Sounds Good

[jimmygun]

I read a quote the other day. Perhaps you might care to comment on it.....

"All saints have a past, all sinners have a future."

It was made in the context of an argument about religious leaders who have fallen (ie. Jim Baker).

[evildave]

All saints have a future, and all sinners have a past, too.

Except maybe for the dead sinners/saints. But maybe they don't figure an "afterlife" in for the saints?

Perhaps they mean that the "saints" were forgiven all their sins when they were sainted, but the sinners have an eternity in some hell to look forward to?

Or maybe that there no saints were without past tarnish, and that the likes of Jim Bakker will one day join their elite ranks?

[bjornart]

I'd interpret that as: If you admit you're a sinner you can improve yourself, if you pretend to be a saint you will be knocked down, since everyone has a dodgy past.

[Zep]

It sounds like ANOTHER cliche that sounds impressive but has no basis or practical use for anything at all, really.

Why not just say, "The higher, the fewer." Or, "There's no bones in ice-cream." Just as useful.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by jimmygun
I read a quote the other day. Perhaps you might care to comment on it.....

"All saints have a past, all sinners have a future."

It was made in the context of an argument about religious leaders who have fallen (ie. Jim Baker).
They forgot to add that the sinners' future may include 5-10 at Leavenworth.

[c4ts]

Originally posted by jimmygun
I read a quote the other day. Perhaps you might care to comment on it.....

"All saints have a past, all sinners have a future."

It was made in the context of an argument about religious leaders who have fallen (ie. Jim Baker).

Everybody has a past. Everybody has a future. The statement looks pretty meaningless to me.

[Skeptical Greg]

I'ts not over till it's over.. Heh, heh...:D

[c4ts]

Originally posted by Diogenes
I'ts not over till it's over.. Heh, heh...:D

Gah! Stop that!

[Eos of the Eons]

If in Doubt, Don't :p

[UnrepentantSinner]

Originally posted by jimmygun
I read a quote the other day. Perhaps you might care to comment on it.....

"All saints have a past, all sinners have a future."


I'm pretty sure I don't have a future, so I'm evidence it's just an empty platitude.

[c4ts]

A man's gotta do what a man's g- now you've got me doing it, too!

[Max560]

If you wanna run with the big dogs, you can't pee like a puppy.

[Yahweh]

Give peace a chance...

[Zep]

The future lies ahead.


Obviously. :)

[Eos of the Eons]

Well, back to the topic. Saints were sinners? Sinners can become saints?

How about "everyone is human" and prone to sinning even while impressing the population with a saintly front. How do we know all the saints weren't 'sinning' in their days that they are recognized as saints? They could have been guilty of gluttony of some sort, or jealousy, or vanity. I can't see any human as capable of being completely devoid of the human tendencies called "sins".

This tendency of religions to label humans as only one way or another (sinner or saint) is hardly realistic. There is nothing wrong with having some faults, and it doesn't make one a 'sinner' in that they are 'flawed' somehow.

Only when those flaws lead to criminal behavior, then guilt should be preached on that criminal.

Telling people they are not 'worthy' because of a few sins is, well-how do I put it? Silly?

Striving to be a Saint is putting too much pressure on oneself. How does the pope live like he does and not get depressed? That knowledge of his 'sainthood' and being favored because of that by god is what keeps him from going insane with having to be perfect?

Popes are certainly saintly right?

My beef is with the labelling of 'sinner' for just being human. There is a line that can be crossed into 'sinner' for sure, but I think the line is seen as too close to having to be a saint in order to avoid the label sinner from what I've experienced.

[Prospero]

Originally posted by Eos of the Eons
Saints were sinners? Sinners can become saints?



That would be my guess, even given the vague context of the quote in light of an argument about religious leaders falling.

Or maybe it has to do with saints which have spent their past serving the church and died for the church (no living saints, remember?) and sinners who have yet to do so. Either way, I'm not particularly impressed with the significance.

[Eos of the Eons]

That was a rhetorical questions :p


Either way, I'm not particularly impressed with the significance :D

A saint was a human. Yep. No significance to be impressed with :)