Author Topic: What's good about Christianity?  (Read 15298 times)

Shaker

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Re: What's good about Christianity?
« Reply #100 on: July 22, 2017, 07:30:13 PM »
Probably they weren't true Christians, though ;)
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Anchorman

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Re: What's good about Christianity?
« Reply #101 on: July 22, 2017, 07:33:44 PM »
Sometimes the somewhat archaic structure of the CofS makes me want to tear what's left of my hair out....but once in a while, we do great stuff. My local presbytery (Ayr) is linked with one in Malawi, and, over the last decade, I think we've made a digfference. We've provided: 5ooo mosquito nets. A dispensary. Two solar powered internet rooms four village wells. Equipped a school for hearing impaired. Enabled 129 students to get to university (an amazing 700% increase) Provided over three hundred solar powered lamps to aid study (honest, they power up at night...) We've also sent eleven containers of clothing (mainly foor kids), medical equipment, paper and drawing supplies for schools, toys and lenses for glasses. Lastly, we've provided thirty tons of seed grain to plant after the recent floods.
"for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself."

SteveH

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Re: What's good about Christianity?
« Reply #102 on: July 22, 2017, 08:08:40 PM »

Correlation/causation.
I'm aware that correlation does not necessarily equal causation, but it is strongly suggestive in this case, at least.
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Remember: I'm not criticising or judging him for his sex life. Provided it doesn't involve minors or lack of informed consent, I don't. Adults do whatever adults want to do and that's fine by me. I'm criticising him for hypocrisy - for a public show of adherence to a certain set of moral standards which he eagerly flouted with some considerable vigour in private life.I won't head over the hills in search of Godwin's Law, but a claim amounts to nothing.That one needs evidence.
MLK never majored on sexual ethics. If he had done so, and had roundly denounced adultery in public while committing it in private, he'd have been a hypocrite, but he didn't.
I have a pet termite. His name is Clint. Clint eats wood.

ProfessorDavey

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Re: What's good about Christianity?
« Reply #103 on: July 22, 2017, 08:58:22 PM »
I'm aware that correlation does not necessarily equal causation, but it is strongly suggestive in this case, at least.
I don't think that is true - see my post earlier - the rise in democracy correlates with a decline in the influence of Christianity in those countries.

Also worth noting that the way in which Christian denominations themselves embed democracy in their own organisations is a pretty good sign of their real attitude (if you believe in democracy you must surely believe it is good for your own organisation too). And in this regard Christianity is woeful - while Anglicanism has some semblance of democracy (but pretty poor, certainly not close to one member one vote)  the RCC is effectively devoid of any meaningful democracy within its hierarchy. They claim perhaps a billion adherents, yet how many of those people have a a direct democratic say in who control the organisation.

Shaker

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Re: What's good about Christianity?
« Reply #104 on: July 22, 2017, 09:16:54 PM »
MLK never majored on sexual ethics. If he had done so, and had roundly denounced adultery in public while committing it in private, he'd have been a hypocrite, but he didn't.
I don't even know what "majoring in sexual ethics" means. King was an ordained Baptist minister and a co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference - presumably the relevant commandment about adultery was supposed to be as binding upon him as upon any other Christian.

Perhaps there are special exemptions?
« Last Edit: July 22, 2017, 09:19:39 PM by Shaker »
Pain, or damage, don't end the world. Or despair, or fucking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man, and give some back. - Al Swearengen, Deadwood.

Rhiannon

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Re: What's good about Christianity?
« Reply #105 on: July 22, 2017, 10:33:11 PM »
I don't even know what "majoring in sexual ethics" means. King was an ordained Baptist minister and a co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference - presumably the relevant commandment about adultery was supposed to be as binding upon him as upon any other Christian.

Perhaps there are special exemptions?

Not in any form of Christianity that I know. Although quite a few have decided that they are exempt anyway.

Nearly Sane

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Re: What's good about Christianity?
« Reply #106 on: July 28, 2017, 03:09:56 PM »
Moderator A number of posts have been removed as derails of the thread. Please note detailed discussion of actions on other boards is not allowed and will be removed.
« Last Edit: July 28, 2017, 03:30:19 PM by Nearly Sane »