(also known as: reduce to absurdity)
—If everyone lived exactly like Jesus, the world would be a perfect place
Reductio ad absurdum is a technique to expose fallacious statements like the one above. Taken at face value we will assume it is true. In such a case, we would have 8 billion people on this earth roaming from town to town, living off the charity of others, preaching about God (with nobody listening). Without anyone creating wealth, there would be nobody to get charity from—there would just be 8 billion people all trying to tell each other about God. After a few weeks, everyone would eventually starve and die. This world might be a beautiful place for the vultures and maggots feeding on all the Jesus-like people, but far from a beautiful world from a human perspective. Since the world cannot be both a perfect place and a horrible place, the proposition is false.
Fortunately for the rest of us, no christians actually live like jesus anyway. The talk is heavy in contradiction and the rituals mean absolutely nothing. And, internet christians being true to form, are as absent in practice as their god is in reality. How can one actually follow something that never existed in the first place? It is my duty to make the world a beautiful place by refusing to live like Jesus and embrace all our varieties and talents. Less religion, more humanity. Less hate, more love. Less conjecture, more truth. Less faith, more personal responsibility.
If everyone lived with grace by faith, the world would be a horrible place of reckless deferred responsibility. Reductio ad Absurdum that one!
Great observation. As the Reverend Christopher R Smith (Christian Living, Translating the Bible) explained: “Jesus assures us that our heavenly Father cares for us and will provide for us, SO WE DON’T NEED TO WONDER, “What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?” If we seek his kingdom and righteousness, all these things will be provided as well. And so, Jesus concludes, “do not worry about tomorrow” (NIV, NRSV).”
Yeah, that’s a recipe for societal success.
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But I don’t care for the flavor of manna, and like religious sermons, hearing, or eating the same thing for 70-80 years would also be a real treat.
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That’s the secret formula to humanity extinction
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And I’m sure 8.7 million species presently on the earth are hoping we pursue it…
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I, too, embrace autonomy, diversity, love, logic, and responsible freedom…. in other words, all those things that religion tried to beat out of me growing up. Thanks and peace, brother.
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If we all lived lives just like Jesus, we’d all be crucified when we turn 33. Glad I avoided that. 🙂
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Barely! By double?
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HEY!!! I’m only 34! 😀
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Me too. In dog years
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If everyone lived exactly like Jesus we would not exist to have this conversation
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That was my thought, exactly! No people would probably make for a nicer world.
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Now wait a minute. That would mean that I could turn all this water into wine? Eh, just kidding. I do have it on good authority, however, if everyone would listen to my wife, it would be a perfect world. I suggested she not hold her breath.
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Maybe if everyone did what my wife said your wife could say? Great comment Bill. Ha!
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YES! LOVE IT and it is so damn true! 😄 Now, how can we make it happen? SOON!? Like NOW!? 😉
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If everyone actually practiced loving their enemies and turning the other cheek when attacked, a single person who deviated and retained normal human behavior could rule the entire planet.
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It has happened in closed societies. When one Mormon broke from the United Order economic system to go into business it all had to unravel and did so very quickly.
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Sorreeeee … I do NOT want to be like Jesus.
(You ain’t nailin’ ME to no cross, Buddy …)
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