Mr sellers. Your just in time to witness the new age of modern man and religious concepts. As mans intelligence grows, evolution will slowly squeeze out religions childish beginnings (early mans beginnings ) and man will go on to develop a new conscious mind with an ever declining attachment of the belief system. Like I have said before, the bible has served its purpose but now more of a pillow when i feel frightened. The two will still need each other for a time to come, "but it is on the way out".( it will take thousands of years ) and the Christian's enterprise is not under any immediate threat. Re invent the good book or lose it!

I still firmly agree with my hypothesis that religion was a security mechanism that was vital for mans well being as on the same level as hunting for food and so on. Man will also developed a new understanding of this universe that we "all" live in, and what your all seeing is man just starting to grow up!

Big-bang+evolution equals early man+evolving minds equals where we are today. Its quite simply to me. And doesn't man look cute with its baby boots on, but unfortunately at this present time, religion is no laughing matter.

EVO

'Ian D'... it's one hell of a big machine when you describe it like this... "For me, the Catholic Church has no purpose or identity in and of itself. It exists to facilitate the relationship between my God and me, and all others who use it as their vehicle to be in relationship with God."

Couldn't you do that with a little less real estate, wealth and power just hanging around within the RC machine?

It's pretty clear the Vattie Factory exists to exist, and to impose, and to limit.

I have always suspected that those people who are inclined to do 'good works' would be doing them anyway, with no thought about 'glorifying' any god at all.

After all, it's not just 'the religious' who lend-a-hand in life is it?

EVO

You would have to be the comedian of the century if you believe we are evolving into a higher form of intellect and morality. NO wonder your belief system led to the treating of aboriginals as animals. If you can not see that man has actually become more corrupt and depraved your observance skills need a lot more evolving (like billions of years) And to think you label Christianity as childish). Please tell me that you are joking. I can understand man's arrogance and pride believing they are evolving in some kind of gods but to deny the obvious while criticizing others beliefs takes the cake.

This reference points out that conventional exoteric religiosity is very much an expression of a childish state of mind, or rather emotional patterning.

http://www.aboutadidam.org/readings/parental_deity/index.html

Also:

"The "sacred power" that monotheistic "creationist-religion" claims it brings (or would extend) into the human world is, it says, the "Creator-God" of the universe---whereas, in fact, the power that monotheistic "creationist-religion" actually exercises (or would everywhere exercise) is that of a humanly-governed political, social. cultural, and, altogether, merely exoteric INSTITUTIONALIZATION of the totality of humankind.

The institutionalizing-power that monotheistic "creationist-religion" exercises (or would everywhere exercise, if allowed to function at will and unimpeded) is of an inherently intolerant nature---because it is "self"-possessed by a reductionist, tribalistic, and exclusively exoteric mentality, that cannot accept any non-"orthodox",extra-tribal non-monotheistic, or, otherwise, esoteric exceptions to its "Rule".

.....all such merely exoteric institutions are actually seeking to rule the world and the inevitable conflicts thus created by the competing powers (each with their inherently totalitarian agendas) are a constant threat to the unity, peaceful order, and practical well-being of Earthkind as a whole".

"The ego-bound (and pre-verbally brain-and-nervous-system-patterned) fixed ideas of "creationists" (and "religionists" in general) are direct extensions of an infantile and childish dependency patterning

.....and that of "rationalists" and scientific materialists is,in general, are direct extensions of adolescent independence patterning"

More

This reference: A Prophetic Criticism of the "Great" Religions provides a critique of the (archaic) mind created trap in which conventional "religionists" such as Greg Clarke, Sells and Runner are trappped, and how christianity becaming a would be world-dominating "religion"---by emptying it of any Spiritual content and possibility, and even by making such Spiritual content damnable and TABOO.

1. http://www.dabase.org/proofch6.htm

This reference describes the dreadful politics and "culture" inevitably created in the image of the equally godless power and control seeking "creationist-religious" and "scientific-rationalist" ego

2. http://www.ispeace723.org/liberationfromego2.html

Plus Greg Clarke is being patently dishonest when he claims that "christianity" is the only answer.

He just hasnt done his homework and his "mind", or rather Heart and consciousness, is very much trapped in the archaic mind-forms, myths etc described in ref #1 above.

How do I know this?

Because I know that he and his colleagues at Public Christianity know about the author of the references that I have posted.

And yet he works at a university which, at least in theory, is supposed to be devoted to a universal understanding of the human situation---and not just the Spiritually empty dim-witted religiosity, or "religious" provincialism, that we have inherited from our (at best) half-baked "religious" tradition.

This reference describes the rigidified parameters of what is acceptable within the walls of the academy, including what is thus acceptable in the field of "religion"--no esotericism allowed---strictly verboten.

1. http://www.dabase.org/ilchurst.htm

Keep it up, Runner, but be careful about faith. That is why Thomas Aquinas believed it needed to be tempered with Aristotelian Reasoning, the union between the two being what our universities are based on.

Even our unbelievers have mostly gained their intellect from such education.

That is what our democracies are based on, giving us the choice, with hope also an important part of the search for commonsense.

Best of Cheers, BB, Buntine, WA.