This seems to be a "poke NX" thread, but I think a question like this should be put into perspective.
The West lives in the shadow of Christianity, for good and bad. Without Christianity, there would've been something else. That something likely wouldn't have been Humanism of Atheism+. It would've been some other religion that could be twisted and used for nationalistic or imperialistic purposes.
I don't know if the enlightenment would've happened quicker without the church or not. All I can do is see what the various churches are doing now. They provide community and a sense of (false?) hope to their congregations. They also teach fairy tales, impede social progress, teach that reason is a "bad" thing, and minimize the importance of "this" life and the planet.
Christianity has far outlasted its best-before date.
The West lives in the shadow of Christianity, for good and bad. Without Christianity, there would've been something else. That something likely wouldn't have been Humanism of Atheism+. It would've been some other religion that could be twisted and used for nationalistic or imperialistic purposes.
I don't know if the enlightenment would've happened quicker without the church or not. All I can do is see what the various churches are doing now. They provide community and a sense of (false?) hope to their congregations. They also teach fairy tales, impede social progress, teach that reason is a "bad" thing, and minimize the importance of "this" life and the planet.
Christianity has far outlasted its best-before date.
