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From: mpaul@unl.edu (marxhausen paul)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: "National repentance"
Message-ID: <May.9.05.41.51.1993.27574@athos.rutgers.edu>
Date: 9 May 93 09:41:51 GMT
Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu
Organization: University of Nebraska--Lincoln
Lines: 37
Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu

mcovingt@aisun3.ai.uga.edu (Michael Covington) writes:

>I heard on the radio today about a Christian student conference where
>Christians were called to "repent" of America's "national" sins, such
>as sexual promiscuity.

>How can I repent of _someone else's_ sin?   I can't.

>And when I claim to "repent" of someone else's sin, am I not in fact
>_judging_ him?  Jesus equipped us to judge activities but warned us
>not to judge people. "Judge not that ye be not judged."

Strictly speaking, you're right - we can't repent _for_ somebody else,
for what they've done.  I guess I don't think it's out of line to talk
about a generalized repentence for our contribution to or participation
in "The sins of society" , or for our tacit approval (by our silence) of
sinful attitudes or practices....it may be that we're also just plain
begging for mercy, hoping God will withhold his hand of judgement on
our whole country for the sake of a few, much as Abraham sought to do
for the sake of Lot.  (Hmmm, the results there were pretty cautionary...)

A few times lately when I've observed some either out-and-out sinful 
activity, or just some self-destructive activity, I've gotten a strong
impression that many folks really don't know any better.  Christ's pity
on the crowds as being "like sheep without a shepherd" rings true to me.
If these folks don't have a clue, do I bear _any_ responsibility for my
not having communicated a better way?  Worse still; have I expressed 
judgement and disgust at their doings, and thus alienated them from any 
positive relationship whereby I might pass along anything positive?  
I _know_ I've got something to repent about on that score.

Anyway, it's a real interesting question.  
--
paul marxhausen .... ....... ............. ............ ............ .......... 
 .. . .  . . . university of nebraska - lincoln .  . . .. . .  .. . . . . . . .
 .     .    .  .   .     .   .  .    .   .  .   .    .   .  grace .   .    .  . 
   .         .       .      .        .        .      .        .   happens .     
