Crisis in America’s Churches:

[Fweethawt]

Get a load of this.

I highlighted the good stuff.

 

FROM HERE

 

 

Crisis in America’s Churches:

Bible Knowledge at All-Time Low

by Michael J. Vlach, Ph.D.

 

A crisis of basic biblical and theological knowledge exists in America’s churches, and church leaders must do all they can to address this growing problem, so say experts monitoring the beliefs of people in Christian churches across the United States.

“The Christian body in America is immersed in a crisis of biblical illiteracy,” warns researcher George Barna. “How else can you describe matters when most churchgoing adults reject the accuracy of the Bible, reject the existence of Satan, claim that Jesus sinned, see no need to evangelize, believe that good works are one of the keys to persuading God to forgive their sins, and describe their commitment to Christianity as moderate or even less firm?”[1] (Go ahead, read that again. )

 

Other disturbing findings that document an overall lack of knowledge among churchgoing Christians include the following:

 

• The most widely known Bible verse among adult and teen believers is “God helps those who help themselves”—which is not actually in the Bible and actually conflicts with the basic message of Scripture.

• Less than one out of every ten believers possess a biblical worldview as the basis for his or her decision-making or behavior.

• When given thirteen basic teachings from the Bible, only 1% of adult believers firmly embraced all thirteen as being biblical perspectives.[2]

 

Gary Burge, professor of New Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, asserts that biblical illiteracy is at a crisis level not just in our culture in general but in America’s churches.

 

“If it is true that biblical illiteracy is commonplace in secular culture at large, there is ample evidence that points to similar trends in our churches,” he says.[3]

 

Burge points to research at Wheaton College in which the biblical and theological literacy of incoming freshmen have been monitored. These students, who represent almost every Protestant denomination in the United States from every state in the country, have returned some “surprising results”:

 

• One-third could not put the following in order: Abraham, the Old Testament prophets, the death of Christ, and Pentecost.

• Half could not sequence the following: Moses in Egypt, Isaac’s birth, Saul’s death, and Judah’s exile.

• One-third could not identify Matthew as an apostle from a list of New Testament names.

• When asked to locate the biblical book supplying a given story, one-third could not find Paul’s travels in Acts, half did not know that the Christmas story was in Matthew, half did not know that the Passover story was in Exodus.[4] (the world is really goin' to hell in a handbasket when we don't know this stuff, huh? )

 

Like Burge, George Lindbeck, the famous Yale theologian, has commented on the decreasing knowledge of Scripture from a professor’s perspective.

 

“When I first arrived at Yale, even those who came from nonreligious backgrounds knew the Bible better than most of those now who come from churchgoing families,” he says.[5]

 

This is also the view of theologian and author David Wells.

 

“I have watched with growing disbelief as the evangelical church has cheerfully plunged into astounding theological illiteracy,” declares Wells in his book No Place for Truth.[6]

 

Biblical illiteracy is not just a problem for American churches. A scientific survey called PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) tested the knowledge of people in thirty-two industrialized countries. The results of the study show an “insidious biblical illiteracy” even in Christian circles, says Volker Gaeckle, dean of studies at Albrecht Bengel Center in Tuebingen. “Churches should heed the PISA warning that text comprehension is a major problem.” [7] ("insidious", huh?)

 

Theological Illiteracy in Christian Denominations

 

Barna has gone to the heart of the matter by researching the beliefs of churchgoing denominational members in America. The results are shocking—a profound lack of belief in essential Christian doctrines.

 

In his study of the beliefs of mainline Protestants (including Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians), Barna documented a rejection of key Christian doctrines. Only 35% of mainline Protestant church members believe Christ was sinless; 34% believe the Bible is totally accurate; 27% agree that works don’t earn heaven; and 20% believe Satan is real.[8] (Oh no! only 20% believe that satan is real? )

 

Denominations which are more evangelical report higher levels of commitment to key theological truths than their mainline counterparts, but large percentages of people in these more theologically conservative churches still deny essential Christian doctrines.

