inter faith

[percival]

It's all nice and easy to be an inter faith enthusiast when you talk to moderate Christians, Buddhists, Taoists,
etc. - but whenever I encounter a specific sub group of Evangelical Christians, namely the one illustrated by the
Creation Science Fair,
I can't suppress a strong urge to retch. (I found the URL in sff_corgi's journal.)

I've nothing against fundamentalist or evangelical Christianity - but if science is twisted in line to support a world view that is often diametrically opposed to my ethics, that crosses the line.

For example, I can accept the argument that women should stay at home to look after their children because the children will benefit. But I will never accept an "argument" that takes women's lower pay to be a justification for excluding women from the work place.

As for the demonstration of the difference between Uncle Steve and a monkey, and the experiment to create life from inanimate substances - oh please. That just goes against the grain of scientific method - and demonstrates no grasp even of the popular scientific literature. (Notice how I suppressed a SNARXY comment about Uncle Steve.)

That said, I could probably live with my children adopting these views - or living with somebody that has these views. I'd just hope they'd snap out of it again ;)

Comments

[shellebelle93.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear heavens.

Here's a comment from your friendly neighborhood fundie ;-)
I believe in Creation. I do not hold with evolution. But there are many, many flavors of Christian thought on this subject, and I am not about to tell someone that they are 100% wrong. This particular subject is not, I repeat, *not* vital to my faith in Christ. (In other words, it is not "fundamental" in the strictest sense of the word.) The "science" in this event is laughable, and shows a tremendous disrespect for people(any people). It shows a callous disregard and disrespect for others who do not hold with their beliefs, which does not do any favors for Christians of any flavor.

Now, I can say that the 'fundies' believe that there was a time in society when Christians who believed strictly in Creation were laughed and ridiculed openly for believing as such. I myself have never encountered this attitude. However, aren't these people being as narrow-minded and antagonistic as they accuse Evolutionists of being? I deplore the horribly sarcastic and disrespectful attitude in the Creationist camps these days.

My main point is this: We weren't there. When we get to heaven, all of us, without exception, are going to have some things explained to us that we just got plain WRONG. Disrespect will get us no Brownie points with God.

*sigh* I don't think I can call myself a 'fundie' anymore. I think I'll call myself a 'tolerant, thinking Christian' instead.

Sheesh.

[perceval.livejournal.com]

:)

hugs the friendly neighborhood fundie.

Well, Creationists *are* getting ridiculed, but I guess that most evolutionists who openly seek dialogue with creationists try to be calm and respectful, and this is what inter faith is all about .

[shellebelle93.livejournal.com]

The problem is that these days, I tend to see a whole lot more, shall we say, rudeness, coming from the Creationist camps than from the Evolutionist camps. Or maybe that's just me being blindsided by the 'fundies' again. *snerk*

Sigh. I wish I could say that I thought the site you linked to was a parody site. Unfortunately, no.

I'm just going to say that every day I am grateful for the internet. I get to dialogue with so many interesting people every day. *hugs Perceval*

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

However, aren't these people being as narrow-minded and antagonistic as they accuse Evolutionists of being? I deplore the horribly sarcastic and disrespectful attitude in the Creationist camps these days.

That's my problem with a lot of people (not you, obviously) who call themselves Christian -- and practice Old Testament intolerance and vengefulness, inequality and inflexibility. It's also a symptom of institutionalising a faith, don't you think?

[shellebelle93.livejournal.com]

It's also a symptom of institutionalising a faith, don't you think?

I think you've hit the nail on the head, to an extent. I tend to think of these things as happening a lot more in America. There is an attitude of Christians in America, where they want everything spelled out for them in neat little tidy terms, and no one wants to think. Therefore, they have programs for every single little thing. It is much easier to be dogmatic and tote the party line than to actually think about what your faith means to you and to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling."
(Philippians 2:12) How does this relate to this article? Well, look at the "science projects"--if I had turned in something like this in sixth grade, I would have gotten a failing grade. I am willing to bet that not two hours was spent in actual 'research'. And that type on non-thinking is all too often encouraged. It carries over to Bible reading, to sermon preparation, to everything. It is a pity that all too often, brains are not used in the manner God intended. *sigh*