What is the Christian Church good for?

[tavarish]

It's a big group, just like in Christianity you wouldn't say "Christians hate gay people" because while there is a group of "Christians" of about 200 in Kansas that does, there are tens of millions of Christians in denominations that gladly welcome gays and lesbians with no reservations, treating them just like anybody else.

And there are also tens of millions of Christians who don't want gays to have equal rights. I understand your point though. It's a mixed bag.

I was wondering: What do you personally think of the Christian church, or some specific groups within it?

I personally think the Christian Church is an establishment set up for power and social control. It plays on the fears and emotions of people to achieve its goals, all the while being subsidized by the government and dancing around constitutional amendments. Its doctrines are wacky, incorrect and contradictory, and it banks on something that is by definition unverifiable. It also promotes the idea that people are inherently sick, but the church is the cure - all based on a book that is the world's longest running game of telephone.

It's quite a shit show.

and also, What do you see as the typical atheist view of the Church?

I'm not sure what a typical atheist is.

Do you think there are any good things about having the church around?

Free food and shelter for homeless, social gatherings, nice place for weddings and reflection. However, the church isn't actually necessary for any of this.

Do you think it's largely neutral or irrelevant? Do you think it's a very negative thing?

I think any establishment that trains people to turn off their reasoning skills is a negative thing.

Is the Church something that has to be opposed, or can you coexist with?

Most of the time, I'm fine with it. If someone asks me about my beliefs, I'll tell them, but I'm not going out and picketing a church because frankly, I have better things to do.

What effect do you think the church has had on the world historically and what effect do you think it's having now?

It promotes willful ignorance, faulty reasoning, blind obedience.

I know that's a bundle of questions, but anything you want to jump in on is fine. In this thread once again I'm trying to understand how you see things, so I won't be rebutting any posts. However you can feel free to ask me any questions about our differing views of the church. I've had a lot of exposure to a lot of different church traditions so maybe I can offer a different perspective than you've traditionally heard. In any case I really appreciate how much input I've gotten, and I look forward to hearing from you.

No prob. I appreciate your willingness to ask questions. I have one for you:

How do you determine what is real and what is not?