Originally posted by wrag
Hmmm .................... IMHO in this day and age I have difficulty believing a Christian fanatic would try to kill you for disagreeing. But we are all intitled to our opinion.
Wrag, respectfully, I think my point went right over your head. I'll reiterate...
Basically, a fanatic is a fanatic is a fanatic. They all are set to give 100% for their cause. Christians, admittedly, have a good cause that doesn't preach violence, wheareas other religions (Islam) do.
I'll give Christians that.
But my point is, if the Bible said "kill the infidel," the people who claim the Bible is 100% accurate would naturally have to "kill the infidel," or else they wouldn't believe it to be 100% accurate.
So the difference between fanatics is not the person, but the book, at least IMO.
As to believing 100% despite all the evidence against, doesn't that depend on what one calls evidence?
I've seen WAY too much of what many call scientific evidence become null and void far too many times! THEY DON'T KNOW WAY TOO MUCH! IMHO the things they don't know is far greater then the things they do know. If they have no way to measure something, or can't even find out if it actually exist, then they make claims and put forward theroies. Which are later often proven UNTRUE or INACCURATE. One can have FAITH in their claims and theroies if one is so inclined.
See, the thing about science is that theories are naturally torn apart within the scientific community. Other scientists advance their own theories, much work and studying is done, and eventually you emerge with a pretty good idea, the basics of which don't *usually* change.
HOWEVER, science CAN change. And that is the beauty of it. Just a few weeks ago, there was a MAJOR change in how we view human evolution, for example, as it was discovered that Neanderthal was actually an ancestor of modern humans. For years, it was assumed Neanderthal was not. (I personally didn't believe they were until the evidence proved me wrong).
Religion, on the other hand, CANNOT change. If you say "The Bible is 100% accurate," that will never, ever change, no matter what is shown.
Therein lies the fundamnetal difference, and why one is based on reason and research, and the other in faith and, arguably, at least in some areas, denial.
Now, why religion can't change as science figures stuff out, I don't know. If the Bible is proven not to be 100% accurate, does that really mean one can't still believe in God? Or that Jesus died for our sins?
Does faith have to be blind? Does one have to completely turn their backs to reason to have it?
I'd say not, but some people I've met in life seem to think otherwise.
I would also think much of what one believes resides within the life they have lived.
I further think that without the Christian religion we, all of us, would not be as free, equal, wealthy, healthy, etc.........
Much of our system and laws were founded on the Mosaic. But again I'm stating an opinion here.
And, you know, I think you're right. Please don't get me confused with someone who is totally against religion, because I'm not... I think religion is a good thing. It gives people hope, and helps them do the right thing. It helps spread compassion and leniency and good things... I consider myself religious, in fact. I pray and such. I think Jesus' ideas were pretty noble, and worth trying to copy.
Anyway, the timing of my participation in this thread was in bad taste, given the holidays and all. So my apologies to the more devout than I
