If the Western world is a new and diluted Christianity, why do many American Fundamental Christians...?

Question

just assume that they are absolutely guaranteed to make it to Heaven?

K here is my logic, there have been many divisions in Christianity through the years, the conquering of the Western world was definitely the most significant.

And I have studied this from a few sides and come up with the same conclusion here. If there is to be an eternal judgment of sorts, this is a common assumption in most Christian sects.

So there is this judgment, and the East and the West are on oppose sides. Will the secular Western world actually be proven to be superior, in all honesty. Any way I tumble the odds here it will fail.

For the most part, myself included, live in the secular world where commercialism is encouraged. The average American has about 10 forms of credit. Their entire life is wrapped closely around money.

Is this not a direct violation of almost all of the teachings of Jesus? I may not be a religious person, but I can read the Bible just like anyone else.

Did Jesus himself not preach over and over against the very core of the Western world mentality? Yet American Fundamentalists are absolutely positive that they are going to heaven.

Isn't this a bit of an understatement here?

Answer 1

Edit:

Read John Locke.

Answer 2

it is up to us that live in this secular world of the west to live out part as instructed by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

You will still find this type of life in the Holy Orthodox Church, we consider this as a way of life more than a religion. We try to model our life's off of the Saints and ascetics.

The Difference Between

Orthodox Spirituality and Other Confessions

By Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos

Orthodox spirituality differs distinctly from any other "spirituality" of an eastern or western type. There can be no confusion among the various spiritualities, because Orthodox spirituality is God-centered, whereas all others are man-centered.

The difference appears primarily in the doctrinal teaching. For this reason we put "Orthodox" before the word "Church" so as to distinguish it from any other religion. Certainly "Orthodox" must be linked with the term "Ecclesiastic," since Orthodoxy cannot exist outside of the Church; neither, of course, can the Church exist outside Orthodoxy.

The dogmas are the results of decisions made at the Ecumenical Councils on various matters of faith. Dogmas are referred to as such, because they draw the boundaries between truth and error, between sickness and health. Dogmas express the revealed truth. They formulate the life of the Church. Thus they are, on the one hand, the expression of Revelation and on the other act as "remedies" in order to lead us to communion with God; to our reason for being.

Dogmatic differences reflect corresponding differences in therapy. If a person does not follow the "right way" he cannot ever reach his destination. If he does not take the proper "remedies," he cannot ever acquire health; in other words, he will experience no therapeutic benefits. Again, if we compare Orthodox spirituality with other Christian traditions, the difference in approach and method of therapy is more evident.

A fundamental teaching of the Holy Fathers is that the Church is a "Hospital" which cures the wounded man. In many passages of Holy Scripture such language is used. One such passage is that of the parable of the Good Samaritan: "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion . So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you" (Luke 10:33-35).

In this parable, the Samaritan represents Christ who cured the wounded man and led him to the Inn, that is to the "Hospital" which is the Church. It is evident here that Christ is presented as the Healer, the physician who cures man's maladies; and the Church as the true Hospital. It is very characteristic that Saint John Chrysostom, analysing this parable, presents these truths emphasised above.

Man's life "in Paradise" was reduced to a life governed by the devil and his wiles. "And fell among thieves," that is in the hands of the devil and of all the hostile powers. The wounds man suffered are the various sins, as the prophet David says: "my wounds grow foul and fester because of my foolishness" (Psalm 37). For "every sin causes a bruise and a wound." The Samaritan is Christ Himself who descended to earth from Heaven in order to cure the wounded man. He used oil and wine to "treat" the wounds; in other words, by "mingling His blood with the Holy Spirit, he brought man to life." According to another interpretation, oil corresponds to the comforting word and wine to the harsh word. Mingled together they have the power to unify the scattered mind. "He set him in His own beast," that is He assumed human flesh on "the shoulders" of His divinity and ascended incarnate to His Father in Heaven.

Then the Good Samaritan, i.e. Christ, took man to the grand, wondrous and spacious inn - to the Church. And He handed man over to the innkeeper, who is the Apostle Paul, and through the Apostle Paul to all bishops and priests, saying: "Take care of the Gentile people, whom I have handed over to you in the Church. They suffer illness wounded by sin, so cure them, using as remedies the words of the Prophets and the teaching of the Gospel; make them healthy through the admonitions and comforting word of the Old and New Testaments." Thus, according to Saint Chrysostom, Paul is he who maintains the Churches of God, "curing all people by his spiritual admonitions and offering to each one of them what they really need."

In the interpretation of this parable by Saint John Chrysostom, it is clearly shown that the Church is a Hospital which cures people wounded by sin; and the bishops and priests are the therapists of the people of God.

And this precisely is the work of Orthodox theology. When referring to Orthodox theology, we do not simply mean a history of theology

Answer 3

Well Jesus did tell people to give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's, but I do agree with you that most American Christians have given far too much of substance to Caesar (I mean, cheering for war from the pulpit, that is disgraceful, and abandoning the poor, equally shameful).

There are many similarities between the Roman Empire of jesus' time and the US Empire of today, and I suspect Jesus would find similar problems if he walked among us again.

The money changers are definitely in the temple, no doubt about it.

Answer 4

I agree with your logic, but I think you're missing one factor in your equation.  Most western fundamentalists separate themselves from the part of the western culture that you mentioned.

Obviously it is impossible to completely separate themselves from their surrounding influence, but they all attempt to do so.  Some have more success than others, but the point is this:  they believe that by living in a secular world and not partaking in it's luxuries, that is even more reason for them to go to Heaven.  

Answer 5

Knowing that one is right gives a peace of mind...They say ignorance is bliss.

Answer 6

Following Yeshua/Jesus is right.

D1

Answer 7

American xianity is bogus.  Jesus wouldn't know Americans.