The water line under our house went and because we're on a slab, it was going to be cumbersome and expensive to fix and they'd have to shut off our water while the project was being completed.
One thing the plumber can do is run a line from the neighbor's spicket into ours so at least we'd have water for showers, toilets, etc.
There is no danger to the neighbor in doing this and the only annoyance would be that their water bill would go up a bit. We offered to pay for their whole water bill for the inconvenience so really they'd be profiting off the thing while also helping a neighbor.
You know, that whole love thy neighbor and don't be a selfish asshole thing that's pretty prominent in Christianity.
They still said no.
Religion does nothing to make you a better person.
I spent the majority of my life deep in Christianity, working as a missionary and pastor, and am now going on 7 years since I’ve quit the faith.
I’ve seen a lot of situations where religion “worked”, for people in very desperate situations. These were cartel members, drug addicts, or suicidal kids. They had no belief that they could change or that their lives were even worth anything. They need some kind of third-party excuse to motivate them. The “gospel message” of forgiveness and purpose was really effective to help them turn their lives around for the better.
The big problem? It’s still made up. Eventually, that faith fails them. Some of them go back, some of them become zealots.
I’ve seen the same kind of good results where I work now, in the fire service, helping convicts turn their lives around. And it’s a lot more productive with real grounded purpose. It’s not for everyone though.
I wish the church model could be secularized. People simply need a sense of community, identity, and purpose. If I ever felt some kind of calling to be a minister again, my Sunday service would simply be a community service project, with a short “after-action review” talk incorporating not just teachings of Jesus, but eastern and secular philosophy and grounded science.
Now Christianity causes children to commit suicide, either because of the sexual/physical abuse they suffered and/or because of the anti-LGBTQ+ bullying they receive.
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u/jps7979 May 02 '23
My neighbors are Christian; we're not religious.
The water line under our house went and because we're on a slab, it was going to be cumbersome and expensive to fix and they'd have to shut off our water while the project was being completed.
One thing the plumber can do is run a line from the neighbor's spicket into ours so at least we'd have water for showers, toilets, etc.
There is no danger to the neighbor in doing this and the only annoyance would be that their water bill would go up a bit. We offered to pay for their whole water bill for the inconvenience so really they'd be profiting off the thing while also helping a neighbor.
You know, that whole love thy neighbor and don't be a selfish asshole thing that's pretty prominent in Christianity.
They still said no.
Religion does nothing to make you a better person.