Almost everything you've mentioned above is false, and the both historical and contemporary records are replete with myriad examples to the contrary.Winston wrote: ↑May 11th, 2020, 5:27 pm@Contrarian Expatriate
How can you know? How do you count the negatives vs. the positives? The only negatives are long ago during the witch hunts, inquisition and crusades. But then again, a case can be made that those were the faults of men, not the Bible or God or religion. Christians would use that argument of course. Anyone can use religion as an excuse for war or persecution or witch hunts. But that is not the fault of the religion. Atheists are wrong to think like that and jump to conclusions.
It's also not true that Christianity caused any wars, like Atheists like Christopher Hitchens and other extremists claimed. They even claim all wars or most wars are started by religion. Anyone knows that's not true. WW1 and WW2 were not about religion, neither was the Vietnam War, or the Civil War, or the Napoleonic Wars, etc. Not even the Crusades were about religion, they were about stopping Muslim aggression and protecting the Byzantine Empire and Orthodox Church in the East. Sure they did some bad things, but in a war, everyone does bad things. But that's not the fault of religion. Atheists who claim that are liars and make obviously false claims because they are desperate to vilify religion any way they can, including with lies.
Sure it's closed minded, but lots of people are closed minded. It's a fault of human nature.
You forget that Christianity has prevented many suicides. Many who were about to kill themselves opened a BIble and changed their minds. Also, Missionaries who witnessed to prisoners have converted many and reformed them too. Atheists have not reformed anyone in prison. Not even one. No comparison. You gotta admit that.
A US Senator named Chuck Colson or something, started a missionary program for prisoners and helped a lot of people in jail. You gotta give him credit for that.
Christianity also has given hope and purpose and inner strength to countless many throughout history. Even to black slaves in the 19th century needed Christianity to help them endure their slavery and hardship. Else they wouldn't have been able to endure. Atheism doesn't help anyone in that way of course. You should be glad that Christianity helped your ancestors endure their oppression.
It also helped me get through high school too where I was lonely and oppressed everyday in a prison like environment. So I know from firsthand experience. Why you don't take all that into account?
What about all the drug and alcohol abusers that Christianity reformed and helped to get over their addictions? What about the homosexuals who became born again and then found the inner strength to become straight again?
Etc Etc. Why don't you take all that into consideration CE? Why deny it just because you have a hatred for religion and bias against it? Why are you so closed minded? Why can't you just admit the truth and give credit where credit is due?
It is pointless to tell someone that the sea is not really blue, but only has the illusion of being blue. He will jump up and down and insist that it is blue because he perceives it as blue. The best thing to do is let him believe it is blue and if or when he becomes informed enough to understand that the blue sea is just an illusion, he will have advanced.
Please go on believing that Christianity is what you think it is. Eventually, either while you are living, or after you pass on, you'll understand just how wrong you have been. But to keep engaging with you on the issue while you are convinced that the sea is blue is not a productive use of time.
Christianity represents evil disguised as virtue. And its most zealous advocates such as our resident Christian zealots (They know who they are) are duplicitous, judgemental, and demonic. The smarter a society becomes, the less Christian it becomes. There is a reason for that.....
