The spread of Christianity

[RJT]

Lestat,

This post isn’t necessarily directed to you, but to the general discussion. You seem very objective in your analysis.

Why is it ok for Science to learn new things and adapt itself to new found knowledge, but it is verbotem for Religion to evolve in its understanding of God and man’s relationship to God?

Years ago Science thought the Earth was flat and the Sun revolved around the Earth. No one suggest would suggest that Science is nonsense because of such things. We learn, we re-interpret.

In the cpsan2 show that I referenced last night, Dr. Coyne used the span of one year to show man’s relationship to the estimated time of the Earth ( I think it was the Earth, might have been the Universe, either way…) Man has only existed for the last 2 seconds of the year. Science has existed only the last second of the year. Man/science are babies. We have so much to learn.

My Church had the custom (and still does to some extent) to give up certain things during our Lent - to not eat certain foods. We were not “permitted” to eat meat on Fridays all the time (now it is fine to do so.) Times have changed. Now we try to do (even more) good things during Lent, rather than simply making sacrifices. The Church has taken a more positive approach to life and our relationship to our God.

Regarding believing in God based on fear. I agree this is a poor reason. I believe in God because I think He is a God of love. It is the love from God that I desire. I think He offers it to us and it is a matter of accepting it or not. I choose Christianity and try to live a Christian life for this life and the after-life. I think most would find it hard to disagree with the premise of living a Christian life on Earth. Whether there is an after-life is the decision. I don’t choose belief out of fear of Hell, rather that I wish to partake in the Kingdom of God. If Hell is simply the absence of God once one is dead, then that is no different than what the atheist thinks anyway. I really don’t see the big debate. Choose belief or not.

RJT