior aligns more with cultic practice than simply religious practice....because the motivation to be inclusive and love and serve (and make friends with ) ALL others is for the most part conditional.....it's like okay, the feast is prepared, if they don't want it, go out and invite everyone you see to come to the banquet....but no, the CofC goes out of its way to check IDs at the door....so much for unconditional, self-sacrificial love for others.....

[Cootie Brown]

I agree. It was common, while I was in the c of C, to be told people that are not Christians have rejected Christianity and God, because they love to sin and therefore they hate God because God condemns sin. In my later years I've come to find out that some people reject the entire concept of religion for reason's that have nothing to do with sin or hating God. Amazingly enough, I've also discovered that most people that are not religious are actually pretty moral folks that are compassionate, loving, kind, and do lots of good things for other people.

I suppose it could be said every basket of apples has a few rotten one's in it, but that doesn't make the whole basket of apples is bad. There are a few stinkers in the c of C but that doesn't mean they all are. I met a lot of really nice folks when I was in the c of C. I may not have personally agreed with all of their beliefs and interpretations of scripture, but that didn't make them any less nice.