A Pattern
I spend a bit of time reading various things online. I try to keep my mind sharp by interacting with multiple perspectives. I also try to keep it in tune by starting with the Word of God. But as I see people out in the world I tend to notice a bit of a pattern.
Christianity is repeatedly ridiculed as a fairy tale belief. They say things like “Kids, you know how Santa Claus turned out to be fake? Just remember that when your parents tell you about Jesus.” Faith in general is repeatedly characterized as irrational and unthinking. So it comes as no surprise to me that someone might grow up in the church being taught doctrine but never being taught why or how to think critically about it and eventually come into contact with a non-believer who does have some rational logic behind their rejection of God, and the person is naturally drawn to it.
Why does this bother me? Because it’s false! Faith and reason are not antithetical. Faith is part of reason and reason is part of faith. But the notion that Christianity can only be concluded by laying aside your brain is ridiculous, yet I see it all over the web.
Who’s to blame for this? I firmly place the blame on Fundamentalism - the most cultic era of Christianity that lead people to believe truth just because we say it’s true and not ever think critically about it. Some evangelicals have tried to rescue it, but the effects of modernism are still far to entrenched in people’s memories of the church, that it’s easy to make this characterization.
What do we do? Teach people (especially our kids) how to think! Teach them philosophy. Teach them logic. Teach them church and secular history. Teach them these things along with teaching them the Bible and how to have a sincere faith. That’s my perspective anyway.
Inactivity
I hate how busy I can be at times. I haven’t posted in ages, I’m sorry guys =/. Someday I’ll be able to post every day. There are so many ways in which my brain expands every day, and I just wish I was eloquent enough to express it. I also wish I had the time.
Stick with me people.