Honestly, they get that part pretty bang-on. They're all about elaborate humiliation rituals as apologies for arbitrary actions, which they find out they do on the regular. And unfortunately, many modern churches fall right into this sin-and-repent cycle (and many old ones, too, buying penitence and lenience, not just "blaming the youth" on this one, bad elements have been in the system a long time).
Being a Christian shouldn't be about repentance. It should be about rehabilitation. "Sin no more". There's no "go sin again, then get repentance again" in that order. You fuck up once, learn not to fuck up, and then don't fuck up again. And even that is sub-optimal, better yet to not fuck up in the first place.
Everyone sins, of course. The First Sin is being born at all, to some. But not everyone ELECTS to sin. There are sins you cannot control, and ones you can. If you can't control it, sure, rub some beads and do some bows and chant some songs, whatever makes you feel better, The Lord is all-forgiving so if you don't rub the beads just right He will probably give you a pass. But if you can control the action of the sin, and choose not to control yourself, to engage in sin willfully, that is a very different story.
They're all about elaborate humiliation rituals as apologies for arbitrary actions, which they find out they do on the regular.
The actions aren't arbitrary if they are specifically proscribed by scripture or church custom. Or at least they may be arbitrary in the mind of the sinner who might be outside or ignorant of the various Christian doctrines.
There have always been blasphemers and heretics as well as your run-of-the-mill sinners.
You are taking the Protestant point of view here, which is fine. Lots of blood and ink have been spilled to advance the righteousness of works over grace, of individual contrition over official Church-prescribed penance. After all, the Catholics don't have the only game in town.
Being a Christian is contingent on repentance. You cannot willfully and unrepentantly sin and still follow Christ.
Of course, the other side never understood Christianity so it’s no surprise they get this wrong.
What's the point indeed. That of course is their entire and only goal.
Cue: “Imagine” by John Lennon
Honestly, they get that part pretty bang-on. They're all about elaborate humiliation rituals as apologies for arbitrary actions, which they find out they do on the regular. And unfortunately, many modern churches fall right into this sin-and-repent cycle (and many old ones, too, buying penitence and lenience, not just "blaming the youth" on this one, bad elements have been in the system a long time).
Being a Christian shouldn't be about repentance. It should be about rehabilitation. "Sin no more". There's no "go sin again, then get repentance again" in that order. You fuck up once, learn not to fuck up, and then don't fuck up again. And even that is sub-optimal, better yet to not fuck up in the first place.
Everyone sins, of course. The First Sin is being born at all, to some. But not everyone ELECTS to sin. There are sins you cannot control, and ones you can. If you can't control it, sure, rub some beads and do some bows and chant some songs, whatever makes you feel better, The Lord is all-forgiving so if you don't rub the beads just right He will probably give you a pass. But if you can control the action of the sin, and choose not to control yourself, to engage in sin willfully, that is a very different story.
The actions aren't arbitrary if they are specifically proscribed by scripture or church custom. Or at least they may be arbitrary in the mind of the sinner who might be outside or ignorant of the various Christian doctrines.
There have always been blasphemers and heretics as well as your run-of-the-mill sinners.
You are taking the Protestant point of view here, which is fine. Lots of blood and ink have been spilled to advance the righteousness of works over grace, of individual contrition over official Church-prescribed penance. After all, the Catholics don't have the only game in town.
You can always switch to a denomination that approves of your degeneracy.
My degeneracy? Whassamadda U? You got Tourettes? Are you calling Protestants "degenerates"? Or are you using the generic "you" instead of "one"?