onewheeldave Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Come on, don't be facetious. It's a genuine question. Most Christians seem to live a nice quiet life that's more aligned with helping their neighbours, not hindering them. Isn't that worth protecting? Why would Christians cease to exist, or feel unable to live their quiet lives helping their neighbours, just because hymns are taken out of schools, or the pope resigning? Christians have continued to exist and practise their faith in far worse scenarios- for example, in multiple oppressive regimes like communist Russia and many others. We don't have hymns in schools because we live in a society where indoctrinating children is seen as a bad thing- does Christianity really need the indoctrination of children for the faith the continue? Atheism has been ruthlessly put down and oppressed (by churches, often Christian ones) for centuries- yet it's thriving today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vague_Boy Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 who's going to stand up for Christians, their values, and their way of life? Given the power and wealth of the Catholic Church, is that a serious question? We currently have a Church of England. When we have an equivalent Council of Atheists and Richard Dawkins is also able to put on a purple dress and silly hat and start lecturing people about their sex lives, we would still only be seeing us non-believers achieving parity with the Sky Fairy crowd. Christianity survived under Bolshevism where it was actively suppressed. Why should it be under threat in modern Britain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esme Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Mod Note Off topic and insulting posts removed, along with all references to them. If you wish to discuss something else then please start another thread, if you wish to discuss this topic then please attack the argument and not the person making it. Any further off topic posts will be removed without warning, any further attacks on posters will be similarly dealt with and those making the attacking posts may find their accounts suspended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockjaw Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 does Christianity really need the indoctrination of children for the faith the continue? That's a fascinating question. I would say, in so-called Western Society, a definite Yes. Atheism has been ruthlessly put down and oppressed (by churches, often Christian ones) for centuries- yet it's thriving today. This, on the other hand, is one of the strangest statements I've seen on this forum ... and I've seen a fair few! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodmally Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 I passed a church that was being demolished the other day, and another around the corner had become an antiques emporium. Hymns are being taken out of school assembly, religious symbols are being taken down and they might have to marry gay couples in church in the future. Now the bombshell that the Pope just resigned, saying that the job is too much for a frail old man. On the whole, Christians are nice people, who get on with life, looking after themselves and others in sometimes very generous ways, from forgiveness to more practical ways that save and improve the lives of others. So, when even a Pope chucks in the towel, who's going to stand up for Christians, their values, and their way of life? Dont you Christians have some supernatural being to protect you who answers to the name of God. If God existed surely he will protect you. Its athiests like me that need protecting we dont have some supernatural being of any description. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 I think you got the wrong end of the stick there woodmally. I'm not at all religious. Maybe my newty analogy might assist in compiling your response? Vague_Boy and onewheeldave, the OP carefully refers to Christians, not pontifs, bishops, church banks, states , lavish art collections, ancient monuments, reformations and inquisitions, expected or otherwise. Just plain old Christians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dromedary Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Who's going to protect the Christians? Nobody. Christianity is on the decline in Europe and yet on the rise in the 3rd world so it will probably even itself out, now go figure why its happening that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheeldave Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Vague_Boy and onewheeldave, the OP carefully refers to Christians, not pontifs, bishops, church banks, states , lavish art collections, ancient monuments, reformations and inquisitions, expected or otherwise. Just plain old Christians. As I understand it, christians and the church are pretty much inseperable? Certainly, the OP was refering to the closing of churches, most of which are part of the established organised tradition which does include bishops etc. As I mentioned above, none of the threats the OP mentioned, seemed to be threats against people just being Christian. Like I said before- a person can be a Christian, be nice to his/her neighbours, have all the other Christian values etc, and be unaffected by churches closing, hymns not being sung in schools etc. I've no problem with Christians- as long as they're not the type who feel the need to inflict their beliefs or traditions on others: I've defended them many times in threads on this board. And, unlike several on this thread, my experience has been that, on the whole, Christians do tend to be nicer people than most atheists I encounter (obviously I'm talking there your average non-fundamentalist Christian). And, I would totally oppose any attempt to attack Christians and their rights to worship/believe- I just don't think that churches closing, moves to allow gay marriages, removal of hymns from school assemblies etc, are attacks on Christians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliceBB Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 I spent much of my childhood being made to singing things like 'Immortal, invisible, God only wise/In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes' (pretty meaningless when you're 7) and it put me off religion for life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Good question, but perhaps it's worth us looking at in a different way, one that's not so simplistic. For example, newts are protected from new road building, and the world gains an incremental biodiversity benefit. Nobody expects you to adopt a newt, or become a newt, or take on any newty characteristics. You can just sit back and be glad that newts are there, glowing in your vicarious deed. In the same way, modern Christians on the whole are a pleasant bunch, do good things, and contribute to the overall good of society in a way that simply having no Christians wouldn't. So the question that presents is; are Christians worth preserving and nurturing for the greater good? (Even Mr Bloom can give an analogue answer to that one if he tries hard enough) What are you on about "preserving and nurturing" ? Christians arent some kind of endangered plant species Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.