tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-882699495059104312.post2357844420608722226..comments2024-01-24T04:02:06.466-05:00Comments on Why I De-Converted from Evangelical Christianity: The Psychological Appeal of the Penal Substitutionary Theory of the AtonementKen Pulliamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12161943466797514854noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-882699495059104312.post-29009334644596965072010-06-05T13:54:51.422-04:002010-06-05T13:54:51.422-04:00Ken,
Good to see you exploring this aspect some. ...Ken,<br /><br />Good to see you exploring this aspect some. I think it's a critical issue to address in helping people who are confused, doubting, etc., and looking for better "answers." The area of "positive psychology" within the broader discipline, and people from various angles, are producing some powerful, helpful things these days, as to forgiving oneself and others. I think the key point for Christians is this: "You've been mislead to think that only via the 'sacrifice of Christ' is true, complete forgiveness possible.... Actually, non-Christians can give and receive forgiveness also, and a great many of them do so, as deeply and fully as do Christians." (Whether or not God "requires" a perfect sacrifice to extend forgiveness for supposed offenses against "him" is another question, which you've been dealing with.) <br /><br />I do believe it is important and helpful for us who challenge traditional Christian theology to regularly point out what "works" and is "true" in key areas like dealing with guilt (both "objective" and "subjective"). <br /><br />One reason PST and forgiveness concepts tied to it in Evangelical theology do NOT work adequately for many is the faith element of "accepting" the "atoning work of Christ." There is no clear way to dependably tell (nor can there be) if one has had or continues to have the type or level of "faith" that is "saving." E.g., just what is the content of such faith? And does it change as a new believer begins to hear more details of things like Christ's god-man nature, sinless life, bodily resurrection, etc.? <br /><br />In other words what is psychologically freeing for one person may be a source of anxiety for another (and often is). Or what may be freeing for a person at one stage becomes anxiety-producing at another.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-882699495059104312.post-35962227488328981742010-05-31T09:55:48.914-04:002010-05-31T09:55:48.914-04:00Bob George who wrote "Classic Christianity&qu...Bob George who wrote "Classic Christianity" believes that once a person has prayed the sinner's prayer he/she is forgiven and no longer has to ask for forgiveness again. He believes that the bible teaches this and that christians should live like they have received atonement. There is a positive psychological feeling when you believe that you are a guiltless person and can no longer sin in the eyes of god.cerbazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05979844017918932544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-882699495059104312.post-52208303204362066482010-05-31T09:49:05.460-04:002010-05-31T09:49:05.460-04:00Steve,
That is because you were never a "tru...Steve,<br /><br />That is because you were never a "true" Christian my friend.Ken Pulliamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12161943466797514854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-882699495059104312.post-76381456161819831842010-05-31T09:03:20.235-04:002010-05-31T09:03:20.235-04:00Maybe PST has a psychological payoff for some peop...Maybe PST has a psychological payoff for some people, but I can't relate to it. I never got anything out of all these vicarious things supposedly going on invisibly behind the scenes: my sin transferred to Jesus, his righteousness transferred to me, my identity obtaining "in Christ" status. Not only did it seem so unreal, it also had a sterile, legal quality to it. Protestant Christianity always felt like such a "lawyered up" faith to me. <br /><br />I guess I didn't have enough faith.SteveJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04525881183798559993noreply@blogger.com