One thing that is beginning to annoy me a little bit is the tendency of many to wave off 1,500 years of awesomeness in the name of Jesus Christ as if it were a trifle, a flash in the pan, or a something merely common. Church history is full of charity, advances in education, healthcare, and other social work. Often, much of these were done to people whose belief system could hardly be any more different that the benefactor. It is a stunning, joyful history of the presence of heaven on earth.
I've seen the apologists attack this issue by pointing to "indoctrination" of children in Christian schools. This argument is one of many that just doesn't gain any traction, after all, it is just another case of Christian love. Should the Christian really be shocked that the educators try to bring uo their charges in the way of the LORD? Let's be serious.
Another ridiculous argument usually involves laying out before the skeptic some long winded explanation about how the various sects of Christianity fought in word or deed, thus negating any positive meaning of the faith. The problem is that every single branch of Christianity has awesomeness in its past, and often while working together. This approach is a train wreck.
The awesomeness continues to our current day. From the hospice movement started by the Catholics to the Jubilee movement which mobilized an international coalition of churches, to the awesome work of the individual pastor, who engages in some of the most trying form of work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - the history is ongoing and it is a shining and awesome vision of love.
So here is the burr for me.
When a Christian comes to TWEB and talks about secular tyranny and concerns regarding the 'Liberal left' and how liberals are bigots who are anxious to use power to stamp out Christianity's beneficial influence that Christian isn't some off the wall dingbat who is making stuff up. The dude just got up this morning and read the paper.
The Christians are concerned of the anti-Christian liberals for perfectly justifiable reasons. We need to recognize that the concern is grounded in REALITY and that many of these people have experienced abuse first hand.
It is absurd that we expect abused people who are fully aware of liberal history to come in here and be perfectly polite.
It is a miracle any of us talk to them at all.
I've seen the apologists attack this issue by pointing to "indoctrination" of children in Christian schools. This argument is one of many that just doesn't gain any traction, after all, it is just another case of Christian love. Should the Christian really be shocked that the educators try to bring uo their charges in the way of the LORD? Let's be serious.
Another ridiculous argument usually involves laying out before the skeptic some long winded explanation about how the various sects of Christianity fought in word or deed, thus negating any positive meaning of the faith. The problem is that every single branch of Christianity has awesomeness in its past, and often while working together. This approach is a train wreck.
The awesomeness continues to our current day. From the hospice movement started by the Catholics to the Jubilee movement which mobilized an international coalition of churches, to the awesome work of the individual pastor, who engages in some of the most trying form of work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - the history is ongoing and it is a shining and awesome vision of love.
So here is the burr for me.
When a Christian comes to TWEB and talks about secular tyranny and concerns regarding the 'Liberal left' and how liberals are bigots who are anxious to use power to stamp out Christianity's beneficial influence that Christian isn't some off the wall dingbat who is making stuff up. The dude just got up this morning and read the paper.
The Christians are concerned of the anti-Christian liberals for perfectly justifiable reasons. We need to recognize that the concern is grounded in REALITY and that many of these people have experienced abuse first hand.
It is absurd that we expect abused people who are fully aware of liberal history to come in here and be perfectly polite.
It is a miracle any of us talk to them at all.
Comment