₦airaland Forum

It means there is hope for Nigeria as NL is full of people who can smell unintelligible garbage from miles off

plaetton:
@ op
Excellent write up.
The fact that you only have 2 likes in 2 days shows that you have certainly rattled the nerves amongst the churchtians.

This op deserves 1000 likes.

frosbel:
Overcome sin for salvation and not for LOVE ?? Are you not getting things all mixed up, is Salvation not the end of LOVE or is LOVE the beginning of Salvation ?

Well, he has told you in plain english that he is in christianity purely for himself, to satisfy his latent selfish and hedonist desire to make heaven, a place of no responsibility.
No wonder that churchianity and corruption walk hand in hand.

plaetton:
Well, he has told you in plain english that he is in christianity purely for himself, to satisfy his latent selfish and hedonist desire to make heaven, a place of no responsibility.
No wonder that churchianity and corruption walk hand in hand.

Imagine if there was no HELL or Heaven, NONE and I mean NONE of these people will remain in the church, they will go for the next craze in town that offers them a better reward , maybe even one with 72 virgins , lol.

plaetton:
Well, he has told you in plain english that he is in christianity purely for himself, to satisfy his latent selfish and hedonist desire to make heaven, a place of no responsibility.
No wonder that churchianity and corruption walk hand in hand.

frosbel:
Imagine if there was no HELL or Heaven, NONE and I mean NONE of these people will remain in the church, they will go for the next craze in town that offers them a better reward, maybe even one with 72 virgins, lol.

"... he has told you in plain english that he is in christianity purely for himself
to satisfy his latent selfish and hedonist desire to make heaven..." - © plaetton

"...No wonder that churchianity and corruption walk hand in hand..." - © plaetton

When did he say so?. Why, why, why?. Why resorting and descending to this level?
Instead of inventing stories and complete fabrications, read the below links to get well acquainted.
Haters eat your heart out!
https://www.nairaland.com/2081125/christian-hedonism-pursuit-happiness/1#29668257
https://www.nairaland.com/2076644/christian-justify-still-guilty-charged/8#29675555

...really enjoyed the ensuing convo here, and especially liked hearing how there are others who understand what the church - or should that be who? - really is.

I also eschew denominationalism and find it hard to become a "member" of a church. I hear those who talk about the importance of fellowship, however, like others, I prefer the scraps of true fellowship and sharing (including here on NL) to the gross error and bad practices in most of the churches to hand.

There are the unchurched, the churched and the true church - "The Lord knows those who are His"

Now to Frozzie

frosbel:
There is this pattern that I was used to and still observing in Christian circles especially in Nigerian Pentecostal/Evangelical circles.

It appears that one of the sole reasons why many people become Christians and remain so , is to avoid Hell Fire and enjoy the bliss of heaven by repenting of SIN and avoiding SIN on a personal level.

First, grammatically you can't have more than 1 sole reason !

Secondly, people come to God for many - often misguided - reasons; healing, comfort, provision - but that's where God isn't like us. I believe even those will have the fact that we should ultimately come to God in Christ Jesus just because He is, presented to them. What they choose to do thereafter is up to them - the cross of faith or the comfort of religion?

Thirdly, as mentioned, I came to Christ and had all my initial growth in what I now consider to be the corrupt institutional church. Does that mean God did not have me? Or that I wasn't His or seeking Him? No, I did everything I was told and went to God every day and said, I know what this MOG says, what that MOG does, but please show me Your way. Ultimately when was strong enough God asked the question are you seeking me or what religion has to offer? I made my choice - by His grace I am His.

Your finger-pointing in this regard is of little merit. God knows those who serve/seek Him and He will judge accordingly. Even as I believe that whilst in the throes of religion I was still Gods own, so are those in whatever denomination, sect - or without any denomination sect - that are truly seeking Him.

The real question is are you?

frosbel:
When I was in deeperlife the emphasis was always on SIN, worrying about it, been defeated by it, praying against it, condemning it in the lives of others , looking for what it is or is not etc. This was a truly dead religion in the most suffocating way. Sadly, I see this same pattern in many churches today.

The worrying thing is that the goal here is not to better mankind or improve the lot of our neighbours or relatives but for selfish purposes, i.e self preservation into eternal bliss and enjoyment with partial or total obliviousness to the suffering and pain around.

Surely there is something fundamentally wrong with this approach when our primary goal is to avoid a torturous hell and make heaven !!


Christian Hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure, gain and heaven by AVOIDING SIN and thereby pacifying a God that is always angry and ready to smite you for the slightest wrong you commit.

And there are those who avoid sin to escape hell; so what, they too will be clearly shown. "He will be found righteous when He judges and just when He speaks"

frosbel:
Let's compare this to the Gospel of Christ ;

Matthew 22:36-40
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”


The true gospel was always about others not ourselves, it was about how to put the interest of others above and beyond our personal interests irrespective of the sacrifice or even suffering involved ( remember the good Samaritan ). It was based on LOVE , LOVE for ALL People both our worst enemies and best friends, it was based on us alleviating the burdens , pain and suffering around us and showing kindness, mercy and compassion to ALL Men.

Yet we see a conflict between the Christ approach and the Christianity approach, one is a personal ambition to make heaven by avoiding sin and the other is a selfless pursuit of the welfare and good of others not expecting any reward.

Could it be that the reason why Nigerian Christians in particular live in abject defeat and are easily overcome by sin and other vices , is primarily due to their pursuit of heavenly bliss by avoiding sin and financial gain by paying their tithes ?? This seems to me to be the main goal among these ones. Would I be wrong to say that Nigerian Christians are practising Christian Hedonism and first and fore mostly after their own welfare and happiness, that is why they can be the most harsh, rude and condescending people to ever relate with, do you agree ?

Go to MFM for example , it is about cursing enemies and not blessing them, go to Christ Embassy it is about positive thinking to the betterment of one's personal life, go to the redeemed it is about daddy GO pronouncing a blessing on one's life due to a seed that was sown, go to deeperlife life it is about immediate heaven after death due to a sinless life , the list is endless.

What happened to doing what is right for the sake of doing what is right and for the love of God and our neighbour , without expecting Any reward whatsoever ?

Nothing, and even the gentiles do such.

frosbel:
"…Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'' - Matthew 7:21-23

In these churches the common testimonies are not about how we paid someone's bills , how we temporarily housed a few homeless friends, how we paid the medical fees of someone we never met , how we forgave a large debt etc, it is always about how God has upgraded my life with a new or bigger house, a new or bigger car, a new partner , Job etc....basically all about me me me me me me me me.

And when they invite you to church , they do not help you learn how to live a contented and peaceful life, instead they lure you with the promise of how God can solve all your problems , heal all your sicknesses, punish your enemies and make you a happier and brighter person. This stinks !

Your thoughts are welcome.

Leave them, those who seek Him will find Him - now who is this Bart you follow - is it the son of Homer !

TV

hedonism means living a life of pleasure and with no moral responsibility or guidance.

how does that correlate with the christian view of "deny yourself and follow me"?