 

Of Baptists (any type) in America, only 34% believe Satan is real. Only 43% believe that works don’t earn heaven. Although most Baptists affirm that Christ was sinless and that the Bible is totally accurate, the majority is not strong. Only 55% affirm that Christ was sinless, and 66% hold that the Bible is totally accurate.[9]

 

Of nondenominational Christian churches, Barna reports that 48% believe Satan is real; 60% say works don’t earn heaven; 63% affirm the sinlessness of Christ; and 70% believe the Bible is totally accurate.[10]

 

According to Barna, the denomination with the highest commitment to essential Christian doctrines is the Assembly of God denomination. In the AOG, 77% believe the Bible is accurate; 70% believe Christ was sinless. Yet only two-thirds (64%) affirm that works don’t earn heaven. Only 56% believe Satan is real. So even in the most theologically committed denomination, large percentages of people still deny essential Christian doctrines.[11] (take note on how committment is equated to doctrinal belief.)

 

Barna is particularly concerned with the number of people in Christian churches who deny one of the most essential of all Christian doctrines—the sinlessness of Christ. (sin sends you to hell. whoever calls another man a fool is in danger of hellfire. Jesus called people fools. he sinned. get over it.)

 

“Literally millions of Americans who declare themselves to be Christians contend that Jesus was just like the rest of us when it comes to temptation—fallen, guilty, impure, and Himself in need of a savior.”[12]

 

Whatever Happened to Theology?

 

Why is belief in important Christian truths and doctrines at such a crisis level?

 

First, as Burge has explained, there is a general failing of the church to transmit our religious culture to the next generation. This includes an overemphasis on personal experience to the exclusion of serious Christian education. (umm... no. your failure to "transmit" your religious culture to the next generation lies in the fact that you're no longer permitted to burn people at the stake for not believing your fairytale.)

 

“In short, the spiritual life has become less a matter of learning than it is a matter of experiencing,” he says. “This has resulted in Christian ministries that put less premium on education than they do on personal development and therapeutic wholeness.”[13] (personal developement? therapeutic wholeness? education? where exactly are these mentioned in their bible?)

 

This emphasis on personal development has affected what is coming from our pulpits, according to Burge.

 

“Thus sermons become more therapeutic and less instructional; and the validity of what we do on Sunday morning is grounded in what we feel, not in what we think.”[14]

 

Second, many Christian churches have abandoned serious Bible exposition and theological teaching. Burge points out that historical exegesis is becoming a “lost art” in the pulpit. (yeah... read that again... exegesis as being a "lost art". HAH! why is that even needed? )

 

“Rather than explaining the historical setting of a passage, texts become springboards for devotional reflection,” he notes. “Biblical passages are taken out of context as the preacher searches for those stories that evoke the responses or attitudes desired.” As a result, “The heart of a ‘good’ sermon is fast becoming the ‘emotional work’ that can be done in 20 minutes preaching time.”[15] (this is a change?)

 

Burge also found that church leaders often find it difficult to find time for serious discussion of theology and the Bible. When asking several youth leaders about whether they addressed solid theological categories or Bible stories, the typical response according to Burge was, “It is hard to find time. But I can say that these kids are truly learning to love God.”[16]

 

Burge sees this attitude as part of the problem.

 

“That is it in a nutshell,” he says. “Christian faith is not being built on the firm foundation of hard-won thoughts, ideas, history, or theology. Spirituality is being built on private emotional attachments.”[17] (I'll leave this one alone. )

 

A third reason for biblical and theological illiteracy today is the tremendous influence unbiblical philosophies and worldviews are having on churchgoers. Liberalism promotes that the Bible is a human construct and not a divine document. In doing so, it continues to assail the traditional Christian views of the inerrancy of the Bible, deity of Christ, reality of Satan, substitutionary atonement, and other key doctrines of the Christian faith. Existentialism and its emphasis on human experience has people looking to themselves, not God or Scripture, for truth. Postmodernism has convinced many that there are no universal truths. According to Barna, “A minority of adult and teen believers contends that absolute moral truth exists.”[18] Only 32% of born-again Christians still believe in the existence of absolute moral truth. (there's that word "believe" again. )

 

Many Christians accept elements of these unbiblical worldviews without even knowing it. Because of this, Barna and Mark Hatch have noted that “we cannot really call the faith of American Christians a Bible-based faith. It is a synthetic, syncretic faith.”[19] According to Barna and Hatch, Christians today have accepted and combined so many ideas from other worldviews and religions that they have created their own faith system. (well, dang it anyway.)

 

“The average born-again, baptized, churchgoing person has embraced elements of Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Mormonism, Scientology, Unitarianism and Christian Science—without any idea they have just created their own faith.”[20] (Amanda?)

