Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 07-23-2004, 01:21 PM

Luke Timothy Johnson has produced a Teaching Company audio tape on "Great World Religions:Christianity." He evidently produces the actual history of Christianity, warts and all.

Christianity Today feels compelled to recommend it for mature audiences only.

Quote:

One does sense that Johnson, as a believer who has taken his dedication to the faith so seriously that he has become a church historian (and perhaps more impressively, in a previous life, a Benedictine monk), trains this harsh light on the faith because he believes the truth of the Gospel and does not wish to see it obscured or diminished by the many errors of the human institutions that have attempted to live that truth in the world. And in the end, this "wounded lover" approach does make this tape series strong broth for strong Christians. But it is not introductory milk for baby Christians, nor (a fortiori) an appropriate introduction for those whose prejudices against the church are already strongly formed in some of the directions Johnson explores.

Who are these baby Christians? Why are they unable to take the real story of Christianity? Are they Christians who have just been told that all they have to do is believe and they will be saved, and who might ask some obvious questions - why are all of those other believers acting so ugly?

Vorkosigan · 07-23-2004, 06:23 PM

Quote:

But it is not introductory milk for baby Christians, nor (a fortiori) an appropriate introduction for those whose prejudices against the church are already strongly formed in some of the directions Johnson explores.

LOL. Poor guys. So terrified by scholarship.

Vorkosigan

Vinnie · 07-23-2004, 07:43 PM

The truth shall ..... be hiddden from thee....

judge · 07-23-2004, 11:22 PM

Well, not all religious experiences are alike. If, for instance someone believed that they had had an experience with God (in whatever setting) and had remorse regarding their past and a sincere desire to redress wrongs they had comitted, to try to make ammends to people they had wronged, then I would try to keep them away from controversial issues as well.

But if it just an attempt to keep them away from one set of ideas in order to indoctrnate in another set of ideas rather than to encourage trying to effect some good, then that is probably as bad.

fried beef sandwich · 07-26-2004, 03:18 PM

This is just like the Mormons giving their members "milk before meat" so they won't learn about the sordid history of their own faith until they're nice and brainwashed and accepting.

Or the Scientologists keeping their members from learning anything about Xenu before they're glassy-eyed and ready.

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07-23-2004, 07:43 PM	#3
Vinnie Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Waterbury, Ct, Usa Posts: 6,523	The truth shall ..... be hiddden from thee....

07-23-2004, 11:22 PM	#4
judge Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bli Bli Posts: 3,135	Well, not all religious experiences are alike. If, for instance someone believed that they had had an experience with God (in whatever setting) and had remorse regarding their past and a sincere desire to redress wrongs they had comitted, to try to make ammends to people they had wronged, then I would try to keep them away from controversial issues as well. But if it just an attempt to keep them away from one set of ideas in order to indoctrnate in another set of ideas rather than to encourage trying to effect some good, then that is probably as bad.

07-26-2004, 03:18 PM	#5
fried beef sandwich Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 1,156	This is just like the Mormons giving their members "milk before meat" so they won't learn about the sordid history of their own faith until they're nice and brainwashed and accepting. Or the Scientologists keeping their members from learning anything about Xenu before they're glassy-eyed and ready.

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