Is Christianity Rational?

Question

The reason I ask is because I came across this idea orginally thought of by the father of Neo-Conservatism (IRONICALLY) Leo Strauss but expounded on in an article by a man named Remi Brague. In this article titled "Athens, Jerusalem, Mecca: Leo Strauss's "Muslim" Understanding of Greek Philosophy", Strauss and Brague argue that "Athens" (rationality) and "Jerusalem" (Faith) are at loggerheads in Rome but compatible in Mecca.

Besides the facts that all Greek Philosophy were preserved and added on by the Muslims, and the fact that St. Thomas Aquinas was heavily influenced by Muslim Philosophers via

Answer 1

Religion is never rational. It is based on faith, which is not rational.

Answer 2

I am not familiar enough with Islam to comment on that part of your question, and don't really want to address the over-simplistic quality of Strauss in general and that argument specifically.

Two things, though, on your question itself:
You can see great influence of Greek philosophy on Christ's teachings. The areas Christ grew up and lived were heavily influenced by Greek culture, and there is no doubt that it mixed well with the Old Testament laws and prophesies in his uncanny understanding of humanity.

Also, if you want a rational version of any religion, you're caught between a paradox and a hard place. You can reconcile yourself to it, if you must, by looking at the Thomas Jefferson Bible. Jefferson, the sine qua non of rationalists, took out all the "miraculous" parts and just kept the "facts" and the philosophy.

Answer 3

The basic idea preached by the founder religious leaders are always simple and quite rational. In fact most of these basic ideas are same in every religion like the Christians, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and many others. They include simple ideas like "don't harm thy neighbor", be simple and don't be selfish and so on.
In fact these ideas are so simple that they are the moral instincts within any people and when they are echoed by a leader they think its a great revelation and they start clinging to the leader and thus starts a religion. As more and more people flock into it many other complex issues also adds onto it thus making the religion (idea/philosophy) more complex and ritualistic.
Let me give an example when Buddhism started it was a group of simple ideas being taught to people and people embraced it because of its simplicity. As time passed it was divided into two groups and now they have things like Tantra which was never a part of the original teachings and ideas. In fact the process is so ritualistic i guess it never falls under true Buddhism.
In conclusion any religion is rational and simple but transforms in to a fanaticism when more and more things get into it.

Answer 4

My feeling on Christianity is if we did not have it there would not be too many humans left on this earth because they would have kept killing each other worse then they do now.Also people back then were very fearful of dieing and would go mad thinking about it.Our creators decided to put the Idea of a GOD and all we know now into the minds of certain people that they felt would pass the word on.They knew these men and women and there were many over the years would spread what they put into their minds.These creators are still inserting these thought today but some are not doing what the were told.These are now killing in the name of god, one side has their gad and the other theirs.The creators will put a stop to it.

Answer 5

Christianity, at least in theory, must be rational or strive to be rational. There are philosophers who respect the canons of rationality and seek to expound the Christian faith in terms of what is rational. The only problem is that a strict rational approach to Christianity will not yield satisfactory results since God is transrational. But that does not mean that Christianity or the concept of God is irrational.

Answer 6

Religion is not rational based...there is a leap of faith of instictively knowing the unknown. The truth to any religion is that people really don't know...but they have a good idea that works for them and that is called faith.

Answer 7

Christianity, as a religion, is not rational. "Christians" are not rational either, especially new ones. Religion of any kind is not rational. However, Jesus Christ is rational and so is having faith in him.

Answer 8

Christianity is not rational and none of the other religions are rational, but after reading your comment I'm feeling a bit dizzy now. Can I come back later? Thanks.

Answer 9

No.. not rational.. and religion creates a kind of "victim" mentality among people.. dependent not upon themselves for a good life.. but dependent upon a mythical deity..

Answer 10

Knowledge requires no faith as does all relegion. Do I need faith for a lever to work? For a proven math formula to work? Relegion may have its place but reason is not necessary for it to work its magic.