I think that in the last ten years two books have been more popular than most of us might have predicted. They are Dan Brown's "The Davinci Code" and Richard Dawkin's "The God Delusion". The thing that both this piece of airport fiction and philosophy have in common is that they both undermine the authority of Xy. Brown presents Xy as being built on a lie and Dawkin's presents Xy as irrational. What I find interesting is how incredibly popular both that these books have been and that no one apart from Xns are trying to defend Xn belief and practice. Imagine if someone started attacking Jewish, black or homosexual people in a similar way. Lots of people would jump to their aid. People even jump to the defence of those on death row for horrific crimes or to the aid of people like David Hicks (me included on both of these accounts).
Thinking about this reminds me of how a friend of mine used to introduce me to his friends. At the time I was working for a church so he would explain this and that yes I was a Xn but that I was a "good guy", because my friend assumed that otherwise they would think I was a complete prat who should be avoided at all cost. Whether we like it or not people are over Xns. They wish we would just shut up. Dan Brown's novel long riddle with the premise that all Xns have bought into a lie is enjoyable because people can imagine the excitement of bringing down the entire Xn church with just one piece of information. Similarly Dawkin's arms people with the rational armour that makes people feel confident to logically the stupidity of Xn claims against Xns . People are yearning to have the power to shut Xns up, to tell them to go away and leave them alone.
If we truly were salt and light I wonder how well these books would have sold. If people say Jesus is OK but I just don't like Xns it means that Xns are not following Jesus. I know this a bit of a whinge and I'm not sure what to do about it but I think Xns as a collective need to realise this and sensitively and appropriately respond with love and mercy.
Thinking about this reminds me of how a friend of mine used to introduce me to his friends. At the time I was working for a church so he would explain this and that yes I was a Xn but that I was a "good guy", because my friend assumed that otherwise they would think I was a complete prat who should be avoided at all cost. Whether we like it or not people are over Xns. They wish we would just shut up. Dan Brown's novel long riddle with the premise that all Xns have bought into a lie is enjoyable because people can imagine the excitement of bringing down the entire Xn church with just one piece of information. Similarly Dawkin's arms people with the rational armour that makes people feel confident to logically the stupidity of Xn claims against Xns . People are yearning to have the power to shut Xns up, to tell them to go away and leave them alone.
If we truly were salt and light I wonder how well these books would have sold. If people say Jesus is OK but I just don't like Xns it means that Xns are not following Jesus. I know this a bit of a whinge and I'm not sure what to do about it but I think Xns as a collective need to realise this and sensitively and appropriately respond with love and mercy.
8 comments:
shhh
someone might hear you
the contempt is not just for christians but those of religion (don't place 'faith' here they are not interchangeable words!)
the Islam community is no less affected by current attacks on religiosity
in the cold hard light of day the 'fundamentalists' of every religious brand stand toe-to-toe in responding aggressively and unrepentant in their lack of humanity
frogtheology
Hi...
Check out a documentary about Richard Dawkins' book "The God Delusion" on my blog at http://videochronicles.blogspot.com
Hey,
I am a Christian who is writing a blog series on Richard Dawkins' book "The God Delusion".
Join the conversation at:
http://michaelkrahn.wordpress.com/richard-dawkins/
"frogtheology" has a point, Chris. At least in the case of Dawkins, whose target is religion in general, not Christianity in particular. (The documentary Root of All Evil? makes this plain.)
He pays greater attention to Christianity because that is the dominant religion in Western societies, and he's speaking to a Western audience.
I agree that Dawkins is targeting religion in general and pays Xy more attention because it dominates in western societies. But as someone growing up in western society where Xy dominates I can't help but think that his experience of Xy was hugely influential on his overall ideas about religion.
But as someone growing up in western society where Xy dominates I can't help but think that his experience of Xy was hugely influential on his overall ideas about religion.
In some ways, perhaps, but I think his love of science would have played a greater role. (Which is not to suggest that a love of science necessarily causes one to adopt Dawkins' views on religion.)
Yes that would certainly have some affect given that many Xns (falsely in my view) would be opposed to much scientific thought. Perhaps it's going too hard to seperate the two, with out a time machine and a portal into Dawkin's Brain.
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