What an important point. The Eastern religions all seem to encourage a self-suicide--a forsaking of one's feelings, emotions, and thoughts to the point that the self is obliterated.
The Eastern practices can be confused with Biblical instructions to "put to death the old Adam." But we put to death our sinful nature, and the Holy Spirit creates a New Man. It's an upgrade, not annihilation. The New Man isn't a blitzed out and disembodied consciousness. The New Man is human--more human, better human, more fully human--emotions and all.
Christians like to toss around this term “righteous anger”, but for humans, does that even exist? Since “there is no one righteous; not even one”, how could any of us have righteous anger? Of course, we do get angry, just as we worry and feel anxious. But none of these are good and certainly not “righteous”.
This has been my lifelong learning experience too… when I was little, I had a very active temper! My mom would try to teach me techniques to calm down, but I learned from that that it was wrong to feel angry. I spent a great deal of prayer when I was growing up on asking not to get angry anymore… but as an adult I learned (and am learning) how to express anger appropriately, to feel it and yet not let it control me. I’m grateful that God is patient with me.
I think it helps to read different translations of this verse. From the Christian Standard BIble
Refrain from anger and give up your rage;
do not be agitated—it can only bring harm.
Or from the Easy to Read Version
Don’t become so angry and upset that you, too, want to do evil.
Which can easily point back to Genesis 4:5
but [God} didn’t look favorably on Cain and his sacrifice. Cain became very angry and looked resentful. (CEB)
but not with Cain and his offering. This made Cain so angry that he could not hide his feelings. (CEV)
but he rejected Cain and his offering. Cain became furious, and he scowled in anger. (GNT)
To which God replies....
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why that scowl on your face? If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling; but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door. It wants to rule you, but you must overcome it.” (GNT)
Indignant anger has always been a part of the human experience. Its more about my expectations not being met than what is pleading to the Lord. Can humans have righteous anger? Yes, we get angry when harm is done to us...and the question is do we hand the situation over to the Lord to deal with it in His time and way or do we take matters into our own hands?
Eastern religious focus on inner peace, but that inner peace comes from cultivating the mind and reigning in the passions and kinda comes across as a self improvement project at times. It tries to transcend the problems of the world by self striving. You may have some moments of tranquility by shutting out the world, but it is only temporary unless you lock yourself up in a convent or monastery. Universal peace for daily living only comes from the one who came down from heaven to give us the gift of peace that passes all understanding.
I'd say Christianity is passionate rather than emotional. The night of sense involves the withdrawal of sensible consolations and emotions and is, according to st John of the cross, a purification.
What an important point. The Eastern religions all seem to encourage a self-suicide--a forsaking of one's feelings, emotions, and thoughts to the point that the self is obliterated.
The Eastern practices can be confused with Biblical instructions to "put to death the old Adam." But we put to death our sinful nature, and the Holy Spirit creates a New Man. It's an upgrade, not annihilation. The New Man isn't a blitzed out and disembodied consciousness. The New Man is human--more human, better human, more fully human--emotions and all.
Christians like to toss around this term “righteous anger”, but for humans, does that even exist? Since “there is no one righteous; not even one”, how could any of us have righteous anger? Of course, we do get angry, just as we worry and feel anxious. But none of these are good and certainly not “righteous”.
This has been my lifelong learning experience too… when I was little, I had a very active temper! My mom would try to teach me techniques to calm down, but I learned from that that it was wrong to feel angry. I spent a great deal of prayer when I was growing up on asking not to get angry anymore… but as an adult I learned (and am learning) how to express anger appropriately, to feel it and yet not let it control me. I’m grateful that God is patient with me.
I think it helps to read different translations of this verse. From the Christian Standard BIble
Refrain from anger and give up your rage;
do not be agitated—it can only bring harm.
Or from the Easy to Read Version
Don’t become so angry and upset that you, too, want to do evil.
Which can easily point back to Genesis 4:5
but [God} didn’t look favorably on Cain and his sacrifice. Cain became very angry and looked resentful. (CEB)
but not with Cain and his offering. This made Cain so angry that he could not hide his feelings. (CEV)
but he rejected Cain and his offering. Cain became furious, and he scowled in anger. (GNT)
To which God replies....
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why that scowl on your face? If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling; but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door. It wants to rule you, but you must overcome it.” (GNT)
Indignant anger has always been a part of the human experience. Its more about my expectations not being met than what is pleading to the Lord. Can humans have righteous anger? Yes, we get angry when harm is done to us...and the question is do we hand the situation over to the Lord to deal with it in His time and way or do we take matters into our own hands?
Eastern religious focus on inner peace, but that inner peace comes from cultivating the mind and reigning in the passions and kinda comes across as a self improvement project at times. It tries to transcend the problems of the world by self striving. You may have some moments of tranquility by shutting out the world, but it is only temporary unless you lock yourself up in a convent or monastery. Universal peace for daily living only comes from the one who came down from heaven to give us the gift of peace that passes all understanding.
I'd say Christianity is passionate rather than emotional. The night of sense involves the withdrawal of sensible consolations and emotions and is, according to st John of the cross, a purification.