RE: Religious "moderates" and atheists
May 29, 2014 at 5:12 pm
(This post was last modified: May 29, 2014 at 5:29 pm by Mudhammam.)
(May 29, 2014 at 2:42 pm)RobbyPants Wrote:(May 28, 2014 at 11:58 am)Lek Wrote: You keep repeating this assertion over and over. Where do you get your facts on this? Or is this just from personal observation?
The church I went to would frequently say that we weren't supposed to be swayed by secular views. They would say doubts were normal, and you should acknowledge them... but then you were always supposed to come back in the fold (i.e. not reject your beliefs). There's even scriptural support!
1 Corinthians 1:25
Quote:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Read: God is right, you are wrong, and no amount of thinking or contemplation will change that.
Romans 12:2
Quote:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Read: Don't be like the rest of the world. Only be like God.
This was my experience. I grew up in a non-denominational Christian school and church, so my observations are based on dozens of different churches and dominations I was personally acquainted with--from Pentecostals to Catholics to everything in between. Then of course there are the polls regularly conducted in America that demonstrate similar credulity on a widespread scale.
(May 28, 2014 at 9:35 pm)MindForgedManacle Wrote:Are there religious devotees who raise their children to think critically about their faith and welcome dissent? Those who would not grant developing minds this freedom, to question authority without fear, are extremists, fanatics, fundamentalists, etc. And they do make up the bulk of the church. Otherwise, the church would have long ago become defunct. Do you dispute this?(May 27, 2014 at 6:36 pm)Pickup_shonuff Wrote: Religion that isn't extreme, while I'm sure it exists, is basically just apathetic religion. If a person appreciates symbolism but feels no commitment to live out the symbols or to demand that others do...why even call it religion?
Oh come on now, really? You basically just said all religious people, or rather all 'true' religious people, extremists. That is ridiculous. People clearly do, and ALWAYS have, differing views on their religions and what they believe they are to do, and to believe. And hence what they live out and urge others to live out is going to flow from that.