D.H. Cross

Can anybody point me to a good source for evidence of anti-intellectualism in Christianity? Quotes like "I believe because it is absurd". I don't remember who said that...Luther?

Somebody wrote to me saying, "...God is warning man for not believing in him, His love, His creation and His righteous ways of sexual purity. If you read Romans 1:18-32 God is calling judgement on those who teach lies and are leading others away with those lies - atheist, those who worship the created things rather than the creator. God says they've traded a truth for a lie."

I would like to respond to this with examples of a religious hostility to intellect. Help me out?

mountainman

"Socrates critical questioning ... is a menace to the state."

Constantine c.325 CE, Oration at Antioch
(See Robin Lane-Fox, "Pagans and Christians")

GakuseiDon

It was Tertullian, though it wasn't anti-intellectualism. The quote and discussion can be found on Roger Pearse's excellent website on Tertullian:
http://www.tertullian.org/quotes.htm

Toto

Anti-intellectualism in the Bible

aa5874

It is universally accepted that atheists are fools in the Jewish and Christian religions. It was deemed to be FOOLISH long ago to REJECT the Gods of the Romans, whether or not it was ZEUS or JESUS.

It was FOOLISH for Christians to REJECT ZEUS before the 4th century and it was FOOLISH for worshipers of ZEUS to REJECT JESUS after the 4th century.

It is FOOLISH to REJECT the STATUS QUO "GODS"

Only the STATUS QUO GODS exist.

Even Christians were REGARDED as Atheists by those who BELIEVE in ZEUS.

Listen to Justin Martyr.

"First Apology" And Now 1800 years later, the very ADMITTED CHRISTIAN ATHEISTS have REVERSED their position and now believe in the STATUS QUO GODS and are calling PEOPLE "FOOLS" because they REJECT their INVENTED Gods.


Ps 14:1 - Ps 53:1 - "Smart" people know that you should believe in the STATUS QUO GODS to SURVIVE.

If you want to SURVIVE financially, socially and sometimes even physically, in any country or region today it is "SMART" to be an ATHEIST except towards the Gods of that TERRITORY.

Sarai

Don't know if this is what you have in mind, but here's my contribution. Johnny Enlow, one of the modern mega-church pastors had this to say about "critical thinking" in his sermon, The Mountain of Education--

And a little later, around time-stamp 43:38, he rails against what he calls "high math" (citing his 7th grade daughter's pre-algebra class as an example)--

He's not being figurative about the demon, he means it literally! :devil1:

Hope this helps,
Sarai