Like I said up top, it'll be interesting to see what comes out in this thread!
I'm certainly not surprised by the derision spewed by some towards those of the Christian faith. Sure, people who are counted as being in the Christian religion camp - as well as those of other 'religions' - certainly have done wrong - as history reveals. I willingly admit it - I have done wrong! In the language of Christianity, I am a 'sinner' (but I firmly believe that I'm a forgiven one
). And we all, by nature of being human and of whatever faith tradition, will continue to do wrong (sin). More on that in a moment.
So have, and are, atheists and agnostics (guilty of doing wrong).
avb3, I've noticed that you tend to drag up particular people and events as 'models' of Christianity in these discussions, and you seem to have decided they are exemplars of the faith
. You are so wrong, (but you are convinced you are right and Christians are all to be painted with the same brush). Sorry to break it to you, but people like Hitler (who was definitely not a practicing Catholic in any other sense than for reasons of political legitimacy - and there are still lots of people who play that card) is not an example of a true believer. Such people and 'dark' events they perpetrate - sometimes in the name of Christ, are, for sure, a dark stain on Christianity - in so far as they wear that label. No one would or can logically argue that they are appropriate examples of the Christianity Jesus / God calls people to follow.
To further the discussion, since it is easily 'proven' that religious people have their faults, no matter what their religion is, and that presupposes that since their worldviews are religiously based those worldviews have their faults too, what about atheist / unbeliever leaders and people? Did non-religious leaders like Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin, Mao-tze-tung, Kim Jong-il and now Kim Jong-un, and others like them do a better job out of their worldviews than those with religious worldviews? (Yes, I recognize that some of these folks spoke out of one side of their mouths suggesting they held to some sort of 'religious' tenets, but at the same time would say that by their actions they were not serious about following the truth of their 'religion'.)
I would say that at the least they have all proven to have their faults too.
How about the atheists on here? Do you have 'faults'? Or are you perfect and are your worldviews perfect? If you think so please explain why.
I would think your answer would have to be, "No." (example: have you ever told a lie, harboured a grudge, thought badly of someone?)
So what's the problem? Why do people have these faults? Why are there no perfect people, and thus no perfect worldviews (at least not in practice by human beings)?
We can call the problem 'evil'. So where does it come from? ----- Now there's a big worldview question! Why do people - of whatever worldview - religiously based or not - do 'evil'?
And that leads to the next logical question: What's the solution?
I await your responses
