How I understand Matthew 6:23 Bible Study

[jennifer_bloom]

The Jews are one of the few people on earth who have historically tried to keep the cultural traditions of temple worship as stipulated in the first half of the bible.

When the temple was destroyed they created the proverb that its destruction was caused by cause less hatred and would be rebuilt by causeless love.

Jesus claimed to create his own version of the temple which was his body, destroyed and raised again to life so we have a new idea of cultic temple worship.

Rather than the idea of causeless hatred I would like to paraphrase with the term unnecessary hatred.

Today I skipped the bible study I attend almost every day because I got a hostile vibe from him.

He said North America was regressing from their Christian traditions because they no longer closed banks and shopping malls on Sunday.

He said people act foolish because they care more about their families and friends and jobs than they do about going to Heaven after they die.

What bothered me about this pastor is the hatred and hostility is unnecessary.

Not all God worshipers are Christian and not all people will be able to buy groceries if Sunday is universally the store closing date since some work 6 days a week.

God would never allow somebody to be saved simply because they are afraid of going to hell. They have to serve God for selfless reasons and not for personal gain if they want to go to Heaven after they die.

When the light that is in you is darkness it means your religion makes you practice unnecessary hatred towards others.

When the light that is in you is light it means your religion makes you practice unmerited and unearned love towards others.

So religious is about unearned love towards people

It is not about unnecessary hatred towards them

[mfate76]

Monotheistic Religions are supposed to be a launching pad type of platform to help an individual/families/communities forge an intimate connection with LORD ALL MIGHTY Blessed Be His Name.

Acts of virtue such as charity and helping those who are nice people in times of adversity are actions the LORD ALL MIGHTY GLORY likes so called RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The Quran which is the Islamic Doctrine immediately states in Chapter 2 Verse 2 "This is the book in it there is guidance for those who "FEAR their LORD".

Similar to the BIBLE the "FEAR of LORD ALL MIGHTY GLORIOUS is propegated first and then "HOPE.

Why should we "FEAR" LORD ALL MIGHTY GLORIOUS? The answer to that is that if the LORD ALL MIGHTY wills to allow "evil" or "adversity" to touch us or inflict us then we can find ourselves facing a reality of pain and horror.

[joesheks]

Proverbs 1:7 — The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction

[farmerjohna]

My definition would be that if all you can see is darkness then darkness will consume you.
Basically if you only let your self see the worst, the bad in everything going on around you, slowly that will consume you and you will let the darkness in.

If you applied that to your pastor, he is seeing a decline in people really committed to the church everywhere he looks. He is seeing people working on Sundays. Coming to church less and less, being more disrespectful and I am sure the list goes on. Its possibly eating away at him after all it is a cause he truly believes in and all he can see is the decline, the bad things going on. He doesn't see any of the good things, say perhaps how the pope has reinvigorated the religion a little or new members of the congregation etc.

In a way it is a passage that could almost be linked to avoiding depression. If you only see the bad in the world darkness (depression) will only take you over. It could also be that if you only see the bad you could become bitter, and bitter people become angry and then things can go very wrong.

[Aydgeway]

You have all types of people on this planet... Including those who are discriminated against for their beliefs..
As the chosen people, Jews have always been persecuted... Why? I don't know!
I will give you an example, though...
I was so madly in love with a Jewish girl about 7 years back. Would have changed each others' lives, without a doubt. said I would convert - said it didn't matter... Because her parents were Hasidic, they believed she would be best off with another Jew. So basically... I had been discriminated against for not being Jewish.
This made me think of a lot of things... But in the end, someone is free to listen to their parents if they please.. on whatever grounds. And Jews are not the only group of people to do such a thing. Muslims, Sikhs, even Jehovah's witnesses! Or rather - the church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints...
Is it wrong? Yes... Is it discriminatory? Yes.. but in the end, coexisting is the ticket - the only way to overcome such cultural norms would be to abolish religion.. and that isn't someone I or many people are willing to do..

[Regmorus]

(To avoid misunderstanding: I read and feel a meaning (the two meanings), which is different from your interpretation.)

The quote is wonderful. I didn't expect or have forgotten that Bible actually has some quotes that have such deep meaning, and first of all a meaning that isn't caught within one religion and is of broadness with no point of reference.

And it even manages to convey two meanings that in a sense oppose each other! Just great!

Thanks for sharing the quote.

[Godofmyownwurld]

You can love people without believing all that, and you love them more if you're not threatening them with eternal burning. That's why christianity is wrong in my opinion. there's no proof for it to start with, and no loving god would have anything to gain from eternal torture. People made that up just to control populations and threaten them into belief and obedience.

[apollo3000]

I agree with you entirely. The only life eternal you will find is by having your own child/children. Heaven is knowing they have been taught to be good people, you left them with a good reputation, and they will go on through the generations.
Any hatred has its origins in the perception (at least) that one cannot have what someone else does (it is envy, in fact).
God bless you, be well, and as kind and wise as you are.

[Sabretooth]

https://www.youtube.com/embed/x1p14bHjln0

[ChefPapiChulo]

Sounds like you dislike him for a reason other than what you’re explaining.