Hi,
Snow Leopard <juliet784@hotmail.com> writes:
<<
I see more flaws in over meme-complexes than with Christianity.
>>
I'd put them on about equal ground, in terms of truth value. Both are more a way of looking at the world -- a special pair of sunglasses, if you will -- and both distort the world in special, revealing ways. The trick with either is not to forget you're wearing those glasses...
<<
I've read the Bible 8 times, (working on 9) and I see flaws, but then
I take the time to investigate. That's the piece of the scientific
theory that this list seems to be missing. If something LOOKS wrong,
it's automatically invalid, along with everything else in the
meme-complex.
>>
Well, if you're interested in places in which the Bible is factually wrong, start with Genesis. Nearly totally bunk. The best way to show the errors of the Bible, however, is by internal contradiction. See _The Age of Reason_ by Thomas Paine; he did an admirable job well over one hundred years ago. Also of note is the _Enclopedia of Biblical Errancy_. Reading the Bible from cover to cover is useful only if you have been trained in critical thinking and have an *excellent* memory. A much better method to is pick a topic and find out what different Biblical authors had to say about it. Or to do a comparisom study on what the four different gospels say Jesus did and said. (line them up and follow chronologically in all four. Multiple Bible help, although you could always just rip out the appropriate sections)
<<
Get this- there are two kind of people in every church
organization-the religious, and the faithful. One says what there
church says, plays mirror for some set of memes that mean nothing. The
other examines their faith, looks for why it is true, makes sure that
they haven't been douped.
>>
You cast the same two groups as I see, but you cast them opposite. I consider the religious people the ones who question, the intelligent ones. The faithful, on the other hand, are mere sheeps, who have fait h (blind or not) in what the Good Book and their Shepherd have to say. They are all alike, and to get their opinions, it's easier just to read Paul and John (boring!)
I consider myself a fairly religious person, but think faith is that-which-is-to-be-avoided. I eagerly await your post on why faith isn't the "disease" I take it to be.
ERiC