G. Washington - Imitate Christ - Be Happy!

[DriftingSand]

Likely the most well known of America's Founding Fathers, George Washington warned that America wouldn't be a "happy nation" unless its citizens "imitated Christ." Just think how all the citizens of America would get along and how peaceful this nation would be if we all followed Jesus Christ's example in everything we did.

The Greatest Veteran Warned: U.S. ‘Could Never Hope to Be Happy Nation’ Unless Citizens Imitated Christ

"I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation."

The Greatest Veteran Warned U.S. Could Never Hope to Be Happy Nation Unless Citizens Imitated Christ CNS News

 

[Blackrook]

Christ never promised his followers that they would be happy in this life.

 

[guno]

Likely the most well known of America's Founding Fathers, George Washington warned that America wouldn't be a "happy nation" unless its citizens "imitated Christ." Just think how all the citizens of America would get along and how peaceful this nation would be if we all followed Jesus Christ's example in everything we did.

The Greatest Veteran Warned: U.S. ‘Could Never Hope to Be Happy Nation’ Unless Citizens Imitated Christ

"I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation."

The Greatest Veteran Warned U.S. Could Never Hope to Be Happy Nation Unless Citizens Imitated Christ CNS News

And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerve in the brain of Jupiter. But may we hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away with this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this most venerated reformer of human errors.
-Thomas Jefferson, Letter to John Adams, April 11, 1823

The whole history of these books [the Gospels] is so defective and doubtful that it seems vain to attempt minute enquiry into it: and such tricks have been played with their text, and with the texts of other books relating to them, that we have a right, from that cause, to entertain much doubt what parts of them are genuine. In the New Testament there is internal evidence that parts of it have proceeded from an extraordinary man; and that other parts are of the fabric of very inferior minds. It is as easy to separate those parts, as to pick out diamonds from dunghills.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, January 24, 1814

The Christian god can easily be pictured as virtually the same god as the many ancient gods of past civilizations. The Christian god is a three headed monster; cruel, vengeful and capricious. If one wishes to know more of this raging, three headed beast-like god, one only needs to look at the caliber of people who say they serve him. They are always of two classes: fools and hypocrites.-- in a letter to his nephew, Peter Carr.

 

[Vandalshandle]

I have never personally known anyone who imitated Christ.

I don't think that George would be in that category, either, with his owning over 30,000 acres worked by over 200 slaves, producing, among other things, the largest distillery in the USA and huge tobacco crops.

 

[DriftingSand]

Christ never promised his followers that they would be happy in this life.

But He did promise JOY. Joy is the highest form of happiness.

 

[DriftingSand]

I have never personally known anyone who imitated Christ.

I don't think that George would be in that category, either, with his owning over 30,000 acres worked by over 200 slaves, producing, among other things, the largest distillery in the USA and huge tobacco crops.

If all things are God's then Christ owns what you own. And Paul calls Christians to be slaves to Christ. But the more important point to consider is the actual imitation of Christ and how unified the USA would be if we all got out of ourselves and considered our neighbors. "Love thy neighbor" is Christ's second, "Great Commandment."

 

[Avatar4321]

Christ never promised his followers that they would be happy in this life.

when you receive the Holy Spirit the fruits of the Spirit bring us peace and joy as we walking through the trials of life.

that's why Christians can be at peace even in facing death

 

[bodecea]

Likely the most well known of America's Founding Fathers, George Washington warned that America wouldn't be a "happy nation" unless its citizens "imitated Christ." Just think how all the citizens of America would get along and how peaceful this nation would be if we all followed Jesus Christ's example in everything we did.

The Greatest Veteran Warned: U.S. ‘Could Never Hope to Be Happy Nation’ Unless Citizens Imitated Christ

"I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation."

The Greatest Veteran Warned U.S. Could Never Hope to Be Happy Nation Unless Citizens Imitated Christ CNS News

This is the guy they painted like god at the Rotunda in the Capital and had a Zeus-like statue of, right?
statue of washington in smithsonian - Google Search
Oh, and had a couple hundred slaves.

 

[Blackrook]

No, it is false and misleading to tell people that converting to Christianity will make them happy in this life, or that it will somehow make everything work out.

Some Christians achieve peace within their souls, but not all.

Mother Theresa suffered spiritual "dryness" which is a problem that many of the greatest saints suffered.

Christians have the same kinds of problems as anyone else. We get sick, we have money problems, and people close to us die.

St. Theresa of Avila said to God, "If this is how you treat your friends, it is no wonder you have so few of them.

"St. Teresa of Avila was no lightweight

 

[DriftingSand]

Likely the most well known of America's Founding Fathers, George Washington warned that America wouldn't be a "happy nation" unless its citizens "imitated Christ." Just think how all the citizens of America would get along and how peaceful this nation would be if we all followed Jesus Christ's example in everything we did.

The Greatest Veteran Warned: U.S. ‘Could Never Hope to Be Happy Nation’ Unless Citizens Imitated Christ

"I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation."

The Greatest Veteran Warned U.S. Could Never Hope to Be Happy Nation Unless Citizens Imitated Christ CNS News

This is the guy they painted like god at the Rotunda in the Capital and had a Zeus-like statue of, right?
statue of washington in smithsonian - Google Search
Oh, and had a couple hundred slaves.