 

What Is the Solution? (oh boy! this ought to be good)

 

“In many ways, we are living in an age of theological anarchy,” says Barna. “The church is rotting from the inside out, crippled by abiblical theology.”[21] But what can church leaders do about this crisis?

 

Experts who have addressed the crisis have suggested five solutions.

 

First, church leaders need to be aware of the crisis. “Let’s acknowledge that we are in a state of spiritual anarchy,” says Barna.[22] Only by being alert to the problem can church leaders seriously address the problem. Sadly, Barna has reported a less than positive response by church leaders with whom he has shared his information.

 

“When I first conveyed this message [about theological syncretism among church members], most church leaders smiled and shook their heads, rejecting the possibility that such silliness would occur on their watch.”[23]

 

Second, pastors and church leaders need to evaluate what their people know and believe. Whether through personal interaction with the flock or through more formal means of evaluation such as doctrinal questionnaires, church leaders need to find out what their people know and believe. A questionnaire about the basics of Bible and theology given to the people would reveal important information. Churches need to ask questions such as, “Do you believe Jesus lived a sinless life?” or “Do you believe Satan is a real person?” It can no longer be assumed that the people in the pews “know the basics.” Many do not.

 

The results of such questionnaires and personal contacts will reveal to church leaders where weaknesses in their congregations exist. These findings may also help identify people who reject or do not comprehend enough essential Christian doctrine in order to be a Christian. Fruitful evangelism, then, may result from such evaluations. (fruitful evangelism my ass. you know they'd be kickin' people out.)

 

Burge, who himself has created a simple 25-question test, believes such a method will give “unparalleled insight” to church leaders and will be helpful to the people. “It is like taking a treadmill test and then talking about your fitness plan,” he says.[24]

 

Third, church leaders must use powerful ways to instruct their people in the truth. “It may well be, too, that to usher in an era of theological sanity we will have to adopt new approaches to educating people about God’s Word and new tools to facilitate growth,” says Barna. This includes a well-planned systematic approach to biblical truth. (got a light? )

 

“Rather than giving people disjointed morsels of spiritual truth each week, we must have a systematic method of enabling people to buy into a biblical worldview that transforms their life.”[25] (disclaimer -- he is not, in any way, talking about brainwashing here.)

 

This systematic approach to teaching truth must start with the pulpit. In his book, Where Is Theology Going?, Millard Erickson notes that decreasing literacy among people has probably influenced many preachers in the direction of including less biblical content in their messages.[26] The opposite must become the case. The lack of biblical literacy today makes systematic Bible teaching from the pulpit even more necessary. Perhaps more pastors should emulate the Swiss Reformer Ulrich Zwingli who forsook the common preaching methods of his day to systematically teach the Bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, and book-by-book, paying attention to the historical and grammatical contexts of the passages he was expounding. (yeah, I'm sure he was a real pewpacker.)

 

The time has also come for pastors and church leaders to address essential Christian doctrines from the pulpit. If Barna is correct that millions of people in Christian churches, even conservative evangelical churches, do not believe Jesus was sinless, then the time has also come for church leaders to address the doctrine of the person of Christ and other doctrines from the pulpits. (in other words, come up with a better story so as to not make christ look like a sinner.)

 

Church members should also be introduced to basic courses in Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, Basic Christian Doctrines, and How to Study the Bible. These courses are required at most seminaries and viewed as vital to the ministry of those who attend seminaries. Yet, this basic understanding of Bible, theology, and hermeneutics is often not transmitted to the people in the pews. There is a large gap between the important truths taught in seminaries and what is being taught in our churches. The time has come for these basic truths to be conveyed to all of God’s people. (do these people ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe, humanity is outgrowing theology altogether?)

 

Teaching solid doctrine, though, must not stop at the classroom level. Dr. Brant Pelphrey in his article, “Learning the Language of God: Overcoming Theological Literacy,” suggests that teachers must get involved in the lives of the learners. (Chucky Manson was good at this too.)

“Americans will have a better chance of becoming theologically literate when we replace the paradigm of theological study as intellectual exercise, with that of the worshipping community in which students and mentors work together,” he says.[27] (and in so doing, americans can become more illiterate on subjects that can actually have a good impact in their everyday lives.)

