--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Yet Fundamentalist Christians refer to Jews who > > have converted to Christianity as "completed Jews." > > Ouch! >
I thank you guys to further my point. But I am not sure we serve the side of rational discussion best by pinning this thing on the fundy xtians. As I write I keep thinking of Maslow's Heirarchy <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs> , which is one of many rational representations of ethical understanding dating back to the Ancient Greeks. Western civ, has a wealthy tradition of working out ethical and moral structures without relying on ancient myths. Adams and Jefferson did a pretty good job of institutionalizing this secular philosophy. The fundy xtians are not the only ones guilty a regressive tribal religious assault on society. Moderates of all colors and all forms of monotheism harbor some form of regression simply by supporting myth over logos. For the most part this exhibiting regressive behavior is not dangerous, sometimes its quaint - look at the Amish. But there are times public policy is shaped by misinformed mythos. In an earlier post I gave the example of the nature-vs.-man viewpoint that holds back political movement on the pollution of our fine planet. But how about our foreign policy on health? Its not only the radical nuts that have allowed disease to spread internationally in the name of some sort of religious prudery. It takes the backing of nice moderate church/synagoge/mosque goers for these policies to erupt that suppress condom usage and vaccines in Africa. Did Paul, Moses, or Josh have pure intentions? We will never know, because the actual account of their lives does not exist. We are left with texts that were left threadbare by early scribes. Do they have anything relevant to add to the discussion? Yes. They remind us that the past is part of an evolutionary social/political process, and we have to move on or keep repeating horrible mistakes. s.
