why isn't skeptical literature studied and refuted in sunday school classes?

Question

shouldn't the church welcome and promote rational skepticism as a way of confirming and spreading the faith?

Answer 1

The reason skeptical literature is not studied in sunday school classes is because the purpose of sunday school is to lay down the foundational knowledge of the Christian faith. Putting it into practice by studying and refuting skeptics is a more advanced activity, and most certainly should have its place.

And you are right, studying and refuting rational skepticism has done tons to help me cement my faith in Jesus the Christ. But I had to learn both basic and advanced concepts in Christianity as well as learn the Bible before I could handle that sort of thing.

Think of it this way. Some tests and trials that could strengthen an adult might bring injury or death to a child or infant. Diseases which often end in recovery and immunity for an adult may (lord forbid) end in damage or death for someone too young to handle it. Another good analogy would be sending a soldier out onto the battlefield before he has gone through basic training and boot camp.

Skepticism should be dealt with more openly in the church, I agree. People have questions, and those questions should be answered, one of the reasons I love Y!A so much! It's a shame our churches don't always provide as much help, but it doesn't have to be that way!

Thoughtful question, though. God bless!

Answer 2

"skeptical literature"? First, the Bible isn't about being "skeptical" as Thomas found out. Questioning anything and everything just for the sake of doing so is an exercise in futility. I have much better things to do with my time. Also, skepticism and faith are at complete different ends of the spectrum.


Completely.

Answer 3

At my small groups we welcome it. Sunday School is usauly just study of the bible, every once in a while they do some sort of group study outside of the bible to get a perspective on what God is doing today because God does things differently as time goes on. It keeps us on our feet and dependent on Him. But at small group we have people that don't believe in God and we discuss skepticism from time to time when one of those people bring it up but we all love each other and get along, I think it provides great perspective on what non belivers see the church as and I think its important we (the church) send the right message to them because I know we are right under the same spirit but over all our church has it wrong and if you don't know what I mean why are we at war when Jesus told us to put the sword down. Can't we trust Jesus enough to not fight, He did it for Israel in exodous. (I don't know why I typed that) Anyway the strongest help to my faith are those who are nit picky about it and make fun of it because they judge me so well and call me out when I sin. I find myself repenting more when I hang out with non belivers then belivers.

If you got kicked out it was probably because you were interupting class when they wanted to teach a point which is more listening then discussion. Go to a small group which is more open for discussion and I doubt you get kicked out. Sunday school is just like any school. I would get kicked out of class if I inturupted it too much and I did which is why I run on with my sentences :)

Answer 4

It's more important to teach the Word of God in Sunday School Class. Unfortunately, many people do not study the Word of God on their own. So it is wise to use the hour we have to rightly divide the word of truth.

Answer 5

no... not in the church. Here, yes. In chat forums, yes. In public debates, yes. The church, however, is an institution for the regenerated believer to be able to learn the Bible... especialy in Sunday School

Answer 6

If religion were actually backed by viable facts they might. They are not though. So they censor.

Answer 7

Actually, I tried that in Sunday School class. They kick you out for hard questions.

Answer 8

You cannot indocrinate people by give them alternative opinions. They must only teach one thing or people will stop believing and actually find their own answers.

Answer 9

You're talking about a bunch of backwards people who think that secular government means they can piss on everyone and get away with it.

Answer 10

why isn't creationism as a theory discussed in public schools....

Phil...because this makes so much more sense?

many, many years ago, in a sea of cytoplasmic goo, a bunch of atoms (say a few million or so) got together and said….we are now a cell….that cell said….I’m gonna take some amino acids and string 100 to a 1000 or so together and make some enzymes (I think I’ll need around 1000 of these enzymes or so) and I’ll use these enzymes to carry out chemical reactions vital to my survival….I’ll need a membrane and within that membrane wall, I’ll create tiny little pumps, such as a sodium and potassium and calcium pumps that transfer materials in and out of me……..then that cell decided it needed some friends to hang out with, so when a few more of these cells got together, they said we’ll come together and create an organism….but we’ll need to all do different jobs to succeed, so, this group needs to come together and, lets say this group said, we’ll be the blood of the organism….but we need to be several different kinds of cells just to be the blood….and another group got together and said, we’ll be the heart to pump the blood…..but we’ll need to be develop a complex series of valves on our membrane to let certain ions like potassium flow out and others to let different ions like sodium in, we’ll also need lots of tiny, specialized organelles within us to help us carry out our function.…..and all the other cells in the goo found friends and said….”let’s become one of the 10’s of 1000’s of different forms of life on earth…”

I think you got the picture…..so, is it more likely that all of these things occurred, or is it likely that an intelligent and all-knowing being knew these things and created life to work so perfectly….