Tweets - October 29th - Advice

I was reading through Paul's letter to Philemon and recognized that he often gave unsolicited advice. There really isn't anything wrong with this until "advice" becomes a tool of judgment and control (you should be doing what I think you should be doing).

It looks like Onesimus was a slave of Philemon, who was a slave due to debt. They both received a little light from above, but Onesimus still had resentment toward Philemon and did something Philemon considered foul (perhaps Onesimus said, "fuck that debt" and ran off).

I do understand that soft feeling Paul had of wanting people he loved to get along, and Onesimus was on board, but Philemon was not (feeling cheated and walked over). So Philemon got a letter (which made its way into your scriptures).

"Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say." ~ verse 21. I would personally take strong offense to this part of the letter - but I am not Philemon.

When a person is sanctified by another person, giving unsolicited advice to the one who sanctifies you becomes dangerous; when revered, less so - but it can still be dangerous.

It's one of the reasons why you should never expect to receive unsolicited advice from Christ (you will be warned when you're approaching the edge of the deadly cliff - it is very rare - but if you insist on walking off the cliff, Christ will not stop you, oh believe you me!!).

None of these things are hidden, not for 2000 years. People generally have an idea of how they hate to be treated; and if they did not sanctify Paul, some of these letters would not be in their scriptures.

But when people are sanctified (prophets, pastors, popes, etc.), they're set in a place beyond reproach, and just the idea of human decency becomes a matter of opinion and debate, and it devolves into "morality". Turning the word of the sanctified into the literal word of God.

Morality justifies your maltreatment and the maltreatment of your neighbors - each and every time. What we require instead, is simple, plain-ole, childlike decency. If you have questions regarding human decency, find a newborn baby and ask them.