Quote:The potential dangers of such beliefs tend to send up a red flag for me.Why is it a potential danger? If the belief system poses a danger to life or liberty, I will agree with you. However the Christian faith as reflected in the Bible states just the opposite. If differences of "opinion" is not tolerated, then that becomes a problem.
Quote:If there are people out there who are really in "need" of such a system of belief, this is all fine and good with me, but if they step over the bounds and wish to make a dictation of what the pursuit of happiness is or to apply this "god/deity whatever" as a trump card to excuse empirical investigation or better said censur them I really have an issue with this.To the contrary, empirical investigation is strongly encouraged in the Christian faith.
Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Quote:Our purpose should be to free the minds of those enslaved by a terrifying and dis-empowering belief systemPlease explain "enslaved" , "terrifying", "dis-empowering" with reference to the Christian faith.
I am presently reading a book by Martyn Lloyd-Jones and he he points out that calling on religious leaders to assist with the moral decline in society, and expect that (from a Christian perspective) one should put forward "live like this", as reflecting the message of Christianity for a better society, would be missing the point altogether. None of us even live up to our own standards. The problem is the fallen nature of man, and not that we do not know how to "behave". He puts is like this " If Christianity is but a moral ethical teaching, it is as useless as all the others" and further "I answer that what is needed is not what I think about sex , but a power that will deliver a man from being mastered and controlled by it"
Thus Christianity is not about conduct (although that will follow, or aught to follow), but is about receiving a new heart through re-birth. A heart that is not controlled by the "lusts of the flesh" but by the Spirit of God. We are all slaves - either to the flesh, or to God.
Considering the point Our purpose indicates that you have an agenda as well of convincing people that your way is the "one", not so? So you would teach others (I suppose even your children if you have any) of the views you consider to be the correct ones to hold. To leave it to them would be irresponsible, would it not?
