The Sermon on the Mount is Bad Advice

In this round I will present my arguments as to why the Sermon on the Mount is, overall, not good advice. As a note, I will not go through the entire sermon; I will just be highlighting a few points to make my case. Since CON specifically mentioned the beatitudes, I will begin there (it is also convenient that they are the beginning :D). The Beatitudes Beginning in Matthew 5, verse 3 are the “beatitudes,” which outline various Christian ideals. At first glance these seem to be neutral, but in reality, they promote a particularly harmful worldview. Among the beatitudes are blessings to “the poor in spirit,” “they that mourn,” “the meek,” and “they which are persecuted” [1]. Jesus is basically telling people that no matter how bad things are in this life, things will be better in the next. This concept is expanded in chapter 6, verses 19 & 20. This basically amounts to telling people to accept their lot in life, and not work to improve their station. While it may give comfort to some, it is essentially telling people not to work toward social change. This is terrible advice, since people working to improve their lives and those of others have been the driving force behind social progress throughout history [2]. Thought Crime In verse 21, Jesus gives a prohibition on murder, which is generally agreed to be good advice. However, in verse 22, he follows that up by saying, “anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. ” According to Jesus, simply being angry without reason is a crime. Our emotions represent particular neuro-chemical states in our brains [3] which are largely beyond our direct control. This concept is expanded upon in verse 28 to equate lustful thoughts with adultery. By criminalizing something that cannot be changed, Jesus is setting up a situation where no one can possibly uphold the law. Having standards that cannot be met will result in stress, role conflict, and dysfunction [4]. Not only is Jesus’ prohibition of certain thoughts absurd, it may lead to societal harm; it is not good advice. Giving Stuff Away Verse 40 basically says that if someone sues you for your coat, you are to also give them your cloak. This is absurd advice. If you have a legal system that establishes certain penalties, good advice would be to adhere to those legal standards. On the same basic idea, verse 42 essentially says not to ever turn down a request from anyone. It might be good advice to encourage charity, but to tell people to never say, “no” is terrible advice which leads to time wasting, lowered productivity, and a dysfunctional social environment [5]. No Thought for the Morrow Chapter 6, verses 25-34, contain terrible advice to not plan for the future. We are told to, “not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear” [6]. This whole section tells us not to work because God will provide. However, it is clear that we need to plant seeds so we can eat, and we need to make (or buy) clothes to protect us from the elements. Verse 34 sums it up well when it says, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself” [7]. I’m sorry, it won’t. Final Thoughts I have outlined several parts of the Sermon on the Mount that amount to bad advice. I look forward to CON’s comments, and the subsequent discussion. Sources [1] . http://www.biblegateway.com... [2] . http://www.socialprogressimperative.org... [3] . http://experiencelife.com... [4] . http://files.eric.ed.gov... [5] . http://www.holycrossenergyleadershipacademy.com... [6] . http://www.biblegateway.com... [7] . http://www.biblegateway.com...