1. Why do you feel that Christians are the most stigmatized group in the world? Not even close.
a. If I may ask in good faith, do you think it may have anything to do with their veneration for texts that declare such sentiments as the following? “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:15) “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.” (Mark 9:42) Doubtful, because so few people have any biblical literacy these days. If there is any stigma attached to Christianity, it would have more to do with its doctrinal commonalities with political conservatism and recent sex-abuse scandals.
b. What has been the role of political Christianity, beginning in the fourth-century with the State church and its continuation throughout Christendom to the present day? I’ll take a pass on this one.
2. Aside from the question of whether or not there is evidence for supernatural beings, to what extent do you believe family and culture will effect how a person develops their views about theology? Quite a bit. People tend to adopt the religion of their native majority culture.
a. Do you agree that it's far more likely that a person born in Pakistan will form opinions within a framework of Islam while a person born in suburban America will yield to some variation of the Christian faith? Yes, I agree.
b. To pose the question a slightly different way: do you believe that most people come to religious faith on philosophical or scientific grounds rather than as a consequence of “historical accident”? No. I don’t think most people think about it that much one way or the other.
3. Do you believe more people struggle against opposing emotional desires or “wishes” in converting to the Christian religion (or any other) or in rejecting the respective faith of their family and/or culture? Not sure I understand the question. I do believe that sin can be either a barrier to or motivation for moving towards the Lord. Some people will realize that something is amiss and seek help. Others will dismiss their worse nature as excusable or even positively.
4. Do you believe that those who profess belief in an afterlife are less likely to “misbehave” or act “immoral” due to fear of Judgment Day? Fear is a poor motivator, so no. Good behavior flows out of a good heart that loves the Lord and their neighbor as themselves.
a. What evidence is there to bear this out? Anyone can see from their own experience that one can know what one should do and still not do it. Having the will to be good must precede knowledge of how to do so.
5. Recent polling data reveals the majority of Americans to believe in the literal existence of the devil (57%), Noah's flood (60%), the parting of the Red Sea by Moses (64%), theistic evolution (59%), and that Jesus rose from the dead (64%). (Moreover, polling in 2010 revealed that roughly 90% of the U.S. Congress profess Christian belief in one form or another.) In consideration of the aforementioned statistics, can any alleged tension between the sciences and religious groups be seriously dismissed as a “largely imaginary war”? Not sure what exactly they are polling. The devil as the personification of evil vs. a singular evil angel? A worldwide flood vs. a local event? The parting of the sea as a natural event coinciding with the exodus? Theistic evolution? I don’t think it is unscientific to look at the odds and conclude that the dice might have been loaded. And one can still be scientific about how the natural world works while still providing space for the rare miracle here and there, like an actual resurrection.
a. To what degree do you fault Christian churches for failing to educate their congregations on the value of methodological naturalism and thinking about questions from a scientific point of view? I think churches should teach the Word.
7. What is the definition of “atheist fundamentalism”? Do you rather mean to suggest anti-theism? (On an additional note of clarification, do you differentiate between “atheism”and “naturalism”?) I give up on arguing about definitions.
a. Do disagree with Hitchens when he declares, “Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it”? Yes, I disagree because Hitchens fails to identify the source of human decency. Conscience comes from the Lord as part of his provision.
8. Do you believe that Jesus' message was primarily one of gentleness, peace, and love of mankind? Or as I would say to love the Lord and your neighbor as yourself.
a. In Beyond Good and Evil, Nietzsche writes, … Nietzche sees everything in terms of the will to power and projects that onto the Christians of his day.
9. If you define atheism as a “belief system," do you likewise think a-astrology is a system? Astrology is a system and not a particularly good one. Atheism is…whatever.
a. Do you not differentiate between anti-religious political ideologies or systems and atheism as a lack of belief in deities? Those types of bigots are a subset of atheists.
b. Do you not see the difference in atrocities committed by governments or people who hold an abysmal lack of regard for others and those who are additionally inspired by venerated figures and/or texts? Not really, no.
10. How do you define morality? Love of the Lord and loving the neighbor as self.
a. On what grounds do you deny that two parties form a sufficient basis for evaluating which actions will prove constructive or destructive to their respective being? (In other words, it is often implied that unless a third party—such as a deity—intervenes, humans will be unable to determine what it is they value and how they ought to behave as a result). Not sure what you’re asking. Value relates specifically to what is good and desirable and not merely what is apparently good and desirable. Individual belief about what is valuable does not decide what is actually of value.
b. What is the definition of absolute value? (Some would argue that that is not merely precluded on physicalism, but on the understanding that it's a contradictio in adjecto). That which is to be desired above all other things and that from which all other things derive their value.
a. If I may ask in good faith, do you think it may have anything to do with their veneration for texts that declare such sentiments as the following? “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:15) “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.” (Mark 9:42) Doubtful, because so few people have any biblical literacy these days. If there is any stigma attached to Christianity, it would have more to do with its doctrinal commonalities with political conservatism and recent sex-abuse scandals.
b. What has been the role of political Christianity, beginning in the fourth-century with the State church and its continuation throughout Christendom to the present day? I’ll take a pass on this one.
