RE: What are the Characteristics of a NT Christian?
April 5, 2017 at 10:40 am
(This post was last modified: April 5, 2017 at 10:43 am by Brian37.)
(April 5, 2017 at 10:04 am)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: SteveII, you have identified a helpful list of orthopraxy, but remain silent about orthodoxy. Is it not also true that these "fruits" are expected to follow from knowledge God's Grace, Christ's work on the Cross, and true repentance?
Nevertheless, it is true that many atheist biblical skeptics have an extremely rigid and myopic way of looking at the Word. They get very upset with and dismissive towards Christians who take a more nuanced approach. For example, I am reading a book about debt in the ancient world. It really illuminates many parts of scripture - from the Law of Jubilee to the 1st century perspective on God's role as redeemer. Meanwhile skeptics are fixated on rabbits chewing cud. They cannot fathom our unity on the plain, clear, and central teachings of the Word, like the historical truth of a physical Resurrection, while still retaining our ability to have civil ecumenical discussions about minor doctrines, like total depravity, annihilation, infant baptism, etc. For them it is "all or nothing."
On AF at least, I hear a lot of contempt towards less intellectual believers who, in the opinion of AF members, have not sufficiently examined their beliefs. That contempt so common among AF members rests on the irrational and unreasonable notion that any and all beliefs must be justified by classical foundationalism. My parents and many other very good people have never even heard of Hume or Locke, yet still manage to live the Gospel everyday of their lives with a degree of piety I wish I could share. Not everyone justifies their faith intellectually; but rather, by daily experience. And that seems to be your point, that a fair evaluation of Christianity must consider the behavior and actions of those who live most fervently apply the Gospel to their lives rather than build-up edifices of intellectual arguments.
Wow, on top of being condescending to atheists, you are condescending to even theists.
You "I hear a lot of contempt towards less intellectual believers".
The correct word would be "less informed/educated". The less educated or less informed have an excuse. Just like a first grader has an excuse for not being able to handle PHD physics. I actually find the slick apologists who invent elaborate garbage to prey on those who don't know better far worse than those who have an excuse.
Let me clear this up for you. Our "contempt" is not about human rights. Our contempt is for bad claims and willful ignorance. .. Now since you have put down your fellow theists, bet you don't care to tell us which specific theist you think is "less intellectual".
All the theists who hang out here just like atheists, have a range of education.
Humans fall for all sorts of creative elaborate tripe. That does not make them lack intellect on all claims all the time. It merely means they fell for it. Someone got to you to sell you their elaborate tripe and you fell for it. Bet if you had had the same information we did before hand my bet is that you would not have fallen for it.