post by batteredshoes:
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are cor- roded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.- James 5:1-6
arythusa replies:
At first I thought this was an angry Tumblr post but then it turned out to be the Literal Bible and it got 1000x better
L. Ron Hubbard knew. The Vatican knows.
In my small, underserved, rural area, preachers and flock came at me to cudgel me with the Bible about virtuous and unsavory women types, lgbtqia, etc. i told them their Christ uttered nothing about any of that, but had plenty to say about adultery, hypocrites, vipers, dens of thieves, and then I asked them of adultery in the Bible isn’t condemned for men and women. They begrudgingly admitted it does. So then I asked their preachers, in front of some members, why they never spoke about the local norm of men having one woman at home and several “side dishes,” including themselves. Every time I got hammered by someone for this, I reiterated my question. People stopped talking Bible to me and complained I talked it too much. Go figure.
Not saying any of that is ok in any way, or that they’re right, but none of it means that they would ever acknowledge themselves as evil. You and I seeing them for what they are doesn’t mean they ever will (mostly because they don’t see the people they oppress as fellow humans).
Do you really think Hubbard or the pope would ever hang a quote that condemns them and their respective churches to hell for their exploits on their wall?
Nope but I think they very well know what they are.
We’ll never know I guess, you do give them more credit for seeing what they do as wrong, than I do though…
In my perspective, knowing exactly what one is and seeing it as right or wrong aren’t always a pair. Some psychology professionals don’t differentiate between psychopathy and sociopathy; others say aspd persons know what they do is wrong, and do it anyway but psychopaths do not. Either way, neither personality seems to admit knowing exactly what they are, to psychology professionals or legal employees, for reasons.
** second edit: thanking you for a thought-provoking conversation. I’ll probably mull it over, for weeks.
I think that’s a good summation of the point I was trying to make, and I agree with the rest too (as for the reasons they won’t admit it - probably good ol conative dissonance, so back to the difference between knowing something is wrong, and acknowledging it), though I try to avoid naming any disorders since I’m not qulified to.
And thank you, too, it’s a really interesing topic that I’m not sure even the experts know the whole answers to (if they did, you’d hope we wouldn’t still be dealing with such abusers and exploiters), the human brain is a hell of a drug lol
No, I don’t think experts really know 100%.
Wrt cognitive dissonance: maybe, I’m more inclined to think they don’t admit it mostly to avoid consequences, legal or otherwise.
It’s been a pleasure, friend.
To others - probably, I was thinking more to themselves.
Anyway, hope you have nice day/night wherever you are, I’m off to have a very late supper.