youkrst wrote:
Flann wrote:
It obviously bothers you that so many Americans believe what you think is scientifically false
it 'bothers' many people, especially those who would like to see the 'dumbed down' 'smartened up'. It should bother you most of all Flann coz these halfwits are often 'filled with the spirit'
Hi Youkrst,
Thanks for your usual straightforward response. Personally I don't find the evolutionary case convincing though I recognise that it's scientific orthodoxy, and I'm swayed also by my convictions in relation to inspiration and revelation.
I'm relieved to hear that you recommend reading as the antidote and not 're-education.'
I don't find mythicism convincing,though I can see how some passages might be viewed that way. I think overall it's presented as narrative history which includes the supernatural.
Ideas about mysterious characters, inventing stories with hidden meanings don't add up for me for reasons I've already given.
youkrst wrote:Literalism in regards to religious texts is a big problem, islamic extremists, christian fundies etc etc how many appalling acts are comitted by those who justify it with a literal interpretation of some verse or other.
I would agree that atrocities are committed and attempts are made to justify them but I can't honestly see how the murder of schoolchildren could be considered as anything other than murder.
I do think that the average Muslim is as appalled as everyone else by these things, and they have to live with being regarded as if they approve of such things.
Many Muslims have lost children themselves in war zones with monotonous regularity and sometimes they might wonder what sort of
liberation it really is.
I heard a guy who's name I forget, talking about the bombing in England and Germany of civilians during the second world war.He wrote a book about it.
Apparently during the war British newspapers polled people about bombing German civilians in retaliation for civilian bombing in Britain.
It seems that big majorities in cities that had not been bombed were in favour of payment in kind, while in those that had been bombed with heavy casualties, results were the reverse.
Strange I suppose, and not what you would expect.I guess their experience of it was horrific enough for them to baulk at the idea of inflicting it on the civilians, even of their enemies.
I don't know how some people indulge in hate speech while claiming to be Christian. But they do.
I think if you believe the bible you can't pick and choose what it designates to be sin, but I find no justification for the kind of hate speech coming from some.
It's very selective to say the least, and hatred is equated with murder by Jesus. So where does that leave them?