Help Me Understand - Why Would a Religious Person Act This Way?

[xSilverPhinx]

Okay, so here's a little of the relevant back story:

There's this teacher who would make it clear to those both interested and totally not interest that he was a Christian. In class, besides the usual ignorant rambling about Christmas and Jesus (he had no idea about where the holiday came from, and actually thought that it was Jesus' actual historical birthday) he would mention that Christmas is all about respecting Jesus and that he felt that Jesus wasn't respected enough by society during that time.

Okay...

Turns out this guy, when a scandal breaks out, was pretty into some illegal porn, and of obvious questionable morality.

So, the question here is, how do these people tick? ??? How can they believe in an omniscient god, who both knows what they're doing and continue to choose to keep doing it time and again? What's odd to me is, they believe that their immortal soul is in the balance, is it worth that to them? How are they mentally juggling these two completely incompatible ideas and actions? How do they justify it to themselves? That an omniscient and omnipresent god doesn't know or isn't looking?! ???

Of course, I'd like to add that legality and questionable ethics and morality aside, it says in their holy scripture that even looking at porn is equal to adultery and is a sin.

So with all this against them, in their reality, what's mentally going on here? ??? I'm intrigued.

[Recusant]

In my opinion, only a particularly confused and arrogant Christian will try to claim that being Christian makes them in some way morally superior to non-Christians. I know there's a lot of that sort of rhetoric to be heard, but that doesn't mean that those who spout it aren't confused and arrogant. Put simply, Jesus Saves (Christian bumper sticker: "Not Perfect, Just Saved"). That is, Christians who are not (or are less) confused and arrogant will freely admit that they are no better morally than anybody else. What they do have that non-Christians don't is the chance to ask Jesus for forgiveness.

I won't pretend to know what goes on in this person's mind. I would hypothesize though that he believes that his god sees all, but is a god who will forgive all, as well.

[xSilverPhinx]

In my opinion, only a particularly confused and arrogant Christian will try to claim that being Christian makes them in some way morally superior to non-Christians. I know there's a lot of that sort of rhetoric to be heard, but that doesn't mean that those who spout it aren't confused and arrogant. Put simply, Jesus Saves (Christian bumper sticker: "Not Perfect, Just Saved"). That is, Christians who are not (or are less) confused and arrogant will freely admit that they are no better morally than anybody else. What they do have that non-Christians don't is the chance to ask Jesus for forgiveness.

I won't pretend to know what goes on in this person's mind. I would hypothesize though that he believes that his god sees all, but is a god who will forgive all, as well.

You've made some good points, especially about the forgiveness thing. I also don't know enough about what he thinks or what exactly he believes in, so that sort of information is lacking.

I know some who are way too quick to find a scapegoat to blame for their choices though, like the devil or evil demons. Another point that irks me, free will only exists in some situations, ones that are unfavourable to some believers cause them to quickly toss aside the idea that they have god-given free will.  Really convenient...

[Ecurb Noselrub]

In my opinion, only a particularly confused and arrogant Christian will try to claim that being Christian makes them in some way morally superior to non-Christians. I know there's a lot of that sort of rhetoric to be heard, but that doesn't mean that those who spout it aren't confused and arrogant. Put simply, Jesus Saves (Christian bumper sticker: "Not Perfect, Just Saved"). That is, Christians who are not (or are less) confused and arrogant will freely admit that they are no better morally than anybody else. What they do have that non-Christians don't is the chance to ask Jesus for forgiveness.

I won't pretend to know what goes on in this person's mind. I would hypothesize though that he believes that his god sees all, but is a god who will forgive all, as well.

This is a pretty good explanation.  There are confused and arrogant Christians who feel themselves morally superior, until they get caught.  From the Christian perspective, we all have the same disease.  Some have been administered the proper medication, some have not.

[xSilverPhinx]

In my opinion, only a particularly confused and arrogant Christian will try to claim that being Christian makes them in some way morally superior to non-Christians. I know there's a lot of that sort of rhetoric to be heard, but that doesn't mean that those who spout it aren't confused and arrogant. Put simply, Jesus Saves (Christian bumper sticker: "Not Perfect, Just Saved"). That is, Christians who are not (or are less) confused and arrogant will freely admit that they are no better morally than anybody else. What they do have that non-Christians don't is the chance to ask Jesus for forgiveness.

I won't pretend to know what goes on in this person's mind. I would hypothesize though that he believes that his god sees all, but is a god who will forgive all, as well.

This is a pretty good explanation.  There are confused and arrogant Christians who feel themselves morally superior, until they get caught.  From the Christian perspective, we all have the same disease.  Some have been administered the proper medication, some have not.

Your input is appreciated, Bruce.

What's really baffling me is exactly this: "There are confused and arrogant Christians who feel themselves morally superior, until they get caught."

Especially in the context of belief in an all knowing god. The guy from the example doesn't want to get caught (I know that much for sure), yet continued to do it, which would indicate that he knew that he shouldn't but still did.

It's a completely different scenario from someone who does wrong things but genuinely doesn't know it when it comes to assigning responisibility and accountability.

[DeterminedJuliet]

I think it boils down to a couple of points: A) According to the Christian faith, we are ALL sinners no matter how morally we try to act and B) the ONLY source of morality is God.

