The selfishness of salvation
This doesn’t get examined much by the church, especially western churches in the US.
Salvation, specifically the “acceptance” or “reception” of salvation, as it is taught in most churches in the west, is not a selfless or altruistic act. The individual undergoing this process of conversion is totally focused on the self and not others. The person doesn’t want to go to “hell.” On occasion the person converts because they want to be with G-d. But the focus is mostly in the other direction. It’s a response to the fire and brimstone sermons and the altar calls. It’s also a response to arm-twisting tactics employed by proselytizing teams sent out sent out to malls and neighborhoods to “witness.” Whether the person has been worked into a fearful frenzy by the “or else” preaching or has been asked a question that begins “…if you died tonight…” the reaction is most times the same. I have also heard this called “fire insurance” salvation and looked down upon by certain self-righteous individuals. What I never did was ask them what they expected or how they expected someone to respond to negative preaching and manipulated “sharing” or strong-arm proselytizing. This is because at the time I believed that the preaching and proselytizing were the right way to go even though I didn’t practice them much. I know that my own focus, when I was 19, was on my own spiritual condition and I had no concern for anyone else. I suspect…I know that I am not alone.
Once the conversion process is complete and the believer is “saved” their focus is expected to reverse directions. You thought about yourself in getting “saved” now think only of others. This is not logical. The selfish person tends to stay selfish. This remains their guiding principle and attitude. It will govern their performance of any seemingly selfless acts.
Am I saying don’t convert or have religion in your life? No. I am not. What I am saying is that western churches need to come up with some other way of presenting their arguments for conversion. No good comes from selling someone fire insurance publicly and then damning in private the fact that they bought fire insurance. You scared them. You told them they were going to burn in hell and needed Jesus to save them. They didn’t want to burn in hell and asked Jesus to save them. It’s as simple as that. If you’re honest with yourself and think back, you did the same. Hypocrisy and the human process of memory revisionism are what are making you think your conversion was any different.
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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 31st, 2008 at 10:12 and is filed under RogueSun. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
