Quotable

Critique:

A message Jesus instructed his disciples:

"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 16:25 (English Standard Version)

Majority of commentary interpret 'losing one's life' as self-denial and abstinence from greed, self-interest, power, etc... well that's just hypocrisy of the ruling class saying to the poor, 'you guys can't do it.' Promising rewards in afterlife is equally exploitative of people's self-interest, just duping the gullible they'll get more later if they buy into the present. "

Joy of Sect. S9 E13.

Sect Mover: Your family will be housed here for the first 100,000 years, then something might open up in a double.

Homer Simpson: Why even unpack?

The point is not for God to come and reward me, send those guys to Hell. It's that *I don't want to be that kind of person* whether in this life or a next life. A good deed is it's own reward - namely, nothing. That's the point of it - to gain nothing, and want it for its own sake! I neither take riches with me in this life or another.

But the exploitative use of this message to get the poor to give up their life to service for those in power, promising them a paradise that conveniently requires no funding... obeying that is as evil as being a sinner. A man behaving righteous for the purpose of gaining the rewards in Heaven, so that he may enjoy them longer than the sinner enjoys on Earth, that is not virtue but stupid greed.

Alternative:

What I think the message ought to be

"Whoever works only to save his life shall lose it, but whoever devotes his life to purpose will gain it."

'It' refers to eternal life. But shouldn't require you to lose your life to find it. Ought to be whoever 'devotes' his life for my sake will find it.

The eternal quality of true life... it's not about living forever after you die... what's the point of stagnant repetition? That would be a short life, no matter how long it plays out.

Those clamoring for their own life, at any expense to others... they live and die with no value in between. No matter how many sons and daughters follow your line, it is not you. Your one drop of blood will be diluted in the wash. No individual lives forever. But it is the collective that can survive.

Having a purpose that matters more than individual pleasures, that is a virtuous motive to live by. Through that I can find the value of life.

The just message ought to be *breaking* the self-interested motivations. No eternal life, no heaven, no revenge of judgment! It doesn't matter. Let the greedy and powerful choose a harmful existence. Let their wealth amass. I'm not trying to win a game of rewards in this life or the next.

I ought to pursue a purpose. Relinquish self-interest, greed, and fear holding me back from doing what's right. Do everything I believe in, every minute of every hour. And I'll see that eternity can be lived in a day. And live all the eternities in my lifetime, never wanting more.