In theory, people belong to groups because they agree with the tenets of the group. In practice, they belong to a group because they like belonging to the group. In the case of religions, it’s compounded by the fact that the vast majority of people were born into them. There’s little independent analysis or affirmative choosing of a group based on sharing of beliefs. And there are a lot of negative social consequences for a lot of people who do.
And yes, it sure does carry a whiff of suspicion that they’re making it up as they go along. I was raised Catholic, I seem to recall a time when meat was forbidden every Friday, not just 7 Fridays during Lent. I guess Limbo is no more. Women had to wear hats in church, but men had to take theirs off. Etc.
As George Carlin once quipped, “there are guys still doing time in hell on a meat rap”. It is kind of hard to take seriously.
It's a very tough sell to even suggest to people that the most likely reason they believe in a particular god or religion is mere accident of birth. That, were they born in Athens 2500 years ago, they'd probably be as all-in on Zeus and Apollo as they would be on Allah were they born in Riyadh 30 years ago.
United Methodists are the latest mainline Protestant group to go this route - they've been "captured" by progressives over the past five years. There were plans to accommodate, tolerate and coexist, but the underlying issue is the church leadership won't enforce written doctrine (the Book of Discipline) on human sexuality and have given every indication of their intent to push "new orthodoxy" onto the faithful - so schism first, and now split.
Within Christianity we define "orthodoxy" as say, roughly 3000 years of accumulated practice. Roughly 1000 years of Hebrew law and custom reflected in the 24 books of the Tanakh, followed by the New Testament. If that orthodoxy isn't to your liking, choose another religion or start your own. But I would personally question staking my eternal soul on an "orthodoxy" which has only existed for roughly ten years, during which there's been no revelation from above that anything's changed.
Christianity is a voluntary religion - it isn't compelled by state sanction. We're all volunteers who practice our faith outside of state control, and in many cases throughout the world, despite state control (China, North Korea. numerous Middle East countries where Christianity is outlawed). This is a key distinction in one's "choice" of a belief system. It is also the main rubbing point modern progressives have with the Ancient Church - it doesn't fit with their aim that what you believe should be compelled.
I think this sentence wins the internet today (for me at least):
"Folks not swept up in the insanity (oops, can't say that, it's ableist) stupidity (ditto...) social contagion that is the neutering (pun wholly intended, since it often involves gelding) of biological gender are agog, agape, pick-jaw-up-off-floor astonished that a religion whose Prayer opens with "Our Father" and whose entire structure is patriarchal (Adam, a male, in God's image, Eve from Adam, et cetera and so forth) could suddenly declare that the God it worships is un-gendered."
Spectacular piece Peter.
Thank you.
Top Marks, concise,dense, visceral.
Too say so much so clearly and quickly, you Sir are todays most dexterous linquist
Well said. God created them in his image, male and female he created them.
Great piece. Couple observations:
In theory, people belong to groups because they agree with the tenets of the group. In practice, they belong to a group because they like belonging to the group. In the case of religions, it’s compounded by the fact that the vast majority of people were born into them. There’s little independent analysis or affirmative choosing of a group based on sharing of beliefs. And there are a lot of negative social consequences for a lot of people who do.
And yes, it sure does carry a whiff of suspicion that they’re making it up as they go along. I was raised Catholic, I seem to recall a time when meat was forbidden every Friday, not just 7 Fridays during Lent. I guess Limbo is no more. Women had to wear hats in church, but men had to take theirs off. Etc.
As George Carlin once quipped, “there are guys still doing time in hell on a meat rap”. It is kind of hard to take seriously.
It's a very tough sell to even suggest to people that the most likely reason they believe in a particular god or religion is mere accident of birth. That, were they born in Athens 2500 years ago, they'd probably be as all-in on Zeus and Apollo as they would be on Allah were they born in Riyadh 30 years ago.
United Methodists are the latest mainline Protestant group to go this route - they've been "captured" by progressives over the past five years. There were plans to accommodate, tolerate and coexist, but the underlying issue is the church leadership won't enforce written doctrine (the Book of Discipline) on human sexuality and have given every indication of their intent to push "new orthodoxy" onto the faithful - so schism first, and now split.
Within Christianity we define "orthodoxy" as say, roughly 3000 years of accumulated practice. Roughly 1000 years of Hebrew law and custom reflected in the 24 books of the Tanakh, followed by the New Testament. If that orthodoxy isn't to your liking, choose another religion or start your own. But I would personally question staking my eternal soul on an "orthodoxy" which has only existed for roughly ten years, during which there's been no revelation from above that anything's changed.
Christianity is a voluntary religion - it isn't compelled by state sanction. We're all volunteers who practice our faith outside of state control, and in many cases throughout the world, despite state control (China, North Korea. numerous Middle East countries where Christianity is outlawed). This is a key distinction in one's "choice" of a belief system. It is also the main rubbing point modern progressives have with the Ancient Church - it doesn't fit with their aim that what you believe should be compelled.
we just finished watching a British mini Series
Collateral
in it the female priest (CoE) say she prefers to call God a she...
I've seen this is some other shows as well
this raises the question is TV mirroring real life.
or is TV pushing a narrative that is being picked up by Church Leadership.
I think this sentence wins the internet today (for me at least):
"Folks not swept up in the insanity (oops, can't say that, it's ableist) stupidity (ditto...) social contagion that is the neutering (pun wholly intended, since it often involves gelding) of biological gender are agog, agape, pick-jaw-up-off-floor astonished that a religion whose Prayer opens with "Our Father" and whose entire structure is patriarchal (Adam, a male, in God's image, Eve from Adam, et cetera and so forth) could suddenly declare that the God it worships is un-gendered."
Absolutely brilliant!!