> The idea of defying fate may be one of the small ways > in which it might be relevant today.
Yes! I'd much rather defy fate than deify it.
> I think the problem with scripture is that > it was written in a very different time and culture; > for its time it was progressive in many ways.
I fully agree. There was a time when it was considered progressive to torture a prisoner only once a day, instead of all day long. But we are evolving -- so what was once considered progressive is no longer acceptable to those of us who want far far more.
The problem with human religion is that it has a real tendency to ossify. The holy books are considered sacrsanct & unchanging. The commentaries pile up on one another & one becomes mired in thousands of years of mis-interpretation, tradition, and dogma. I have met Hindus who are just as hide-bound as Christians, just as narrow & dogmatic. So the problem is not Christianity, but the idea that "God" wrote the books & the religion is unchanging because of that.
At one point in time, many humans believed the earth was at the center of the universe, then when that myth was finally overthrown, it was replaced with the sun in an unchanging position. I think us humans are ready to perceive a universe in which the concept of deity is no longer fixed & unchanging. But we gotta shake loose from the churches which have an economic & power advantage from the myth of an unchanging God & religion. Power corrupts & the churches are powerful.
no subject
> in which it might be relevant today.
Yes! I'd much rather defy fate than deify it.
> I think the problem with scripture is that
> it was written in a very different time and culture;
> for its time it was progressive in many ways.
I fully agree. There was a time when it was considered progressive to torture a prisoner only once a day, instead of all day long. But we are evolving -- so what was once considered progressive is no longer acceptable to those of us who want far far more.
The problem with human religion is that it has a real tendency to ossify. The holy books are considered sacrsanct & unchanging. The commentaries pile up on one another & one becomes mired in thousands of years of mis-interpretation, tradition, and dogma. I have met Hindus who are just as hide-bound as Christians, just as narrow & dogmatic. So the problem is not Christianity, but the idea that "God" wrote the books & the religion is unchanging because of that.
At one point in time, many humans believed the earth was at the center of the universe, then when that myth was finally overthrown, it was replaced with the sun in an unchanging position. I think us humans are ready to perceive a universe in which the concept of deity is no longer fixed & unchanging. But we gotta shake loose from the churches which have an economic & power advantage from the myth of an unchanging God & religion. Power corrupts & the churches are powerful.