Soooo, if we're all sinners anyway, it's really easy to rationalize why some abhorrent things are okay, so long as you believe. It's an all or nothing game. Sin is sin. I don't even think it's that much of a stretch to say that the Christian faith doesn't dictate that you even have to feel all that sorry for your sins - you just have to believe that Jesus died to absolve you of them. I mean, if we're all sinners anyway, what's the point in trying to do the impossible (and not be a sinner?) It has some pretty scary implications, if you think about it.  

Now, of course, most Christians don't act this way, but the doctrine certainly leaves enough loop-holes for some real creepos to think they can justify their actions.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

What's really baffling me is exactly this: "There are confused and arrogant Christians who feel themselves morally superior, until they get caught."

Especially in the context of belief in an all knowing god. The guy from the example doesn't want to get caught (I know that much for sure), yet continued to do it, which would indicate that he knew that he shouldn't but still did.

It's a completely different scenario from someone who does wrong things but genuinely doesn't know it when it comes to assigning responisibility and accountability.

I will assume the person in your scenario both knew that what he was doing was wrong (from his perspective) and knew that God knew what he was doing (again, from his perspective).  But since we all have the same disease, perhaps its manifestation in this person was simply too strong for him to resist.  Furthermore, as has been pointed out by DJ, the idea that one can be forgiven for anything does give some license.  It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

For some Christians, the allure of forbidden fruit is much like Odysseus and the Sirens.  He wanted to hear their voice, but had himself strapped to the mast so that he wouldn't jump overboard and die.  Some want to get as close to the fruit as possible without actually tasting it, but they go over the line and pay the consequences.

On the other hand, there is an alternative interpretation of Christianity in which all law is removed, and thus there is no temptation to violate it.  It's difficult to get into this mental state - I've never been very successful at it. The foundation for this idea is found in Romans 14, where Paul says that essentially nothing is impure unless the person thinks it is impure.  If one could truly reach that state, there would be no law and total freedom.  For me, that remains a hypothetical concept. I waffle back and forth between law and grace. 

[Stevil]

On the other hand, there is an alternative interpretation of Christianity in which all law is removed, and thus there is no temptation to violate it.  It's difficult to get into this mental state - I've never been very successful at it. The foundation for this idea is found in Romans 14, where Paul says that essentially nothing is impure unless the person thinks it is impure.  If one could truly reach that state, there would be no law and total freedom.  For me, that remains a hypothetical concept. I waffle back and forth between law and grace. 

This sounds like atheism. No moral law (well accept for constraints of a subjective morality that some have invented for themselves), but obviously an atheist needs to be cognisant of legal law, and social consequences.

[Sandra Craft]

So, the question here is, how do these people tick? ??? How can they believe in an omniscient god, who both knows what they're doing and continue to choose to keep doing it time and again? What's odd to me is, they believe that their immortal soul is in the balance, is it worth that to them? How are they mentally juggling these two completely incompatible ideas and actions? How do they justify it to themselves? That an omniscient and omnipresent god doesn't know or isn't looking?! ???

I couldn't begin to tell you -- this is one of those things that always confused me and helped to eventually separate me from religion.  I was also told the "not perfect, just forgiven" business but c'mon, time after time after time?  That makes god sound like an idiot and conflicts with all the times he's supposed not to forgive, and it certainly didn't help that both the forgiveness and lack of forgiveness were suspiciously convenient for the believer telling the story.

[Genericguy]

I don't think "god will forgive me" is the reason at all. I think it's the byproduct of a more basic explanation. When we are alone, we feel alone. I believe that even if he asked his god for forgiveness before he committed the acts, the reason he followed through with it is because his body didn't see people and his brain felt alone. At the subconscious level, our brains can't fight our eyes.

[Siz]

Perhaps, we're looking at this the wrong way around. Maybe it's his own guilt for his irresistible urges that fires his Christian fervence. He's not a 'sinner' despite his Christianity, he's a Christian because of his 'sin'.

Just a thought...

[En_Route]

Pornography is huge business on the internet, and the no doubt the viewing stats in the US reflects this phenomenon. As there seems to be relatively few atheists in the  US, this implies the vast majority of pornography users there are theists of one description or another. Human beings and not just theists are of course masters of neutralising cognitive dissonance and self- justification so thre is nothing remarkable or even surprising in this.

[OldGit]

True, En_Route.  Christians seem to be particularly inclined to build sharp dividing-lines in their heads, separating the bad stuff they do in real life from the theoretical world of their faith.  They compartmentalise their heads.  Of course Christians aren't alone in this, but I've seen it a lot with them.

How else could a priest abuse little boys, year after year, and at the same time perform his spiritual functions?

[En_Route]

Even as we speak, somewhere near you,  a devout theist is placing his immortal soul in jeopardy by masturbating furiously in front of a computer screen.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Even as we speak, somewhere near you,  a devout theist is placing his immortal soul in jeopardy by masturbating furiously in front of a computer screen.

But that's the thing. Under Reformation Christianity (Protestantism) the believer is saved by faith alone.  A sin here and there doesn't affect that. It may have its temporal consequences, but the believer's relationship with God is secure.  Your post may, however, reflect more of a Catholic theology.  But even they just have to go the priest, confess, and say 10 Hail Mary's and 5 Our Fathers, or something.