2. Aside from the question of whether or not there is evidence for supernatural beings, to what extent do you believe family and culture will effect how a person develops their views about theology? Quite a bit. People tend to adopt the religion of their native majority culture.
a. Do you agree that it's far more likely that a person born in Pakistan will form opinions within a framework of Islam while a person born in suburban America will yield to some variation of the Christian faith? Yes, I agree.
b. To pose the question a slightly different way: do you believe that most people come to religious faith on philosophical or scientific grounds rather than as a consequence of “historical accident”? No. I don’t think most people think about it that much one way or the other.
3. Do you believe more people struggle against opposing emotional desires or “wishes” in converting to the Christian religion (or any other) or in rejecting the respective faith of their family and/or culture? Not sure I understand the question. I do believe that sin can be either a barrier to or motivation for moving towards the Lord. Some people will realize that something is amiss and seek help. Others will dismiss their worse nature as excusable or even positively.
4. Do you believe that those who profess belief in an afterlife are less likely to “misbehave” or act “immoral” due to fear of Judgment Day? Fear is a poor motivator, so no. Good behavior flows out of a good heart that loves the Lord and their neighbor as themselves.
a. What evidence is there to bear this out? Anyone can see from their own experience that one can know what one should do and still not do it. Having the will to be good must precede knowledge of how to do so.
5. Recent polling data reveals the majority of Americans to believe in the literal existence of the devil (57%), Noah's flood (60%), the parting of the Red Sea by Moses (64%), theistic evolution (59%), and that Jesus rose from the dead (64%). (Moreover, polling in 2010 revealed that roughly 90% of the U.S. Congress profess Christian belief in one form or another.) In consideration of the aforementioned statistics, can any alleged tension between the sciences and religious groups be seriously dismissed as a “largely imaginary war”? Not sure what exactly they are polling. The devil as the personification of evil vs. a singular evil angel? A worldwide flood vs. a local event? The parting of the sea as a natural event coinciding with the exodus? Theistic evolution? I don’t think it is unscientific to look at the odds and conclude that the dice might have been loaded. And one can still be scientific about how the natural world works while still providing space for the rare miracle here and there, like an actual resurrection.
a. To what degree do you fault Christian churches for failing to educate their congregations on the value of methodological naturalism and thinking about questions from a scientific point of view? I think churches should teach the Word.
7. What is the definition of “atheist fundamentalism”? Do you rather mean to suggest anti-theism? (On an additional note of clarification, do you differentiate between “atheism”and “naturalism”?) I give up on arguing about definitions.
a. Do disagree with Hitchens when he declares, “Human decency is not derived from religion. It precedes it”? Yes, I disagree because Hitchens fails to identify the source of human decency. Conscience comes from the Lord as part of his provision.
8. Do you believe that Jesus' message was primarily one of gentleness, peace, and love of mankind? Or as I would say to love the Lord and your neighbor as yourself.
a. In Beyond Good and Evil, Nietzsche writes, … Nietzche sees everything in terms of the will to power and projects that onto the Christians of his day.
9. If you define atheism as a “belief system," do you likewise think a-astrology is a system? Astrology is a system and not a particularly good one. Atheism is…whatever.
a. Do you not differentiate between anti-religious political ideologies or systems and atheism as a lack of belief in deities? Those types of bigots are a subset of atheists.
b. Do you not see the difference in atrocities committed by governments or people who hold an abysmal lack of regard for others and those who are additionally inspired by venerated figures and/or texts? Not really, no.
10. How do you define morality? Love of the Lord and loving the neighbor as self.
a. On what grounds do you deny that two parties form a sufficient basis for evaluating which actions will prove constructive or destructive to their respective being? (In other words, it is often implied that unless a third party—such as a deity—intervenes, humans will be unable to determine what it is they value and how they ought to behave as a result). Not sure what you’re asking. Value relates specifically to what is good and desirable and not merely what is apparently good and desirable. Individual belief about what is valuable does not decide what is actually of value.
b. What is the definition of absolute value? (Some would argue that that is not merely precluded on physicalism, but on the understanding that it's a contradictio in adjecto). That which is to be desired above all other things and that from which all other things derive their value.
