Those of us prone to debate, usually sharpen our teeth on such topics. When we debate--in our high schools, colleges and offices--we quickly find how easily Christians provide responses. Like a revolver of ready made answers, Christians quickly shoot down every objection to their doctrines.
So when they are asked how god, the God of Love, can allow child molestation, murder, rape and even genocide--and then send those victims to hell because they didn't believe-- they answer with ease. Christians say, " we must trust God's mercy, and know that his ways are higher than our ways". To which, we might respond: How could a merciful god send people to hell that have never heard his message. They've got this one covered, as well. They respond, "God's is made clear in nature, so we are without excuse".
The first response might suggest that Christians just trust despite what their eyes see, but the second says that god is very clear. So, we ask, if a merciful god (and Jesus?) is clear in nature, then, again, how does so much murder, war, rape and disease display the god they claim to serve--a god of mercy?
These objections seem clear, but these aren't the most damning. The fact that there are questions, at all, is. God, in the christian faith, holds us accountable for not following his way. But, There is no clear, easy, non-long drawn out answers that make god apparent to a common person. How does god hold these people, victims from birth, accountable, and not just accountable, but accountable to Hell.
The fact that a god would condemn simple, earth born people to eternal torture for not accepting a questionable believe, is not merciful in any world. It's not just, it's not anything good. Hitler did less atrocious things than god does daily. At least he killed people and they died; God takes them and sends them to eternal torture because they're Jews.
I don't think Christians should scrap their faith (a lie?), but I do think they should reevaluate their dogmatism and confront the inconsistencies head on, rather than attempting to convert and defend. They should steel the best and trash worst. But, even then, it will take a complete reworking of Christianity. So maybe it should be scraped.
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Because I realize that my family might read this blog, I feel that it is necessary to state that I am not condemning Christianity or saying I am not indeed a Christian. I am, however, asking difficult questions about the faith that I feel holds so much power. I feel that the church--the people and the buildings--has gotten way off base. In addition, I feel that the evolution of doctrine and morality that has been the mark of the Jewish and Christian culture has, at best, stopped and is ,at worst, is running head long into its own extinction.
ReplyDeleteyou are very intellegent!
ReplyDeletei have noticed that some people(mostly childeren) who have a different religion other than christanity are afraid of telling there friends who are christian what there religion is because they are afraid they will stop being friends with them or even try and change them.
what do you think about this?
and i am NOT saying this from experience but from a question a friend has asked me.
and that blog is very good and well written
Jewel, faith is a very personal thing. It is something that defines how you see the world and what you do. If Someone is afraid of telling their friends of their own faith, then I don't think they are truly friends. To have a friend is to relate to that person, to share common experience and to have a knowledge of each other that others, who are outside that friendship, do not have.
ReplyDeleteIf a person can't share their faith with their friend, even if it is to disagree on it, they can't relate, share common experience or share a special knowledge with that person. They are not friends.
Friends you keep; people come and go. They should express their faith, even if it causes arguments (friends can argue), but if they get rejected when they express their faith, then they never really had that friend.