waterboy,

You make good points. Geert Hofstede, a scholar of cultures notes,vis-à-vis the Anglo-West, those countries that have a longer history of Catholicism have a tendency to be less developed. Not only the countries themselves, but also their colonies. Today, consider the past colonies of Spain and Portugal in contrast with the past colonies of England. British monarchy (e.g., Henry VIII) challenged the Pope, in ways Ferdinand and Isabella never did.

Had the Spanish Amada (1588) succeeded, I suspect we would not be communicating in cyber-space today.

George,

I think that what stresses some OLO regulars is Sells posts and runs: An internet bombardier. In this sense, he does not seem to seek discourse (we are Forum after-all), rather he wants “his opinion” to be known, by many as possible. Sells is a graffitist, not a debater.
Sells’ goal appears to be, to refine the converted, rather than influence others or to test the possibility that others might be correct and he wrong.

Being a Protestant, Sells would disagree with the Mother Church on many issues. Yet, we do not see him discuss a topic like “Transubstantiation” or "The Papacy", which might be (hotly?)debated "among" Christians.

Sells,

If you really wanted to be topical, why not fire a volley or two into the Pope. You don't believe he is the Vacar of Christ. Do you?

I request that you write an article on aspect of Potestantism verses Catholicism. Maybe, other OLO regulars would like to know your views regarding "other" Christians.

Waterboy, can you defend this statement?

“Sadly, wherever the Church has been able to maintain its cultural dominance science has languished.
History will show that the emergence of science in the west is very closely correlated with the retreat of Christianity”

Happily, I think there’s some glaringly obvious evidence to counter your assertion.

For instance, which nation is arguably the most technically advanced the world has ever seen? I’ll give you a hint as to which one I’m thinking of. They put a man on the moon in 1969 (some Christians, even young earth creationists among the ranks and all).

Is this just a glitch in sound theory or should you go back to the drawing board?

Dan S de Merengue. For instance, which nation is arguably the most technically advanced the world has ever seen? I’ll give you a hint as to which one I’m thinking of. They put a man on the moon in 1969 (some Christians, even young earth creationists among the ranks and all). Is this just a glitch in sound theory or should you go back to the drawing board?

My God! And I'm an Atheist/Callathumpian come Agnostic/Sceptic. I don't believe the yanks have done anything by themselves. They just provided the money. America would have to be the most morally corrupt Nation in the World. Their brand of Christianity would be the worst example hypocrisy the World has ever seen. So don't get into that crap.

"Faith in the possibility of science, generated antecedently to the development of modern scientific theory, is an unconscious derivative from medieval theology.” – George

The notion of the rational coherence of nature was evident in religion before modern science is an interesting contemplation with some merit. Perhaps not as early as Medieval times, Samuel Johnson remarks:

“There is nothing more worthy of admiration to a philosophical eye, than the structure of animals, by which they are qualified to support life in the elements or climates to which they are appropriated; and of all natural bodies they exhibit evidences of infinite wisdom, bear their testimony to supreme wisdom, and excite the mind new raptures of gratitude, and new incentives to piety” (Rambler 83, 4. 72-73, in Evans 1999, p. 88)

Metaphysically, the above surely does points to “Design” and the invisible Designer behind the made. Yet, one ponders whether the notion of structure in the Universe and the idea of transcendent and mundane realms can be traced further back to at least Plato:

http://www.anselm.edu/homepage/dbanach/platform.htm

Plato developed a taxonomy of forms and his premise that, “the world that we perceive with the senses often deceives us. This would not be so if the world and objects that we perceive with the senses were the real objects” is quite sophisticated. Moreover, the Unmoved Mover, I posit, is also an account of the invisible motivating the tangible. All this quasi-science long before Christianity.

Waterboy, I really think this is the crux of the matter:
"...the destabilising influence that comes when people start to think for themselves to question and challenge the orthodoxy of the day."
So very many people show no interest in thinking for themselves, and simply accept whatever they were taught in their formative years. Obviously such people don't post at OLO, (with perhaps 1, maybe 2 exceptions), because they just aren't interested.
"they jest knows what's they knows, and thet's thet."
I'm interested to know what the average age group is on OLO. Is it possible our early years are so filled with material needs, that we just don't have time to question those paradigms which govern our lives?

Jayb is 63. IQ, 134.
A'h believes none of what I hears & only halfa what I sees.
A'h seed & heard much 'round ta world. Most, ya wouldn't believe.
Question everything because everyone has an agenda. Think for yourself, they don't like it.
Nowt ta mind now. Take care y'all.