Christ clearly condemned the hypocrisy of scribes, pharisees, hypocrites and the evils of the Sanhedrin, etc. Wo unto you scribes, pharisees, hypocrites! He fearlessly rebuked the wolves in sheep's clothing and the whited sepulchers, as did His prophets and disciples. He cleansed the Temple and overturned the tables of the money changers who made His Father's House a den of thieves. He came to save the world, yes, on conditions of repentance. He came to save us FROM our sins, and not IN them.
I am drawing scrutiny. But I'm not seeking to raise my own condemnation-of-condemners. You're right to draw attention to that. As Peter says of Jesus, “when he was reviled, (He) reviled not again."
Certainly, Christ also spoke directly and plainly about sin. I do think we ought to be careful about being so quick to rationalize our own attempts to bring hellfire and damnation on other groups or individuals, by pretending we're just "doing what Jesus did."
That's fine Jacob. I'm sure that you don't mean to. But the condemnation of perceived "condemners" is as real a phenomenon as the other phenomena that you describe. Such condemnation of perceived "condemners" creates an atmosphere in which people with genuine questions and concerns are too often rejected, ostracized, ridiculed, silenced, ignored, etc.
I largely agree with many of your own concerns about vitriolic rhetoric and sweeping condemnations of groups and institutions, and also of individuals, but I also think that it is an illusion to assume that any one of us is simply above the fray. The truth is in there somewhere, and its not always or even usually in the supposed middle ground or supposedly neutral area.
It's true that the Lord did not revile against revilers, and neither should we. But the Lord also knew the difference between revilers and people with honest and legitimate questions and concerns. He also knew the difference between revilers and people whose righteous indignation had been roused.
Yes, Christ spoke directly and plainly about sin, including the sin of hypocrisy. But sometimes it wasn't just direct and plain speech. The term "Woe unto you" is a biblical phrase expressing severe condemnation, deep sorrow, or a prophetic warning of impending calamity for hypocrisy, injustice, or wickedness.
I agree with you that we must be careful not to rationalize our own attempts to bring hellfire and damnation on groups or individuals by pretending that we're just "doing what Jesus did." But the opposite is also true. As much as I oppose the rationalization that you mention, I also oppose the rationalization of those who self-righteously pretend that they are being "peacemakers" like Jesus.
Christ clearly condemned the hypocrisy of scribes, pharisees, hypocrites and the evils of the Sanhedrin, etc. Wo unto you scribes, pharisees, hypocrites! He fearlessly rebuked the wolves in sheep's clothing and the whited sepulchers, as did His prophets and disciples. He cleansed the Temple and overturned the tables of the money changers who made His Father's House a den of thieves. He came to save the world, yes, on conditions of repentance. He came to save us FROM our sins, and not IN them.
This is quite a severe condemnation of people whom you judge as condemnatory, don't you think?
I am drawing scrutiny. But I'm not seeking to raise my own condemnation-of-condemners. You're right to draw attention to that. As Peter says of Jesus, “when he was reviled, (He) reviled not again."
Certainly, Christ also spoke directly and plainly about sin. I do think we ought to be careful about being so quick to rationalize our own attempts to bring hellfire and damnation on other groups or individuals, by pretending we're just "doing what Jesus did."
That's fine Jacob. I'm sure that you don't mean to. But the condemnation of perceived "condemners" is as real a phenomenon as the other phenomena that you describe. Such condemnation of perceived "condemners" creates an atmosphere in which people with genuine questions and concerns are too often rejected, ostracized, ridiculed, silenced, ignored, etc.
I largely agree with many of your own concerns about vitriolic rhetoric and sweeping condemnations of groups and institutions, and also of individuals, but I also think that it is an illusion to assume that any one of us is simply above the fray. The truth is in there somewhere, and its not always or even usually in the supposed middle ground or supposedly neutral area.
It's true that the Lord did not revile against revilers, and neither should we. But the Lord also knew the difference between revilers and people with honest and legitimate questions and concerns. He also knew the difference between revilers and people whose righteous indignation had been roused.
Yes, Christ spoke directly and plainly about sin, including the sin of hypocrisy. But sometimes it wasn't just direct and plain speech. The term "Woe unto you" is a biblical phrase expressing severe condemnation, deep sorrow, or a prophetic warning of impending calamity for hypocrisy, injustice, or wickedness.
I agree with you that we must be careful not to rationalize our own attempts to bring hellfire and damnation on groups or individuals by pretending that we're just "doing what Jesus did." But the opposite is also true. As much as I oppose the rationalization that you mention, I also oppose the rationalization of those who self-righteously pretend that they are being "peacemakers" like Jesus.