Dear Philo,

I wrote: "Christianity may implode." not "Christianity will implode." I cannot predict what will happen. I only think that its demise would do more good than harm. I may even be wrong in that.

Dear Pynchme,

Karl Marx once gave great hope to the oppressed. Marxists still revere him. They ignore the horrible record of Marxism which has resulted in the oppression and murder of millions. They ignore his wish for the 'dictatorship of the proletariat' which resulted in the oppression dictatorships result in. They also ignore his words of bigotry.

Jesus was a legendary figure. As I pointed out in John 14:6 he sometimes spoke in a bigoted and intolerant matter. Most Christians ignore his words of bigotry and speak of his examplary life. They also ignore the horrible history of Christianity and the misery it has caused. I have written of the Tooth Fairy many times as I believe belief in her is no more rational than belief in Jesus and God.

However, the Tooth Fairy is not recorded as speaking words of bigotry, and her believers have not gone on Crusades, sponsored Inquisitions, engaged in Wars with those whose belief in the Tooth Fairy differs from theirs as Christians did in the Wars of the Reformation. I prefer belief in the Tooth Fairy to belief in God or Jesus.

Dear Pynchme,

One problem is that we look on things with very different eyes. You cited:

Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

I think that is one of the many bad sayings in Christianity. I have been subjected to missionaries who have cited that verse to me.

Since Jesus said nothing against slavery, and Paul advised slaves to obey their master the 'neither bond nor free' part of the saying is meaningless piffle.

Suppose one does not want to be in Christ Jesus. Suppose one wants to preserve one's identity as a Greek or Jew. Christians in their intolerance want everyone to accept their mumbojumbo. I feel it is parking one's brains by the door to believe in the virgin birth and other Christian nonsense.

One trouble with Christianity and Islam is their missionary aspect. Historically it has been sometimes followed by massacres when people wish to retain their beliefs and not be one in Christ Jesus or follow Allah. I don't know how many martyrs to their faith have resulted because people did not want to be one in Christ Jesus, but I know it is a large number.

You cite Galatians 3:28 which you think is good to me who sees it as evil. Please accept that everyone doesn't want to be one in Christ Jesus. I regard a world where Christianity would hold sway over all as worse than the present one. The period of history in Europe where Christianity ruled is called the Dark Ages for good reason.

I know it is difficult for some Christians to understand, but many other people do not want their religion. They should be left alone.

Dear David.F

you said:

//Suppose one does not want to be in Christ Jesus. Suppose one wants to preserve one's identity as a Greek or Jew.//

The solution to this situation is blatantly obvious.

"remain as you are"..simply don't change anything, why should you?

Is anyone going to force you to change? If people bug you about it..just walk away, if they keep coming after you....call the cops :) not hard.

David f,
You said,"The period of history in Europe where Christianity ruled is called the Dark Ages for good reason."

It was call the Dark Ages by true followers of Jesus followers because those in control of the State /Church supressed the enlightenment and true practise of Jesus compassion and social justice. The Leaders were not followers of the teachings and attitudes of Jesus. Do not evaluate the teachings of Christ on the behaviour of those in power in the Church whose lives are condemned by Jesus words

Dear davidf,

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

As I said in my first point, I think interpretation occurs in the culmination of the literal text and what the reader brings to it.

Slavery was in it's time often an ordinary social class arrangement. Today I suppose we might say "employee" or menial labourer or welfare recipient or perhaps refugee, depending on the type of event that's given rise to gross social disadvantage.

For me Galatians 3:28 refers not to individual identity, but to the distribution of blessings regardless of identity. It also to me means that the distinctions we make that relegate humans to various categories are artificial, socially constructed and temporal.

But those meanings arise because of my peculiar life experience and knowledge; and you have yours of course.

Again thanks for your reply.

Dear David F., and Pynch,

Thank You for broadening the discussion.
I enjoyed your posts.

Down the ages ring questions as to the nature
of humankind; where on the spectrum of might,
power, and understanding do men and women
belong? How will the battle of good and evil
end? Is death an end or a beginning?

In what we like to think of as more primitive
times man speculated, and symbolised his answers
in story: what we call myth. What causes night
and day? Why do the seasons come and go?
How? What's the origin of fire? Flood? Disaster?

Every culture, it would seem, has its mythology,
needs answers to the unknown that satisfy an inner
need. The myths remain s models of human behaviour
that help give meaning and value to life.
As science provides answers, new questions and new
dilemmas arise. Some still refute science, or remain
unconvinced; and there are those who see these "tales
from eternity" as images of man's ongoing spiritual
search for a way to Truth and Life.