A critic of Christian doctrine confuses religion with ethnicity by
Gene Edward Veith
http://www.worldmag.com/newsite/content/subscriber/displayarticle.cfm?id=9520
Mr. Veith says,
"Ironically, those who insist on how good they are - not just
pro-abortionists and gays but corrupt politicians, shady businessmen,
cheating spouses, porn fans, and everyday devotees of gossip,
viciousness, lies, cruelty, anger, envy, pride - are exhibiting the
trait of self-righteousness. They deal with their sins by denying that
they are sins, ending up just as legalistic as the most self-righteous
Pharisee."
Notice that he makes his list of transgressors broad enough so that no
one should feel left out. Who has not experienced unjustified anger or entertained gossip at some point? Is there anyone who never thought "fool" of another at some time? All these mental states are included by our Lord of violations of the law. If we tend to rationalize these away as not being sins, then Veith says we are being leagalistic.
The 1928 Prayer book called for Daily Morning Prayer in which one would confess their sins, and should not "dissemble" them. This is pricisely what Veith addresses. Dissemble means to disguise or conceal the real nature of. Unfortnuately, those words and concepts are little used today. It is good that Mr. Veith refreshes our collective memory.
Primus Pilus
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