The comments on this digg story have once again degraded into another flamewar. Because the simple mention of anything religious in the tech world is absolutely taboo. This comment really took the cake, though:
<p>If “Christians” wanted to make this world a better place, they’d immediately either denounce their religion or kill themselves. There is no room in this world for those who believe in fairy tales and are over the age of 10. I have no doubt that some of what is written in the Bible is historically accurate to some degree, but <span class="caps">ALL</span> religions blow it <span class="caps">WAY</span> out of context and attach their own beliefs and propoganda in order to suck new members into their respective branches of Christianity. <span class="caps">DOWN</span> <span class="caps">WITH</span> <span class="caps">THE</span> <span class="caps">RELIGIOUS</span> <span class="caps">RIGHT</span>!!!</p>
And here is my ill-deserved responce:
Truly spoken like someone that doesn’t have the faintest clue what Christianity is about. I don’t care if you went to church every single day of your life; that doesn’t mean you know anything about it. Let’s look at things logically here:
<p>“If “Christians” wanted to make this world a better place, they’d immediately either denounce their religion or kill themselves.”</p>
Contrary to popular belief, there are true Christians out there that are actively trying to make the world a better place. WorldVision is a good place to start. And if we all took your advice and killed ourselves, you’d just look at us and say, “Wow, look at all those idiots who killed themselves.” Cults have mass suicides. Christianity doesn’t. In fact, if you actually read the Bible, you’d see that Jesus brought someone back from the dead. Hardly the action of someone endorsing mass suicides.
<p>“There is no room in this world for those who believe in fairy tales and are over the age of 10.”</p>
No one over the age of 10 seriously believes in fairy tales. Christianity isn’t a fairy tale. Fairy tales are defined as being “extremely happy.” People going to hell isn’t happy. It’s one of the things I like least about Christianity, but it’s still there. And I still believe it.
And what if it is a fairy tale, anyway? It gives me hope, helps me survive, and makes me a better person. If I didn’t have this hope, I would have already killed myself.
<p>“I have no doubt that some of what is written in the Bible is historically accurate to some degree, but <span class="caps">ALL</span> religions blow it <span class="caps">WAY</span> out of context and attach their own beliefs and propoganda in order to suck new members into their respective branches of Christianity.”</p>
Okay, are you talking about all religions or just Christianity? Make up your mind.
Some is historically accurate? How about a book that has more than ten times as many usable sources (manuscripts within one generation of the original) than anything by Plato or Aristotle? How about a book that has survived with no substantial changes for over a thousand years? Works of fiction don’t do that. Works of fiction don’t inspire people to change their lives.
And don’t judge a religion by its followers. It’s the same reason you shouldn’t hate the Mac just because some Mac users are complete zealots. Yes, some preachers throw on their own versions of Christianity. That’s how cults get started. And the majority of thinking people in this world see them for what they truly are: quacks.
Propaganda? Sounds like you’ve been reading your fair share of anti-Christian propaganda.
<p>“DOWN <span class="caps">WITH</span> <span class="caps">THE</span> <span class="caps">RELIGIOUS</span> <span class="caps">RIGHT</span>!!!”</p>
The religious right, as much as some people would like it to be, isn’t Christianity. Don’t judge a religion by its followers. Go to the source (the Bible) and decide for yourself.
Seriously, you need to read Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. It does a good job of presenting the core beliefs of Christianity without any of your so-called “propaganda.” And Lewis was not a stupid man.
