Here's a clever idea: why can't we change Christianity to be less bigoted, less superstitious, less criminal, less insane and more truthful? Not because these things are bad, but because the sheep are leaving.
And let's call these changes "modernization".
In reality, Christianity is a beast that cannot be tamed. You can only make cosmetic changes to lure unsuspecting naive people, but only so that the beast can grow and thus become more vile while its members can pretend it's not.
And let's call these changes "modernization".
Quote:Letter: Christian churches should modernize, soften their stances
There is an undeniable decline in the the number of people identifying as Christian in the United States. The group of “nones” as it relates to religion is dramatically increasing especially among younger people. A lot of the reasons for shifting from Christian to nones include things like: clergy abuse and cover up, church positions on abortion, IVF and contraception, church positions on LGBTQ issues, and patriarchal positioning of women in the church as lesser members.
Is this a potential teachable moment for the various denominations? They could certainly double down on all these positions. That would probably continue the downward trend in membership.
Or, they could try to moderate their positions to be more in line with modern knowledge and understanding of some of these issues. In that sense, they are a bit like political parties in that they have to increase their base if they want to survive.
https://www.stltoday.com/opinion/letters...c930f.html
In reality, Christianity is a beast that cannot be tamed. You can only make cosmetic changes to lure unsuspecting naive people, but only so that the beast can grow and thus become more vile while its members can pretend it's not.
teachings of the Bible are so muddled and self-contradictory that it was possible for Christians to happily burn heretics alive for five long centuries. It was even possible for the most venerated patriarchs of the Church, like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, to conclude that heretics should be tortured (Augustine) or killed outright (Aquinas). Martin Luther and John Calvin advocated the wholesale murder of heretics, apostates, Jews, and witches. - Sam Harris, "Letter To A Christian Nation"