What others did has nothing to do with what Washington said. Apples - Oranges.

 

[DriftingSand]

No, it is false and misleading to tell people that converting to Christianity will make them happy in this life, or that it will somehow make everything work out.

Some Christians achieve peace within their souls, but not all.

Mother Theresa suffered spiritual "dryness" which is a problem that many of the greatest saints suffered.

Christians have the same kinds of problems as anyone else. We get sick, we have money problems, and people close to us die.

St. Theresa of Avila said to God, "If this is how you treat your friends, it is no wonder you have so few of them.

"St. Teresa of Avila was no lightweight

I didn't say anything about "converting to Christianity." I said that if we "imitated Christ" we'd be a happier nation. So simple even you should get it.

 

[Steven_R]

Which Christ are we supposed to imitate? The happy-go-lucky Christ that heals the blind or the pissed-off Christ that upturns tables when he see stuff he doesn't like? Maybe the one that feeds everyone or the one that says not to worry about the poor because they aren't going anywhere? The one that says he's wiping the slate clean or the one that kicks people into hell? The Jesus who tells us to love everyone or the Jesus who tells us to abandon our families and not love our parents or kids that much if they get in the way?

 

[guno]

Which Christ are we supposed to imitate? The happy-go-lucky Christ that heals the blind or the pissed-off Christ that upturns tables when he see stuff he doesn't like? Maybe the one that feeds everyone or the one that says not to worry about the poor because they aren't going anywhere? The one that says he's wiping the slate clean or the one that kicks people into hell? The Jesus who tells us to love everyone or the Jesus who tells us to abandon our families and not love our parents or kids that much if they get in the way?

maybe he meant they should hang on two sticks to be happy like their godman

 

[Syriusly]

Likely the most well known of America's Founding Fathers, George Washington warned that America wouldn't be a "happy nation" unless its citizens "imitated Christ." Just think how all the citizens of America would get along and how peaceful this nation would be if we all followed Jesus Christ's example in everything we did.

The Greatest Veteran Warned: U.S. ‘Could Never Hope to Be Happy Nation’ Unless Citizens Imitated Christ

"I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation."

The Greatest Veteran Warned U.S. Could Never Hope to Be Happy Nation Unless Citizens Imitated Christ CNS News

"I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation."

Where is the reference to Christ in there?

Do you 'entertain a brotherly affection and love for your fellow citizens of the United States?

 

[DriftingSand]

Which Christ are we supposed to imitate? The happy-go-lucky Christ that heals the blind or the pissed-off Christ that upturns tables when he see stuff he doesn't like? Maybe the one that feeds everyone or the one that says not to worry about the poor because they aren't going anywhere? The one that says he's wiping the slate clean or the one that kicks people into hell? The Jesus who tells us to love everyone or the Jesus who tells us to abandon our families and not love our parents or kids that much if they get in the way?

The one and only - Jesus Christ. We should love our neighbor but stand strong against evil.

 

[Steven_R]

When he's saying "be nice to one another" and "take care of each other" and "turn the other cheek", that Jesus I can emulate. It's the rest of the story that I can do without because that Jesus just isn't all that fun to be around as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Blackrook]

When he's saying "be nice to one another" and "take care of each other" and "turn the other cheek", that Jesus I can emulate. It's the rest of the story that I can do without because that Jesus just isn't all that fun to be around as far as I'm concerned.

Jesus never promised "fun." He is not Walt Disney.

 

[Avatar4321]

No, it is false and misleading to tell people that converting to Christianity will make them happy in this life, or that it will somehow make everything work out.

Some Christians achieve peace within their souls, but not all.

Mother Theresa suffered spiritual "dryness" which is a problem that many of the greatest saints suffered.

Christians have the same kinds of problems as anyone else. We get sick, we have money problems, and people close to us die.

St. Theresa of Avila said to God, "If this is how you treat your friends, it is no wonder you have so few of them.

"St. Teresa of Avila was no lightweight

so Christ lied when He said He would give us peace? Or when He said His yoke and burden were light?

when you have experienced the transformation of the Holy Spirit in your life, you will know how you can face all trials including death and be of good cheer.

 

[Blackrook]

No, it is false and misleading to tell people that converting to Christianity will make them happy in this life, or that it will somehow make everything work out.

Some Christians achieve peace within their souls, but not all.

Mother Theresa suffered spiritual "dryness" which is a problem that many of the greatest saints suffered.

Christians have the same kinds of problems as anyone else. We get sick, we have money problems, and people close to us die.

St. Theresa of Avila said to God, "If this is how you treat your friends, it is no wonder you have so few of them.

"St. Teresa of Avila was no lightweight

so Christ lied when He said He would give us peace? Or when He said His yoke and burden were light?

when you have experienced the transformation of the Holy Spirit in your life, you will know how you can face all trials including death and be of good cheer.

Don't preach to me. I've been there, done that. Religion doesn't make you happy. That's not what religion is for.

 

[Mr. H.]

I suppose we'd never run out of fish.

Or bread.