"It appears to me (whether rightly or wrongly) that direct arguments against Christianity and theism produce hardly any effect on the public; & freedom of thought is best promoted by the gradual illumination of men's minds which follow from the advance of science."
- From a letter dated 18 October 1881, found 1931
2007-09-09 10:53:51 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Sounds about right. Have you ever tried arguing with a Christian? You have a better chance blowing down a brick wall using only your breath, than getting a rational idea through their heads.
2007-09-09 11:01:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is not enough to simply wait for the advance of science to gradually illuminate the minds of men. The Nazi's believed that if enough effort was put into repeating a lie over and over again that people would gradually learn to believe the lie. The propaganda of the Christian church is built around the lie that myth is truth. Fraud that follows from lie that myth is truth enables Christian leaders to make threats against the life and or afterlife of anybody that does not submit to their authority and to extort tithes and offerings from communities of faithful believers in exchange for a lifelong indoctrination in a standard of conduct that these same leaders claim is representative of the will of a good one in Heaven at war with an evil one cast down to and or ruling over Earth. Tithes and offerings collected from communities of faithful believers are financing a continuing campaign on the part of Christian leaders to repeat the lie that myth is truth over and over again with the result being people gradually learn to believe the lie. We need to look for ways to use the law to deprive Christian leaders of the financing they derive from fraud and extortion that follows from the lie that myth is truth.
2007-09-09 18:59:13 · answer #2 · answered by H.I. of the H.I. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think he's right. All that happens when you argue against their ideas is they harden, and you get frustrated. Just let them be, and some of them may question their beliefs, some may find a way to reconcile Christianity with scientific knowledge. Plenty of real scientists and other intelligent people are Christians, mostly liberal Christians who don't feel compelled to read the Bible "literally," but understand that there is value in it nonetheless.
2007-09-09 18:02:49 · answer #3 · answered by auntb93 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds about right. I'd be interested in seeing more of the context around the quote.
I myself am an exception to the rule. Patient friends helped reason me out of Christianity when I was having a crisis of faith in bible college. But of the two options, I would prefer a society that embraced science.
2007-09-09 18:01:40 · answer #4 · answered by Laptop Jesus 3.9 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Good man, Charles Darwin.
2007-09-09 17:59:59 · answer #5 · answered by Bad Liberal 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Just before he died. I suppose this was by the time he had been ostracized by the religious fundamentalists. I wonder how much he was speaking from personal experience.
2007-09-09 18:00:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I agree... He is basically saying that just because you say something about your religious beliefs, (or lack of), it doesn't really change other peoples' views.
2007-09-09 18:00:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
sure...I would never try to convert anyone
2007-09-09 18:00:14 · answer #8 · answered by dddbbb 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