Ojuice5001

An apologist has to talk about two belief systems, his own and that of his target (audience). Talking about the target's belief system is highly useful, but not absolutely necesssary. Talking about the apologist's own religion, on the other hand, is absoloutely necessary, unless the target believes that the only other option is the apologist's religion. After all, if a Christian disproved Hinduism to a Hindu, the Hindu might not become a Christian--he might become an atheist, Muslim, or Parsi.

So it follows that when trying to convert Christians, I need to talk about two things: Christianity and Roman paganism. Trouble is, they're only interested in Christianity. Whenever I post a pagan argument on a Christian site, the amount of response it gets is in proportion to the amount of attention it gave to Christianity. If it does nothing but attack Christianity, it will get a full response. If it relates only somewhat to Christianity--like a defense of polytheism--it will get a little response, but not much. If it combines treatment of Christianity and Roman paganism, the responses give much more attention to the stuff I say about Christianity that the Religio Romana. And if it says little or nothing about Christianity, it is often ignored, or else gets no response but a closed-minded dismissal of polytheism. Like <a href="http://www.christianforums.com/threads/23341.html" target="_blank">this thread</a>--I've posted it to ChristianForums and apologetics.org, and the only response I've gotten on either site is from a humanist troll, whom I treat with the derision he deserves. I have to think the reason for this is that it says nothing about Christianity, except appealing to the Christian premise that the ancient Jews had entered a covenant with divinity.

This is a shame. I've always said that Christians don't consider the Religio to be an option, and yet I'm just now beginning to realize how deep the problem is. I would rather talk about Jupiter than Jesus, since the Roman gods are more interesting and more desirable as rulers of the world. Christianity is important to me only because it's my past religion and the present religion of most people in my area. I do not deny that it's natural for Christians to be more interested in their own religion, but a person should try to overcome this kind of cultural bias.

<img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" /> Ojuice5001

Marduk

"since the Roman gods are more interesting and more desirable as rulers of the world."

huh? You want some guy who turned himself into a swan to rape some girl to rule the world?
How would you like being 'goosed' by a swan?
Couldn't he have at least bought her dinner and a movie? and why would a god have to resort to such things? No clever reparte'. Suave Hugh Heffner style seduction? noooooo, just turn into a bird and bang away eh?


tsk tsk tsk

GeoTheo

No offense Ojuice5001, but I was picturing this thread being here tomorrow way at the bottom with zero replies still. You have to admit that would have been funny!