Mjpb

Well, I have to confess I am having trouble understanding you.

Are you claiming that before Christianity there was no science, or research, or technology of any kind?

Big claim, that. Hanging out for answer.

:D

Hi Fractelle,

"Well, I have to confess I am having trouble understanding you."

Your not the only one. Perhaps I should have stuck with some cute one liner... Maybe I'm not articulating this very well.

"Are you claiming that before Christianity there was no science, or research, or technology of any kind?"

I don't claim there was no technology. A hut or a spear may be technology.

I don't claim that there was no research. In the sense that information was gathered.

I am claiming that there was no science. The Christianness leaps out when, but for the mindset, other societies could have started science so easily (eg. Greece or Persia). Indeed they were so close it is surprising that they didn't unless you consider their worldview. Science is consistent with the Christian view of God and how God does things.

Hmm. I am interested in what you belive mjpb, but I'm certainly not convinced yet by your argument. Why call science an obvious produce of Christianity, but not slavery, when science is not mentioned in the Bible and slavery is sanctioned by it. Why shouldn't I believe that you like science but not slavery, so you'll claim one and offload the other? Because that's what your argument would suggest so far.

If science is a natural product of Christianity, then why have some Christians been hostile to it from its "inception" (for want of a better world) to as recently as about three posts above yours?

I agree with you that modern science, as we understand it, arose in a Christian culture. Obviously, though, we need more evidence to establish cause and effect. What can you offer? Or is this just a matter of belief?

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods. He said to himself:

"What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!"

As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him.

He turned to look. He saw a 7 foot grizzly bear charge towards him.He ran as fast as he could up the path.

He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer.

He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.

The Atheist cried out: "Oh, my God!..."

Time stopped. The bear froze.

The forest was silent. As a bright light shone upon the man, a booming voice came out of the sky:

"You deny my existence for all of these years, teach others I don't exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic accident.

"Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian?"

"Very well," said the voice.

The light went out.

The sounds of the forest resumed. The bear dropped his right paw brought both paws together and lifted his head toward heaven and spoke:

"Lord, bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen."

A theist was taking a walk through the woods. He said to himself:

"What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals! What a great job did with creation"

As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him.

He turned to look. He saw a 7 foot grizzly bear charge towards him.He ran as fast as he could up the path.

He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer.

He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.

The Atheist cried out: "Oh, my God!..."

Time didn't stopped. The bear ran on.

The forest was filled with screams of the thiest as his leg was eaten.

If he'd been in the mood for reflection he might have asked himself "why for all the healing god supposedly does on telly does he never replace missing limbs?"

Epicurus [341–270 B.C.] Greek philosopher

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?