It
seems to me that atheists consistently take the abuses of purist Muslims (what we in the West call terrorists) and
Roman Catholicism (eg. selling Indulgences and goddess worship), and apply their justified feelings of condemnation and outrage to Christianity.
All the while ignoring completely the teaching of Jesus the Christ.
Christopher Hitchens was
a master at this.
The
worst that I've ever heard atheists say against Christianity is talk about God wiping out those societies who killed children as live
burnt offerings (atheists ALWAYS side with those societies), or accuse us of being hypocrites who
discriminate against homosexuals.
I
can live with that but it seems silly and more than a little pitiful.
After all, we Christians ARE all hypocrites to one degree or another, and so is every single atheist. What's more, some of us have discriminated against minorities, including homosexuals. We stand guilty as charged on those two counts.
Please though, judge the teachings of Jesus, not by how some Muslim, or Catholic or even some Christian behaves.
Jesus stands or falls on His own.
Just as you too will stand or fall, based upon your decisions and your actions.
You will not have to answer for anyone else.
\\ and Roman Catholicism (eg. selling Indulgences and goddess worship)\\
ReplyDeleteTwo things.
1. The issue of selling indulgences was corrected at the Council of Trent.
2. Goddess worship has NEVER been part of the teaching of Roman Catholicism. If it existed among the faithful--that is, if LATREIA that belongs to God alone was offered to any creature-- it was IN SPITE OF the teach of the Church, and not because of it.
As for the rest, I agree. I've seen hypocrites among people who NEVER set foot in a church. OTOH, as full of hypocrites as any church might be, there's ALWAYS room for one more.
Yes, well I saw Sam Harris yesterday practically frothing at the mouth over people praying to "the goddess Mary, more often than they pray to God," as well as the "evil" of Indulgences.
ReplyDeleteIf atheists are still raging against such things, they must still be going on. :-)