A Guide To the Wrath of God REVISED
So, there is this fairly clever guide that walks us all through the various things that will get one killed by God in a number of different religions. Being a devout Christian I read it and chuckled at many of the entries and the wildness of it all. And then I noticed something… It’s completely and totally wrong.
Now, I am not doing the interwebs troll thing where I complain about some hack meme that is just being funny. And I really am not trying to split hairs here. Well, why don’t I let you read the info graphic yourself first and see if you can spot the error yourself.
I have always enjoyed studying various world religions. It was one of my favorite classes that I took while pushing for a philosophy major. Understanding the justice systems of each world religion gives enormous insights into the people and the faithful within each religion. You may not. But I enjoy it anyway. The bigger question on hand is whether you spotted the error or not. Errorsesesessesseseseses is actually more correct.
As I was looking at the sheet I paid pretty close attention to the crosses and the stars of David. I mean, I am a Christian after all. Why wouldn’t i? And then I realized, the infographic was just applying a cross wherever there was a Star of David, because the verse referred to was in the Old Testament, and therefore, true for Christians. But the significant difference (significant doesn’t seem nearly weighty a word as necessary) between the Jewish faith and the Christian faith is that Christians believe the Christ the Jews have been looking for has already come. That he has ended the need to sacrifice once and for all through his own death. And that he has made a way for us to obtain access to the father, through faith alone.
I mean, even if you aren’t a Christian that us the first thing you learn about Christianity and Judaism in philosophy of World Religions [304]… Right?! So, if that’s the case, then I would submit to you that you could do one of two things to this chart. Either you could remove all the crosses for every single instance because Christ paid the debt for those grievances already… OR, add a cross for every single sin physically possible by man, big or small. Doesn’t matter.
Here’s why. If you have accepted what Christ did on the Cross for your sins through faith then it really doesn’t matter what sins you commit. I mean it obviously does, but it doesn’t on this chart. God won’t demand your death for this sin because Christ already paid that penalty for you.
So for example. If I had sex with a dog (beastiality, adultery), and then robbed a bank (robbery), and killed someone on the way out with some cyanide (murder, poisoning), and ordered an appetizer of sex with my best bud (homosexuality, adultery) and then lie about it all on the witness stand (bearing false witness to capital crime, disrespecting court’s authority)… Even if I chose to do all that, God will have me back and will forgive my sins if I confess and cry out for forgiveness. Right? Now, society might demand my life (and rightly should) after that violent run. But the God of the New Testament would not demand my life. Right? There’s a difference.
Let’s invert the example. I live a great life. Fantastic even. I give to the poor. I work my butt off to become a good person. And let’s say, just theoretically, that my ONLY sin throughout my entire life is a lie I told. Some little white lie thing. About me telling a buddy my all time record on Dig Dug was 4,000,000 when I had actually never played the vaunted game. K? You get the scenario (as lame as it is!)? God (of the Christian faith) will demand my soul at the end of time to separation from him (hell) for eternity. Wait WHAT was that?!? How can that be the case I hear you asking your monitor. Well, the wages of sin is death. Any sin. Right? White lies too. And that death is worse than capital punishment. Or any physical death imaginable by man.
But even without the belief bit, and the discussion about ultimate sin and it’s consequences… In the New Testament the Law (Old Testament, or Torah) wasn’t abolished by Christ’s coming, but it was fulfilled in Him. So it logically makes sense that every single cross on this sheet should come off. Maybe I’ll do that some day and re-add it. Or not! Hahaha. I’ve already spent way way more time on this inane idea than I should have!