A Simple Rule

[Thumpalumpacus]

The fact that new religions can be created doesn't mean the more traditional ones don't need inspection or criticism.

Have I argued otherwise?

Nearly every story I've heard from ex-Christians is that their road to rationality involved a gradual process of increasing moderation until they abandoned their faith completely. The moderation pitstop was an attempt to reconcile scripture with what they knew of the way the world actually works. The final step is when they realize that scripture says what it does and that there's no way to do so.

Every "moderate" Christian I know or knew, at least every one that I can think of right now, is/was a moderate precisely because they can't/couldn't deny that the world is older than 6000 years old and evolution is the explanation for how we came to be. That's kind of why I was so incredulous at even the prospect you outlined. The very reason they're moderates is because they are unable to be fundamentalists. That door is barred shut from the knowledge they acquired. Their moderation is an attempt to cling to their religion against the evidence to the contrary.

I don't care whether they're moderate or extreme on the age of the Earth. I'm much more concerned that they become moderate on things like killing infidels and bashing out baby brains. Hectoring them because they accept a 13.8 billion year timeline for the Universe ("You're not a true Christian!") is not likely to make them accept that timeline. You need look no further than the theists here, digging their heels in even as they're confronted with fact after fact after fact.

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There definitely seems to be people getting more uncomfortable when islam is criticised, as opposed to Christianity. That makes no sense.

When you consider that xenophobia is behind much of the criticism, it's understandable that criticism should be examined closely.

I don't think DP's critique is rooted in xenophobia. He seems like a pretty thoughtful guy. I don't disagree with much of it.

What I do disagree with is the broadbrushing he says he's not doing, but is, as when he equivocates radical Islam with "just plain Islam".