Article - Christianity is not the problem. The Bible is.

Article


Part of the message is hidden for the guests. Please log in or register to see it.


Feel free to replace 'Christianity' with any other religion and their spiritual material same lesson applies

Good article. Reminds me of the thing Campbell said in the lecture in the IP. That we need new myths for this new time. And that people shouldn't read ancient myths literally. But well, to few people do it correctly. and even then, the bible contradicts itself on many points that it gets confusing.
It's a book you can't finish, because you could spend the rest of your life trying to decypher it's meanings.

For example, the Christian teaching of true charity (giving time and love to people in need, not just throwing money at causes) is something that is incredibly important in modern society. Christianity is not the issue. The Bible is.

Yet, it was shown (by neuroscientists and their mighty brain scanners) that atheists give out of compassion and religious people give out of duty, even if they believe they are giving "true charity". (It was also found that religious people will donate --money or time-- mostly to church, not so much for regular charity)

I would say there is a great deal of truth. However, I pose this question: If your duty is accepted as part of your life and you enjoy it... is it duty or just a way of life? and does it matter?


As for the bible itself. It is a story book, full of stories likely older than we realize. Stories are often told to teach lessons. I have read the bible and Joe you are right, deciphering it is... well difficult to say the least. However, while all the stories don't make sense to me. Some do, some times you learn things. I've done the same thing with the Qu'ran and many other religious texts.

My opinion is that people take stories as literal truths. Common sense needs to take hold at some point and that is where I see ... just foolishness.

Good Find Akkarin.

I don't know man. I think the lions and lambs will lay peacefully together before Christians abandon the Bible.

Their orginization/s are too high in number and too strong for any real change to happen soon. All over the world missionaries (Morman, Catholic, etc.) are recruiting more people. And many of those people go on to believe very, very strongly in the bible. Which is good and bad. Just like people will be when the bible is no longer followed. Good and bad with a new ideal that is equally good and bad.

It's neither Christianity, nor the Bible- it's the interpreters. Most of the people that read the Bible or teach it do not understand basic reading comprehension- or neglect to apply it.

I agree with Alethea, for the most part. Just with any text, or story, or myth, how it is taken depends on the people who read or hear it. I know Christians who believe that being with the same sex is a sin, however accept it and will fight for those people's rights to be with eachother. Because even though their faith and beliefs deem it as a sin, those same faiths and beliefs actually tell them to accept and love the people around them. And unlike many, they do not only read the bible, and listen when someone preaches from it, but they understand it in it's entirety. Whereas many people i've met personally, listen, but refuse to understand.

And so, they demonize, and exile those people unable to see that what they are doing, actually goes against that which they claim to believe. Any story, any book, any myth at the end of the day is only as valuable, and only means what their interpretations allow them to perceive, as is only as valuable as what they take with them when they walk away from it.

Alethea Thompson wrote: [ I]t's the interpreters. Most of the people that read the Bible or teach it do not understand basic reading comprehension- or neglect to apply it.

It's not so much that, as it is: imbalanced use.

People only take specific chunks of it and use it as a sword, either (1) ignoring / countering other parts, or, (2) disavowing parts that go against their particular war cry. Perfect examples include: Deuteronomy, Leviticus, Psalms, and Revelation. Specific example: Leviticus prohibits marking your body up [tattooing], but a "wholly, truthful-to-the-bible" faithful person will have tattoos that say "God hates fxgs" and "Gays are an abomination" with supporting bible references. [We've all seen the picture; I don't need to attach it.]

Think about it: Leviticus says we can't plant two crops in the same field, wear clothing woven of two different threads, curse [using "bad words"], disobey our parents, [have tattoos,] eat shell fish, and many, many more! [You are to be put to death for these offenses! Your crops / clothes / food are to be burned, too!]

Funny how no one is running around with signs saying, "JC Penney abets the sinners: they sell clothing with three types of threads! Stone them!" Do you see WBC picketing non-military funerals, with their famous signs saying, "God killed you because you disobeyed your parents!" at all? Of COURSE not! "That would be stupid!"

Really?

That's one reason the bible doesn't mean much to me any more: it's used as a sword, but only when it's convenient. Sure, it has some really good rules by way of the Ten Commandments: don't steal, don't lie, don't kill, obey your parents, .... These are GREAT rules for any civilization of any faith!

Then again, the Old Testament [Jewish traditions] is about a vengeful, insecure "God" (worship me, or I'll smite you! Don't forget the Sabbath or I'll smite you. Ah, hell, I'll just smite you anyway); the New Testament [Christian traditions] is about a loving "God" (love is the path to my kingdom. Love your neighbor as yourself. I love you so much I let my son die without my intervention so your souls would be saved).

These can't be the same dude. No wonder Joseph Campbell doesn't think much of Christianity (compared to Hinduism).

"I was raised half Catholic, half Jewish. [...] With one: you're born with guilt; the other one: you learn in school." ~ Bill Maher (c. 1982)

i agree. its a matter of convenience.thats what drove me away from christianity and persued the original religions(paganism). my home town of 1000 and depleting was a corrupt community.most male farmers were alchys and there was alot of wife swaping and on sundays absolution.its supposed to be a religion of love and compassion but its become hatred. the core is great. have had great people in the service i.e mother teresa etc. but those ways have seamed to disappear. i remeber when jesus threw a fit when people were selling on the church steps and inside but yet today everyone of the congregation has to give god(church) 10% of there earnings every sunday.in the addage that true seers and healers canot charge for there services but can accept donations. wouldnt the chargeing of spiritual services be a abuse of the force?

I'm curious: why is it that we hear more people leaving "Christianity" than any of the other of the major religions? [Or, am I seeing this wrongly?]

Many religions use "The Bible" as its authoritative text (Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists, Protestants, Methodists, Catholics, and so on), yet, it seems that more Catholic's "run away" than the other Christians. Is that also an incorrect observation?

The most frequent reason I hear? Disillusionment with the "establishment" (the church hierarchy).