Louis wrote:
> Rick, if I had a cholesterol problem, I'd gobble up your red
> herrings.
No red herrings involved, Louis, merely a logical analogy.
> Not being a literalist, I'll just say, as you illustrated,
> Scripture itself can be used, misused, and abused to justify
> any postion. But, that really is not the point, is it.
Actually, that's NOT what I illustrated. It isn't a question of
"misuse" or "abuse" it's one of literal content. Either a religion is
based on its primary teachings or it is not. In the case of
Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, the most primary teachings come from
the bible. And every injunction I listed is taken from that source.
Modern fundamentalists often cite LEVITICUS as a legitimate
grounds for opposing homosexuals in our society--yet every injunction I
listed came from the same book of the bible. Either it is true, in which
case clearly the religion is offensive to any rational modern human, or
it is false in which case the religion is based on false premises and
has no more validity in modern academia than does, for example, animism
or the worship of rocks.
> I really don't believe you've said that. Anyway, tell that
> to an inmate of Auschwitz or Buchenwald or Treblinka or.....
Why not--Nazism claimed CHRISTIAN reasons for oppressing the
Jews (see Mein Kampf or Shirer's "Rise and Fall . . .").
On the other hand, try comparing the holocaust to the
Inquisition or the Crusades (both of which were based totally on
religion) and demonstrate how Hitler was any worse than the leaders of
the Christian church at the time.
> Well, I wouldn't be ready to pat ourselves on the back yet
> and measure our heads for halos.
Neither would I--but then again I don't believe in halos
(physical light phenomenon excepted, of course) anyway, so . . . ;-)
Peace,
Rick
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