The Immortal Soul: Scandal of the Millennium?
August 17, 2014
G.D.O'Bradovich III
σκάνδαλον (skandalon)
"a trap or stumbling-block."
the metaphor is that wrong conduct can impede or "trip" people's trust or faith.
Wikipedia
"a trap or stumbling-block."
the metaphor is that wrong conduct can impede or "trip" people's trust or faith.
Wikipedia
background
Over the past year, several “Christian” singers, most recently Vicky Beecher, have come out of the proverbial closet. Do these artists cause scandal, that is, do they, by their actions, cause people to sin? Does Michael Gungor admitting he denies the veracity of the Bible justify others to also question the contradictions and impossible scenarios of the Bible, thereby causing scandal?
part the first
Modern Christian churches are fragmenting at an increasing rate and the main reason for these splinter groups is that accepting youths do not hold to dogma and doctrine when compared with older parishioners who maintain dogma and doctrine. This fragmentation is mostly a Protestant Christian scandal (Methodist, Episcopalian) . Fundamental positions, as well as Roman Catholic statements and actions, are increasingly being seen as backwards and outdated by younger adherents.
Over the preceding two centuries, we can understand that there is a common, albeit an obscure, thread that runs from Roman Catholicism to Fundamental Protestantism. The following list is not exhaustive:
Over the preceding two centuries, we can understand that there is a common, albeit an obscure, thread that runs from Roman Catholicism to Fundamental Protestantism. The following list is not exhaustive:
Abortion, induced not natural
Artificial Insemination Celibacy, for homosexuals Celibacy, for priests Contraception Extramarital Sex Interracial Marriage Masturbation Premarital Sex Same Sex Marriage |
We see that this arbitrary list involves various acts or consequences of either the sexual act or, in the instance of the Roman Catholic priest, marriage.
We are not exaggerating when we state that almost all of modern Christianity's' issues, problems and conflicts seem to result from an obsession with the most intimate aspect of an individual and we must confess our ignorance for this single minded crusade that is particular to the Roman Catholic and Fundamental Christian churches.
However, we know that these churches offer a narrow approach that the the overwhelming majority (up to 80%) of millennials (as of this writing, those under the age of thirty), at least in Europe and North America, are not interested in participating.
We are not exaggerating when we state that almost all of modern Christianity's' issues, problems and conflicts seem to result from an obsession with the most intimate aspect of an individual and we must confess our ignorance for this single minded crusade that is particular to the Roman Catholic and Fundamental Christian churches.
However, we know that these churches offer a narrow approach that the the overwhelming majority (up to 80%) of millennials (as of this writing, those under the age of thirty), at least in Europe and North America, are not interested in participating.
part the second
We note that before the declaration of the Roman Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854, abortion was a debatable issue (the soul infused at forty days after conception for the male and infused at 80 days for the female), however, after the infusion of Mary's soul at the moment of conception, all abortion became murder, ipso facto.
The harvest from the field of dogma of the immortal soul (Lateran Council 1517) has been meager. While Fundamental Protestants stringently deny the authority of the Papal office, they inexplicably accept the Roman Catholic doctrine of the immortal soul without question. For comparison: the Greek church knows nothing regarding the immortality of the soul. The ignorance of the Orthodox church concerning something that we in the West assume a priori, should cause many readers to pause and question other basic assumptions concerning the presumed tenets of Christianity.
The Protestant acceptance of the Roman Catholic doctrine of the immortal soul leads to the logical consequence that induced abortion is murder. Therefore, doctors who perform induced abortions are creating scandal by causing the mothers to sin through the act of murder. Since upwards to two thirds of conceptions are rejected by the body resulting in natural abortions, and the Roman Church states that abortions are murder, the inquiring mind wants to know who is to be held accountable for natural abortions. The reasonable person would say that some events happen and no one person is responsible. Solomon wrote that it rains on the good and the evil and Jesus wondered who was the sinner when the building fell. The impious person would say that God is responsible for natural abortions.
The harvest from the field of dogma of the immortal soul (Lateran Council 1517) has been meager. While Fundamental Protestants stringently deny the authority of the Papal office, they inexplicably accept the Roman Catholic doctrine of the immortal soul without question. For comparison: the Greek church knows nothing regarding the immortality of the soul. The ignorance of the Orthodox church concerning something that we in the West assume a priori, should cause many readers to pause and question other basic assumptions concerning the presumed tenets of Christianity.
The Protestant acceptance of the Roman Catholic doctrine of the immortal soul leads to the logical consequence that induced abortion is murder. Therefore, doctors who perform induced abortions are creating scandal by causing the mothers to sin through the act of murder. Since upwards to two thirds of conceptions are rejected by the body resulting in natural abortions, and the Roman Church states that abortions are murder, the inquiring mind wants to know who is to be held accountable for natural abortions. The reasonable person would say that some events happen and no one person is responsible. Solomon wrote that it rains on the good and the evil and Jesus wondered who was the sinner when the building fell. The impious person would say that God is responsible for natural abortions.
part the third
If the concept of an immortal soul is found in the Bible, there is no indication of it in the Old Testament, and at present, the Jews do not know of it. Therefore, the introduction of the idea of an immortal soul must have been introduced after the writing of the Old Testament and before the immortal was declared dogma in 1517.
The infusion of the immortal soul at conception has resulted in the Christian obsession with all aspects of the sexual act. We can only offer the hope that Christians obsessed with phalli and uteri will quickly become a minority and that more important issues will take the forefront of Christian attention and initiatives.
The infusion of the immortal soul at conception has resulted in the Christian obsession with all aspects of the sexual act. We can only offer the hope that Christians obsessed with phalli and uteri will quickly become a minority and that more important issues will take the forefront of Christian attention and initiatives.
conclusion
The innovation of the immortal soul and the Protestant acceptance of this historical development and the logical consequences of this belief has led us to the conclusion that the Roman Church, specifically, and Fundamental Protestants, generally, have caused scandal over the preceding five centuries.
That every man, because he has an “immortal soul,” is as good as every other man; that in an infinite universe of things the “salvation” of every individual may lay claim to eternal importance; that insignificant bigots and the three-fourths insane may assume that the laws of nature are constantly suspended in their behalf... Nietzsche