Amoral religion – is simply a slave of the thought of mercy capable of doing good?

"Unfortunately, the Church in its long past has accustomed us to specified a change in the content of our concepts—the highest authority calls service, the limitation of women's rights—to show them actual respect, and the cruelty of God—his saving, sacrificial love."

Artur Nowak, Ireneusz Earthski, Christianity. Moral Religion

There are conversations that pass in us without echoes, there are those from which dust bubbles in memory shake circumstantial places or events... Finally, there are talks that contact the core of human identity and which cannot be passed indifferently. specified dialog is included in the book, which is simply a evidence of Arthur Nowak's talks – a lawyer, writer and author and Ireneusz Zieliński – a philosopher and postgraduate of the Catholic University of Lublin.

This book is like a image of the mirror planet (a concept most likely known to Marvel's fans, especially Doctor Strange) – the authors discuss various passages (and characters) from the Bible, apocryphas, papal encyclicals. However, after reading many active in the Catholic religion (and not only) people, both laymen and priests, they would say, "But it was to come out differently."

I give you a fresh commandment...

Conversations begin with the subject of mercy and neighbour love. The authors have been divorcing this subject for a long time, starting with the very words: THE PROVISION OF LOVE – as if it could be programmed somehow... Love God and neighbor, for the Scriptures say so. And how do you make it feel? It's harder than that.

The specified mercy of men becomes very instrumental. To love others should be due to the fact that they are a reflection of Christ, the jealous God, who must be worshipped first. In specified a way, the second man appears not as a goal in himself, but simply a means to salvation. Twins seem to have value erstwhile they have accepted and implemented God’s Word in their lives. For Jesus himself dwells in them, and as the apostolic letters say, religion without works is dead (cf. Jk 2:14-26). Do you believe that? Show it in your brothers with your deeds toward Christ.

But pay attention. If we do good, Christ makes it our hands. We as sinful beings, burdened with the weight of first sin, are liable for our anger. Isn't this by chance instrumentalizing people, taking distant their moral subjectivity? Maybe, but remember, Christianity is officially a religion of free people.

But what about the love of enemies? This is simply a separate chapter. There, the authors effort to solve a disturbing contradiction: how is the turning of the cheek, forgiveness of seventy-seven (not seven!!!) times to individual who has blamed us, to throw the merchants out of the temple, to call the Pharisees and the innouns "the viper tribe", "weed" and akin epithets? At the same time, as the authors note, the words of the bishops, for example, of the "Riffer plague," which must be converted, while inactive in time, are almost literal imitation of the Gospel (ba! Christ!) – they are guided by concern for lost sheep.

Jesus makes it clear that serving God is more crucial than helping others – the authors illustrate it with the image of a harlot who anoints Christ's feet with costly oil. Judas, noting that the value of this oil would cover quite a few the needs of the poor, simply gets a laity from Christ – after all, mediocre disciples have always around them, and Jesus, who will save them, will shortly lose them. An example of the sermon on the mountain – Christ first spoke with a sermon to the assembled and tired crowd, only later fed it. This is besides an example of parent Teresa of Calcutta – first baptism and the Word, then medical assistance and food for the poor.

First salvation, then bread. Anyone don't want to convert? We must effort to get him, even at the cost of his wellness or his life.

Maria and Eve – an example and a informing for women

The situation of women in religion – the subject – but here the authors effort again to scope its sources. In them is the figure of Mary set as a model. Mary, who, after a desperate run for a teenager to the temple, heard that Jesus belonged to the Father. Mary, who was treated like a stalker, asking for a miracle in Cana. Mary, who, erstwhile she came to Jesus, was besides much for her boy to say that those who now perceive to God's Word are more important. Mary, who as the perfect of a female gave birth to a kid as a virgin and already as a teenager dedicated herself to serving God for life. Of course, as His chosen one, she was privileged with terrible suffering – you don't should be a parent to even fishy what a female might feel erstwhile the importance of her function is to wait erstwhile her son, for his activity, is simply killed at a very young age.

The female to be utilized as a bad example, more accessible to the average Kowalski, is Eve. It is from the story of the creation of the planet that we come up with a full array of stereotypes which to this day are large – a female as a temptress, a creature created by God as a second, and from a part of a man (which explains her position), a work weaker than a man (Satan knew that a man could not be fooled, so hop, to a woman!). And what is important, Eve is the origin of mankind's misery and exile from Paradise at least twice – erstwhile due to the fact that she was tempted by Satan, two, due to the fact that she successfully tempted a bad man.

According to the authors, Eve (and with her all women) is so a threat on many fronts – the temptress of mediocre men, the personification of evil and misfortune (there are inactive besides many people who light-handedly perpetuate the saying "Where the devil cannot, there the female will send) and sin. The biggest problem with Eve is... a man can't do without her. He missed her even in paradise, with divine presence. And the patriarchal structures feel that women are needed does not serve. So why, now that they are, do not shine Mary in their eyes and scare Eve and Lilith? – yes, and it is mentioned in the publication.

What is Jesus ’ example in treating women? He absolves the guilty. No mention of the man who utilized her services is not a question of the limit of characters. He appreciated the widow for her money, showing what devotion she expects from women (he did not criticize the taxation strategy that was zeroing out already tiny funds of the poor). He gave Mary from the cross to his beloved disciple. Very nice, after all, a widow and a female without a male care (father, boy or husband) was waiting for prostitution or starvation. The remarrying was harshly criticized (though by St Paul).

But why change the strategy erstwhile you can give any good examples of alms that will last until the final judgment? The words of the carol “power is dead” were not a joke...

These and another examples are included in the discussions on mercy, the love of enemies, the situation of women and non-heteronormatives in the book Christianity. Amoral religion. This look at the Old Testament and the Gospel without powdering it and calling it cruelty, infanticide and force grace and redemption. To look at the Scriptures as a communicative of a jealous and cruel deity who even wants to save and have the earth and its inhabitants with force is simply a profound confrontation in our cultural circle. However, this is simply a essential and worthy confrontation.