Hi Peter,

As an atheist, I've always been impressed by the Good Samaritan story -that a stranger, not belonging to somebody's group, should help him at a critical moment. To me, as a universalist, the story, true or not - it doesn't really matter - is a massive evolutionary step above the tribalist approach: that we help only our own, that our 'community' is only for 'us'.

In turn, that universalist proposition points to the superiority of open societies over closed societies, the value of a vibrant civil society over a stunted, State- or religion-driven society. Universalism opens the door to genuine equality, while an exclusivist approach enforces and sanctions social inequalities, particular between men and women, and inevitably leads to ethnocentrism and denigration of 'outsiders' as less than human, less deserving.

I'm not saying that those outcomes or consequences have been deliberate let alone planned, but that although philosophies shape history, they do so in ways which were unforeseen and perhaps unintended.

So don't be too hard on yourself :)

Cheers,

Joe

The author wrote: "Geoff Thomson in his "Disturbing Much, Disturbing Many" has pointed out that the early Church admitted gentiles, a clear break with Judaism who could not contemplate such an act."

The above statement is not true. Jewish tradition has always admitted gentiles. The Book of Ruth in the Bible is an example. However, a gentile admitted to Judaism must follow the Jewish law. Paul broke with tradition by allowing a gentile to be a fellow worshipper of Jesus without following the Jewish law.

But where does virtue, and thus right living come from?
It comes from the heart-based asana of Prior Unity?

http://www.priorunity.org/excerpt-separateness-egoless-culture
Plus the essay Be Part of Humankind First

And where does the Teaching of Truth come from too? Certainly not from any of the usual double-mined Christian talking heads, ancient of modern. http://global.adidam.org/books/gift-of-truth-itself

Like everybody else Christians are convicted of, and dramatize the three separative myths of ego-culture:
http://www.beezone.com/AdiDa/Aletheon/three_great_myths.html

Loudmouth.
Thank you for your considered post. My problem with universalism is that while it is a great and admirable idea it provides no training in virtue. As I have indicated in a previous post on secularism there is a vacuum here that is easily filled with idols that take away our freedom. A radical understanding of Christian freedom, contrary to the religious understanding, is that nothing can become an idol, even Jesus. When Moses asked for the name of god he replies "I will be whom I will be" i.e. a non-name that leaves the being of god to be determined by his actions and not as a projection of human religious need. This understanding has become a staple in theological circles but virtually unknown among the faithful.

David F.
Yes, thanks for the reminder, well spotted!

Hi Sells,

I suppose we can't expect something, a concept or an aspiration, to do more than it can: but universalism, the equal worth of every person regardless of origin, surely is, up to a point, a virtue ? To have respect for each other as equals is a pretty good starting-point. How a person, or a community, responds to the needs or troubles of others is a fair measure of its - dare I say it - level of civilization. Of course, the opposite is equally true.

Best wishes,

Joe

NOt really sure how to define Aussie values although what is very obvious that the values of secularism are totally sick. The fruit of trashing Christian values has been murder, perversion, irrationality, mental health issues, increase of child molestation, epidemic divorce, fatherless children, racism, violence. Yeah all in the name of ' freedom' and secular values.