Christian advice for a suicidal Christian

[Parts]

I would have loved to go to catholic school if they were all like that :lol:

["couldbecousin"]

I would have loved to go to catholic school if they were all like that :lol:

 They most certainly are not remotely like that! 

[Parts]

[El]

No, not really.

This is what confused me:

I disagree that it's good advice. And that's because I personally understand somewhat what that Christian questioner was feeling. He had doubts about God and His role in his life. He thought God saved him but is having a hard time trusting that God could save.

I have a fair bit of empathy for that, myself.

What advice should the questioner have received?  And, is there any advice which you would find acceptable that would still be framed withing the religious context in which it was asked?

[Calavera]

I wouldn't give him/her any advice involving God. Instead, if I really had to help as best as I could, I would tell him/her to stop relying on God to do everything for him/her and refer him/her to a very good therapist or psychiatrist (possibly one specializing in personality disorders like borderline) near where he/she lives. Maybe even you, lol.

That is the best I can (and should) do, especially that I pretty much suck when it comes to giving certain advices.

By the way, were you a "born again Christian"? Or do you mean the mainstream type (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, etc.)?

[El]

I wouldn't give him/her any advice involving God. Instead, if I really had to help as best as I could, I would tell him/her to stop relying on God to do everything for him/her and refer him/her to a very good therapist or psychiatrist (possibly one specializing in personality disorders like borderline) near where he/she lives. Maybe even you, lol.

That is the best I can (and should) do, especially that I pretty much suck when it comes to giving certain advices.

By the way, were you a "born again Christian"? Or do you mean the mainstream type (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, etc.)?

It's a little more complex than that.

['andersom']

I disagree that it's good advice. And that's because I personally understand somewhat what that Christian questioner was feeling. He had doubts about God and His role in his life. He thought God saved him but is having a hard time trusting that God could save.

Ralph responds by assuming God may not be in his life and by putting the blame on him for failing to have God in his life, and then he adds some condescending Scriptures. He is arrogant and full of it.

Saying he needs to stop being a dick to people may be good advice, but a good advice is only good when it's not part of a shit advice that overrules the individually good advice.

While some secular readers (like you) may focus more on the "don't be a dick to other people" in Ralph's advice and act upon this particular bit itself rather than the repent and turn to God bit, this "Christian in need" is compelled to "look at the bigger picture" and humiliate himself for God by praying and praying continually and hoping God loves him enough to finally be in his life and change him and give him joy and peace only to realize that it's not God who'll make this person change but only he himself.

A person who happens to be a dick needs to change from the inside in order to change properly (and, sadly, some people don't have that capacity to change). Being encouraged to hide his shittiness behind God will only result in a shallow change that never lasts long anyway.

I'm with Elle.

This person is coming to Ralph for advise, because he wants the religious sauce coming with it. But, he doesn't get just that, he also gets practical advice.

I would not recommend Ralph to anyone, but, I was pleasantly surprised that he did not play the huge blame game of "YOU SHOULD be happy, BECAUSE YOU ARE A BELIEVER". Have seen shit like that a bit too much in evangelical (not meaning lutheran) circles.

[Squidusa]

This is all I could think of when I read said page.

[Calavera]

This person is coming to Ralph for advise, because he wants the religious sauce coming with it. But, he doesn't get just that, he also gets practical advice.

This is where I disagree with both you and Elle. That person wants an answer to why it's not working out with the faith thing. He's not after religious flavor for practical advice. He's after an explanation.

In other words, why was he lied to that things would work out for him once he believed?

That's what was on his mind.

[El]

This person is coming to Ralph for advise, because he wants the religious sauce coming with it. But, he doesn't get just that, he also gets practical advice.

This is where I disagree with both you and Elle. That person wants an answer to why it's not working out with the faith thing. He's not after religious flavor for practical advice. He's after an explanation.

In other words, why was he lied to that things would work out for him once he believed?

That's what was on his mind.

I think you have a do fair point, and thank you for explaining to me what you think should have been said instead.  Though, I still do think that on a scale of advice in the context of religion, Ralph's answer was pretty decent.

[Al Swearegen]

I think that the big problem with the Christian doctrines is that it appears to me (pretty much a layman in such things) that Christian morality is a mixmatch of often contrary belief systems.
It holds on to old beliefs of the smiting war God of old and the forgiving and accepting Jesus Christ.
When it serves the belief system to gain strength from harsh hardline values of the old inflexible God of old then people will look to espouse those values and when it requires a gentle, accepting, loving behaviour they will turn to the values of JC.
I understand the need for both but I see them as unworkable in the general faith.
One or the other? Sure, maybe.

[Adam]

The reason his jesus shit isn't helping him is because jesus is long dead and gone

[Parts]

The reason his jesus shit isn't helping him is because jesus is long dead and gone

No he isn't he is alive inside everyone of us.  I know you have a hard time with this Adam so I will pray for you

[Calavera]

The reason his jesus shit isn't helping him is because jesus is long dead and gone

Very obvious but very true.

[Calavera]

I think that the big problem with the Christian doctrines is that it appears to me (pretty much a layman in such things) that Christian morality is a mixmatch of often contrary belief systems.
It holds on to old beliefs of the smiting war God of old and the forgiving and accepting Jesus Christ.
When it serves the belief system to gain strength from harsh hardline values of the old inflexible God of old then people will look to espouse those values and when it requires a gentle, accepting, loving behaviour they will turn to the values of JC.
I understand the need for both but I see them as unworkable in the general faith.
One or the other? Sure, maybe.

Jesus wasn't always gentle and loving, though. So even if we put aside the OT, we'll still have contradictions in values in the Gospel accounts themselves.

That quote about ditching all your loved ones, including your own kids, if you want to be a true follower of Jesus is just one example. But this is often ignored in modern Christian circles.