Why are Christians so afraid of criticism?

Question

Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, et. al. have only said, in essence, it's time to stop treating religion with kid gloves. We can, and should, apply rational thought to topics of religion, especially when they inform public policy.

What is so bloody wrong with that?

Answer 1

They don't want to leave the magical world of Disneyland. "Come on, hon', time to go home; enough rides for today."

Answer 2

State and religion should never mix because most state leaders perfer that their country continue to exist, and possibly even thrive...the only people worse at running a country than politicians is clergy! LOL! Irrational, superstitious, volitile religious leaders should never be allowed to influence state policy. I believe that it's time to definately take the "kid gloves" off...but I fear religion may not survive it....wait, that would be a good thing! "When I was a child, I entertained childish fancies...now that I am a man, I must put childish things behind me." To all you folks out there who think religion is such a great thing, take a good, long look at history. Religion of one sort or another, is either the cause, or the justification for every war the world has ever known, when you get right down to the heart of the matter. If anyone decides they've found an example to prove otherwise, feel free to message me. Religion attempts to create better people out of fear, and ends up creating monsters en-mass.

Answer 3

Paul wrote that after the church falls away from the truth that there will come a time when men cannot handle the truth and thus turn away to Fables.
Several years ago the movie, the Lion KING, was made. In our Time that would be the Greatest example of men turning to fables.
christians wont believe anything unless its in the bible. this is a big mistake.
but then again christians arent the only group of religionists that cant take critisicim. Muslims are the very same way. They reject things they dont know because they are TRAINED and Controled to believe in nothing but the koran. the Jews are the same way too, they would not accept Jesus in his day because they had the "prophets" That is so much like saying, we have the bible, we dont need any other truth, and its just like saying infidels have their bible but we have Mohammed.
its all False teachings.
but to rely on men like mark twain or richard dawkins for religious and Spiritual Health is like giving a twinkie to an overweight person who wont refuse it. True religion comes from the prophets of God, not from men who seem to be learned or even from Men who are highly praised in the world. God chooses men who are faithful to teach the world.

Answer 4

It doesn't bother me what is said. But the part that has me scratching my head is "especially when they inform public policy."

What, exactly, does that mean? That a person shouldn't use all of their life's experiences to decide an issue? That would require a person to be untrue to self. Yes?

I have read a lot of books concerning various 'religious'controversial topics and they were rational in thought to me.

And, excuse me, Dawkins screams as loud as a Christian does when someone attacks his religion of secular humanism.

Answer 5

I hardly see anyone treating religion with "kid gloves".

I think you may be right about an honest and open discussion about religion in politics.

Personally, I don't think they mix and one should not be in the other as a matter of policy or as part of the decision making process.

Answer 6

It really depends on the Christian you are speaking of. “Modernists” Christians, who don’t believe in the literal verbal inerrancy of the Bible, the way fundamentalists do, have no problem with atheists criticizing Christian belief systems and how they affect the public domain.

Liberal Christians have, within their own minds, a sort of partition, which allows them to separate their spiritual beliefs, which give them comfort, from their rational faculties that they use in the outside world. These people can, many times at the expense of intellectual honesty, profess one thing in church, and do something completely inimical to what they profess outside of Church. To liberal Christians, faith is a delusion that is entertained every Sunday, and other times throughout the year, for the sake of finding internal peace.

The Christians who fear critiques from secularists the most are the fundamentalist Christians who adhere the Bible in its literal sense, and believe that it is wholly valid with respect to every facet of our existence (i.e. spiritual, intellectual, psychological, scientific, politically and ethical). For them there is no line of demarcation between their religious beliefs and their public actions.

To these people of such child like faith, and crazed fanatical inclinations, “biblical beliefs” must come to bear on everything about our existence. So it makes sense that they would be so aghast, when somebody undermines the very foundations of their political, moral, and spiritual views. I think their extreme reaction to criticism is very telling because deep down they know that their beliefs are specious, but they are afraid to admit it because it will shatter a perspective that they feel imparts meaning to their lives. After all, most people don’t behave aggressively if they are proven wrong about a point, if the truth of that point doesn’t factor much into their lives. However, when a worldview endows someone with his or her entire reason for being, any attempt to dismantle that worldview, will be met with vitriol.

Ultimately, I concur with Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, concerning the fact that our common practice of according religion this sacrosanct status, which precludes us from criticizing it, like we would any other human convention, allows for a host of absurdities and human tragedies. This is why I think Sam Harris is right on the money in his books “The End of Faith” and a “Letter to a Christian Nation” when he implies that even the liberal Christian is culpable for the egregious acts against humanity made by religious fundamentalists of all stripes. For if the moderate is willing to defend a person’s right to believe in something without evidence, and without respect to how it will effect others, he is either explicitly or implicitly protecting the fundamentalist in his right to the very beliefs that he holds dear – beliefs that will in the end cause the deaths of many innocent people.

Answer 7

Gloves are off here. With all the death and rising destruction, rudeness regarding religion is going to have to be tolerated I am afraid.

Answer 8

they r also afraid of hell, thank goodness. christianity keeps their beast within in control, or we would have a major crime problem at our hnds.

opening it up for criticism is like dissecting joke nd sying wht's so funny abt that? It will reduce the efficiency with which religion controls the minds of ppl who would otherwise hv no ethics nd morals watsoever

Answer 9

What does R Darkins believe the universe came about? Why should I believe a man who is guessing out of self-will rather than the Bible and a Creator that has been proven by SCIentists? What's wrong with that?

Answer 10

Criticism is good for us Christians.Lot of people use public funds to harm and criticise us.How do you think civil liberties keep religions out of public schools?

Answer 11

I wouldn't be afraid of criticism- to be honest, I'd like if more people challenged me on what I know