Why do some people have a medieval mindset when it comes to Christianity, but not doctors?

Question

Doctors would do bleeding and used leeches to draw "bad blood" from the patients, but you don't hear people say that about doctors now. Why do people cast off the medieval mindset with doctors but not Christians?

Answer 1

I'm not sure what you mean by a "medieval mindset." The medieval period, which is broadly considered to run from the mid-5th century (the "fall" of the western Roman Empire) until the mid-15th century (the early Italian Renaissance and the final "fall" of the eastern Roman Empire), had a variety of mindsets depending on date, location, population movements, general morbidity and mortality, education, etc. Not only were there religious differences between the Catholic West and the Orthodox East, there were significant religious controversies within both Christian communities.

I think what you're really asking is why are there different attitudes toward change between religion and science (of which medicine is but one example). A basic answer is that religion involves values and ultimate questions that are not time-bound. Science, on the other hand, involves changes in the knowledge base that is expanding at an unprecedented rate. In a religious context, you can still study the writings of St. Basil the Great (mid-4th century) and gain significant insights into the doctrine of the Trinity. In the scientific context, no modern astronomer would consult the writings of Ptolemy to predict the next lunar eclipse.

In religion, the basic lessons of the religious narrative don't change, although their application to present conditions do, which is why theology constantly faces the challenge of relating timeless values to contemporary situations. In science, the task is discovering new information and applications of that information to the conditions of the material world and is very much time bound.

The 2 realms involve different perspectives on reality, different ways of developing and using knowledge, and look to different goals.

Grace be unto you and peace.

Answer 2

Christianity is not a 'medieval mindset'. Christianity predates the middle ages by over a thousand years. And before you say it, I'll ask why we don't discard Greek and Roman thought?

Answer 3

I assume it's because some people want to hate Christians. It's easy for them to look back through history at all the bad examples and pretend that's what real, biblical Christianity looks like.

Answer 4

It is still very much a taboo to challenge religious thinking for fear of reprisals and many times even death or torture.

It is the only area of human knowledge that largely remains unchallenged because it is the one area of so called knowledge that has been reinforced by much violence and the severest penalties to this day.

Answer 5

Doctors still use leeches. They use them to lessen bruises.

But most doctors have an open mind and believe in science, while most Christians do not. Doctors will change with new scientific break-thrus and most Christian's won't.

Answer 6

I am not understanding what sort of point you are trying to make. But Christianity is fairly archaic in it's principles. It's not a science, it's a faith.

Answer 7

Don't know, but doctors still use leaches. The work really well.

Answer 8

The cut burn and poison they do now is worse!