Thanks for the response Evan, posters look forward to follow ups from writers. Sadly, few reply.

“Jasper BBB:”, your blog is disgusting and reflects all the sickness afflicting our society. Your a wonderful example of the true monotheist. Like your ilk, your stupid enough to show how despotic you are.

YngNLuvnIt: . “Second of all there weren't nearly as many species back then,”

Really, where did a the rest pop up from, another creation day. Using the dimensions of the ark, tell me how it was built, how they fitted 2 of the millions of species in, feed them, dispose of their waste, keep them calm, keep carnivorous separate, collect them from around the world. Then return them all to their indigenous countries, then get back to the ME without navigation, sails or power, excellent logic.

“You might not believe all of the above, but hopefully I've served to clarify at least some of the more puzzling elements of the Gospel.”

There's nothing puzzling about the gospel, its fictional rubbish. What you say just verifies how really insane you people are and how dangerous you are to the future mental state of all children.

Religion should be banned from all schools and from being forced upon children, monotheists are causing so much trouble in the world, do we need a future of children so confused between the reality they see around them, and the blatant lies put to them by the followers of god. No wonder mental illness is growing at such a rate in children, when we read comments by Jasper, coach and BD in their desperation to make their fallacies sound plausible

There's truth in the supposition the world's only been around for 10000 years or so. When understanding for the unevolved, being able to comprehend anything above infantile stupidity, is beyond them. So a past beyond yesterday and a future beyond today, just doesn't compute in unevolved monotheists.

Evan, I've had a similar response to my former life as a christain from some of the posters - "you can't really have been a real christain if you now rejest it".

The problem they refuse to face is that I and others were not nominal pew warmers. I'd done the 4 spirtual law stuff along with pretty much the whole non-charismatic evangelical experience (and enough exploration of that to be convinced that the fruit is rotten).
If I was not a "real" christian it was not thrpugh an unwillingness on my part (other than the old "I believe, help my unbelief thing").

I think that can't be acknowledged by some because if those things don't work then how can anybody have an assurance of salvation. They want to be able to tell people that if you do the repentance thing and take Jesus as Lord then you will be saved so anybody and some of us don't fit in with their "reality" so they have to deny our history.

I'd agree with view that the issues you describe cross a broad range of christain churches to varying degrees, it's not really a matter of that other mob getting it wrong.

R0bert

Evan

I am not easily impressed, however, I am indeed impressed with the depth and thought of your original article.

But where I am truly inspired is with your detailed and reflective response to all the posters, it takes time - and grace (a rare quality).

Thank you.

There is room for religion but no space for dogma.

Evan, Thanks for taking the time to reply. However, when you say
"I don't think your counterfeit money analogy really works here. Belief is not a case of what is real or not, it's just belief." you are committing any number of logical fallacies.

In the first instance you are begging the question, by simply assuming that all belief is not related to reality, which is the question at hand.

Secondly, the statement is self-refuting. That is, it must be false. This can be easily high-lighted by asking you the question. "Do you really believe that?" If you do belive that, then your belief is also not a case of what is real or not and we can happily dismiss it as irrelevant. If you don't believe that, then it is also irrelevant.

Thirdly, your entire article seems to be premised on how your own experiences do not match reality...why else would you complain "One of the most damaging perhaps is the belief that there is a constant war between demons and angels raging around us all the time. I've seen kids being told that a demon is sitting just behind them or on their shoulder. What effect might that have on their mental health?" If you really thought it wasn't about being "real or not", then this statement is non-sensical. You seem to be implying that this belief is false and so it is damaging to mental health.

I appreciate that you have taken time to express your views, but if you want people to think you are more rational now than when you believed in whatever brand of Christianity you believed in, you will have to avoid the rhetorical tricks and faulty logic.

Dear Evan
clearly I should have anticipated that remark "come to OUR Church for the truth".....
That was not at all my point mate.
I said or meant.. come to Jesus, to Christ. The Biblical one. How do you find/meet Him ? Simple.. read the gospels... you will see 4 views of our Lords life, and varying accounts of his ministry, teaching and actions.

You don't need 'my' Church to get you that far or to see the plain meaning of the text. It might be advantageous to spend time with a mature Christian of ANY denomination who truly reflects the Grace that Scout referred to.

Don't allow yourself to be put off by the counterfiet, that would be stupidity. Search...and u will find.

Lorese, imposing your understanding of how God should or should not act, is a tad arrogant :) Your statements are very naive. Pls read 1st Corinthians 15 in full.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=53&chapter=15&version=31

Pericles.
Well pointed out that there were a number of dimensions to the Welsh revival. You gave far too much attention to the peripheral, and also suggested that the tonges phenomenon which occurred in it were spurious. This may or may not have been the case. True Tongues is a real spiritual gift, and there are documented cases and many testimonies of its occurrence today, sadly, it is the easiest gift to imitate and abuse, and falsify in the name of short term spectacular impressiveness. Welcome to Evans experience. I've not experienced that gift but have experienced healing..another legitimate gift of the Spirit.

To attribute the overall momentum of the Welsh or any major evangelical awakening to nothing more than mass hysteria or simply 'Mosely like' group dynamics is to miss the mark entirely.

If you look at social conditions prior to and after, irrespective of how short lived the 'bubbly' aspects were, you will find they were of lasting and redeeming social value, based on the spiritual change in the hearts of those touched by it.

Egillham, indeed there is nothing wrong with becoming a Christian and looking for comfort, hope and love.

The problems arise when we are forcing our religous ideas on others. It seems that to many would like to usurp Gods role in deciding who goes to heaven and who goes to hell.

Gus