Yesterday, Phil Georg left a lovely comment, part of which was “… do you believe there's something inextricably dangerous about Christianity, even liberal Christianity?”
My answer is yes, Phil, I think Christianity and Islam – even liberal Christianity/Islam -- are inherently lethal. Liberal Christians/Muslims sock their stamps of approval onto books (bible/koran) backing war, torture and rape of the earth.* As a result, war, torture and rape of the earth are always available for use by radicals when times get tough.
When the Christian Inquisition began, were liberal Christians absent from Europe? No. Were they able to catch the runaway train? No: estimates are that the Church tortured and murdered up to 6 million. Are religious liberals absent now, as fundamentalist George Burning-Bush leads us into torture, murder, nuclear war and environmental death? No. Do you see liberals reining him in? I don’t. (Am I just looking in the wrong mouse holes?)
Phil: as long as intelligent people sanction holy books espousing war, torture, and rape of the earth, we will suffer war, torture and rape of the earth.
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*And this is just a partial list of the Uglies in these two books. For more, see Radical Goddess Thealogy: ERZEBET Dug HER OWN GRAVE -- LITERALLY, Radical Goddess Thealogy: BIBLE VERSES FOR THE kids TO MEMORIZE, and Radical Goddess Thealogy: Monogamy, Schanogamy.
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Thnx to red2000 for the foto
Eruvande, as long as liberal Christians keep the bible as their holy book, they’re putting their stamp of approval on it. Does a school keep a textbook if it finds “only three good statements” in it? Would a surgeon learn surgery from a book with “only three good statements” in it? Would a critic do anything but pan a book with “only three good statements” in it? Would you form a religion and choose a religious book with only “only three good statements” in it”?
ReplyDeleteYes, but by accepting the whole for its few good bits (if there are any) they make room for the literalists to impose the many, many bad bits on the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a version yet that edits out the horrid parts. There are newer versions that water down the dangerous stuff, but not enough to make it harmless.
I've been debating with some Christians lately, liberal and conservative, and the more I do, the more I think Athana is right. I've always wanted to get along with them and hope that through education they'll be fewer in number. I'm beginning to see the idea as a poison that harms in any quantity.