The example Jesus set...

[an anarchist]

Jesus Christ was simply a good son, good brother, and a hard worker for His first 30 years of life. He only spent His last three years preaching.
In order to be a good CHRISTian, we ought to focus on being a good son/daughter before anything else.

 

[Rival]

The lads might have something to say about his being a good son...

 

[metis]

In order to be a good CHRISTian, we ought to focus on being a good son/daughter before anything else.

Maybe we should treat everyone as if they were our own mother.

 

[syo]

we ought to focus on being a good son/daughter before anything else.

Absolutely NOT. We ought to rebel AGAINST our parents. That's what I do all the time I encounter them.

 

[Left Coast]

we ought to focus on being a good son/daughter before anything else.

What does that mean?

 

[an anarchist]

What does that mean?

If we cannot be a good son/daughter, how can we hope to achieve anything greater than that, in life?
I’m just saying I think that generally our priorities should be refocused from spreading our religious beliefs. We should instead focus on our personal relationships in our lives, first. I think Jesus set that precedent.

 

[Rival]

If we cannot be a good son/daughter, how can we hope to achieve anything greater than that, in life?
I’m just saying I think that generally our priorities should be refocused from spreading our religious beliefs. We should instead focus on our personal relationships in our lives, first. I think Jesus set that precedent.

He ran away. He ditched his mother and they had to beg him to come home then he basically disowned her. His family thought he'd lost his mind.

Maybe that's putting it dramatically, but he certainly doesn't seem to have been the best behaved.

 

[AlexanderG]

Jesus Christ was simply a good son, good brother, and a hard worker for His first 30 years of life. He only spent His last three years preaching.
In order to be a good CHRISTian, we ought to focus on being a good son/daughter before anything else.

Ok...but didn't Jesus supposedly say, "If you come to me but will not leave your family, you cannot be my follower. You must love me more than your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters—even more than your own life!" So if I were a Christian that personally didn't want to "be a good son/daughter before anything else" and instead abandon my parents, I could just ignore your interpretation and assure myself that the Bible says the opposite.

And that's how Christianity works. Whatever your personality subjectively inclines you to value, you can interpret the Bible consistently with that worldview. Hence the 40,000+ distinct denominations.

So yeah, I think we should all have happy healthy family relationships in an ideal world, but I don't think Christianity particularly helps with that. You can interpret it that way if you want, or not. A central message of the Bible seems to be that perfect love is based on unquestionable authority and fear of violent punishment, and I do think that's objectively a terrible way to run a family but unfortunately we see a lot of Christians running their families on this model.

 

[an anarchist]

He ran away. He ditched his mother and they had to beg him to come home then he basically disowned her. His family thought he'd lost his mind.

Maybe that's putting it dramatically, but he certainly doesn't seem to have been the best behaved.

At the end of thirty years, when He went on to fulfill His purpose, perhaps it could be said he abandoned His earthly family. But He also abandoned His whole life entirely, and as Christians, we don’t see that as bad. For three years, 10% of His life, He was serving all of humanity. For 90%, He served His family.

 

[an anarchist]

Ok...but didn't Jesus supposedly say, "If you come to me but will not leave your family, you cannot be my follower. You must love me more than your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters—even more than your own life!" So if I were a Christian that personally didn't want to "be a good son/daughter before anything else" and instead abandon my parents, I could just ignore your interpretation and assure myself that the Bible says the opposite.

Well in the end Jesus did leave his family to serve God...

 

[Rival]

At the end of thirty years, when He went on to fulfill His purpose, perhaps it could be said he abandoned His earthly family. But He also abandoned His whole life entirely, and as Christians, we don’t see that as bad. For three years, 10% of His life, He was serving all of humanity. For 90%, He served His family.

He ran away as a 12 y/o and his parents were frantic. That's not good behaviour.

 

[an anarchist]

He ran away as a 12 y/o and his parents were frantic. That's not good behaviour.

And other than that? And kid Jesus explained to them that He was serving His father (God), so it was a result of Him being a good Child to His father, literal God. Perhaps Jesus/God needed to impart some wisdom on the wise men of the temple. Even as a kid, Jesus fulfilled his Heavenly ministry in this case.

 

[Rival]

And other than that? And kid Jesus explained to them that He was serving His father (God), so it was a result of Him being a good Child to His father, literal God. Perhaps Jesus/God needed to impart some wisdom on the wise men of the temple. Even as a kid, Jesus fulfilled his Heavenly ministry in this case.

We don't know since it's not written, so that would be a no-win discussion for anyone. I just don't personally think Jesus is the best example of a person.

 

[Left Coast]

If we cannot be a good son/daughter, how can we hope to achieve anything greater than that, in life?
I’m just saying I think that generally our priorities should be refocused from spreading our religious beliefs. We should instead focus on our personal relationships in our lives, first. I think Jesus set that precedent.

What I'm asking is, what does it mean to be a "good" son/daughter?

 

[an anarchist]

What I'm asking is, what does it mean to be a "good" son/daughter?

I’m not entirely sure. That’s still something I’m figuring out myself and got to get better at. I think basic moral principles can be applied to the parent-child relationship. It’s something that everyone has to figure out in relation to their own parents, how they could best serve them. It’s this submissiveness, perhaps?

 

[Left Coast]

I’m not entirely sure. That’s still something I’m figuring out myself and got to get better at. I think basic moral principles can be applied to the parent-child relationship. It’s something that everyone has to figure out in relation to their own parents, how they could best serve them. It’s this submissiveness, perhaps?

If you're not sure what it means, then it's an odd principle to assert as the primary one, I'd think.

 

[an anarchist]

If you're not sure what it means, then it's an odd principle to assert as the primary one, I'd think.

How to achieve it, I’m not sure. But the goal I am sure of

 

[Left Coast]

How to achieve it, I’m not sure. But the goal I am sure of

The goal is "to be a good son/daughter," but you can't tell me what that statement means. So you don't have a clear goal, either.

 

[sun rise]

Maybe we should treat everyone as if they were our own mother.

My wife reacted when I called her "mom" once because of a mom-like sentence ("be careful") she directed at me. It's a dangerous piece of advice you gave there.

 

[an anarchist]

The goal is "to be a good son/daughter," but you can't tell me what that statement means. So you don't have a clear goal, either.

I know how to be a good son to my father. I don’t know how you could be a good son to yours. That is what I mean