Because saying "this is the way it's always been" doesn't make any sense.
These are my issues with orthodox/Biblical/fundamentalist Christianity:
Why do we do good things? Why do we avoid bad things? Is it because we await reward from Heaven? And are frightened by the punishment of Hell/Tartarus?
To quote and rephrase Sam Harris: Isn't it more noble to help people purely out of concern for their suffering than it is to help them because God will reward you for doing it, or will punish you for not doing it? This type of mindset gives people bad reasons to help other human beings when good reasons are available.
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Why do we look to the sky when we want to find God? Is the animating force limited to the stars? Isn't it that He lives in all things, in the dark earth with the worms as well as with the birds that sail the clouds? Why do we look so far for His solace, when it is found everywhere around us?
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Why are we so arrogant of our existence? Why do we continue to treat this earth as God's gifts to humanity, free to exploit to our hearts' content? Isn't it that our blood differs not far from the beast? And our kindreds have all sprung out from the same waters? Ultimately, don't we all come from that same ball of energy that preceded the Big Bang?
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Why do we limit ourselves to the teachings of men and scripture? Are we sheep? Blindingly following what is taught to us rather than musing for ourselves? Is faith about the gouging of eyes, or the strengthening of hearts?
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Why do we keep on yakking about "The One and Only True Way" and how it is exclusive to us? True religion is how we live our lives, not what creed we choose. Isn't spirituality a personal experience?
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Why is it when our ministers do wrong things, we curse and forsake the ways we hold so dear? Is our faith rested on their morality? Shouldn't it that our principles be rested on our understanding of the world's order? How do you see life? What they teach, or what you believe?
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Why do we feel remorse for things that are natural to us? To live, eat, have sex, and die? Does not God live in these natural processes? Must we limit the experiencing of Him to the four walls of the temple, in eating stale wafers, and prostrating?
To be continued. This is all I can think of at the moment. Of course, there are more.
I guess most of the questions you have asked and then answered would be rebutted by the argument to what extent do you believe in the authenticity of the bible (or do you believe in it at all)?
ReplyDeleteYeah, we get a lot of that in RoT. It gets really nasty with those folk. 'Buti sana kung may sense iyung sinasabi.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been a very Biblical Christian ever since. I was raised in Jesuit Catechism. So I guess I don't see the Biblical books as anything near authorative.