 

Fourth, church leaders, including pastors, must alert their members to the unbiblical worldviews and philosophies that have crept into the church. False teachings have subtly infiltrated our churches, and church leaders must combat these destructive errors and heresies. This will require not only a clear presentation of Christianity but also a specific description of how Christianity differs from the liberal, existential, and postmodern views that are being promoted today.

 

Finally, we must encourage diligent and gifted teachers in the church. As Burge states, “We need to identify young men and women in the church who have gifts of teaching and intellect and encourage them to pursue their gifts.” As we esteem the gift of teaching and those who teach well, we will “help bring about the rebirth of biblical literacy and informed faith in North America.”[28] (in other words, keep an eye out for those whom you can exploit in order to further your cause)

 

Long-Term Effort

 

Experts do not expect the trend toward biblical illiteracy in churches to change. This does not alter, though, the responsibility of church leaders to do all they can to reverse this dangerous trend. The church is called to be the “pillar and support of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). And those who are its leaders must follow the apostle Paul in proclaiming “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).

 

Turning things around will take “a massive, concerted long-term effort,” says Barna. But we must try. “We must pray for God’s guidance and power to bring about the reformation that He undoubtedly desires for America.”[29] (and of course, once again, having only the bible to go by, they know what god desires for america)

 

 

 

===================================================

[1] Barna Research Online, “Religious Beliefs Vary Widely by Denomination,”

www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePressRelease.asp?PressReleaseID=92&Reference=B,

June 25, 2001.

 

[2] Barna Research Online, “Discipleship Insights Revealed in New Book

by George Barna,” www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePressRelease.asp?PressReleaseID

=76&Reference=E&Key=bible%20knowledgeNovember 28, 2000.

 

[3] Gary M. Burge, “The Greatest Story Never Read: Recovering biblical literacy in the church,”

www.christianitytoday.com/ct/9t9/9t9045.html.

 

[4] Ibid.

 

[5] George A. Lindbeck, “The Church’s Mission to a Postmodern Culture,” Postmodern Theology: Christian Faith in a Pluralist World (San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers, 1989), 45.

 

[6] David F. Wells, No Place for Truth or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology? (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993), 4.

 

[7] “Biblical Illiteracy Spreading Among Christians,” http://news.crosswalk.com/

partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID74088%7CCHID194343%7CCIID1138212

,00.html.

 

[8] Barna Research Online, “Religious Beliefs Vary Widely by Denomination.”

 

[9] Ibid.

 

[10] Ibid.

 

[11] Ibid.

 

[12] Ibid.

 

[13] Burge, “The Greatest Story Never Read.”

 

[14] Ibid.

 

[15] Ibid.

 

[16] Ibid.

 

[17] Ibid.

 

[18] Barna Research Online, “Discipleship Insights Revealed in New Book by George Barna.”

 

[19] George Barna and Mark Hatch, Boiling Point: It Only Takes One Degree (Ventura: Regal, 2001), 187.

 

[20] Barna and Hatch, 187.

 

[21] Ibid., 202.

 

[22] Ibid.

 

[23] Ibid.

 

[24] Burge, “The Greatest Story Never Read.”

 

[25] Barna and Hatch, 202–03.

 

[26] Millard J. Erickson, Where Is Theology Going?: Issues and Perspectives on the Future of Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994), 100.

 

[27] Brant Pelphrey, “Learning the Language of God: Overcoming Theological Illiteracy,” Boston Theological Institute Newsletter, vol. 27, no. 25, March 25, 1998.

 

[28] Burge, “The Greatest Story Never Read.”

 

[29] Barna and Hatch, Boiling Point, 202.

[♦ nivek ♦]

Thankee Bro Fwee for an enlightening sermon...

 

Cut, pasted, and kept handy in ammunition bunker of awesome text filez..

 

kL

[Godless Dave]

Notice how Barna confuses Biblical literacy with believing Christian doctrine.

[Sokudo Ningyou]

Good idea. Get them to read the Bible thoroughly; watch attendance drop faster than Anna Nicole's tits as old age approaches.

[Purple Rhino]

Thanks Fwee.

 

And especially for the bolding! If only my professors had been so thoughtful.

 

PR

[Mythra]

Good article, fwee. Interesting.

 

I had to laugh though. Christians are starting to use their common sense, and it is seen as a "dangerous trend". "Theologically literate" is another term for "here is the enchilada - swallow it whole and disconnect your brain and you'll be fine"

 

Damn, I'm glad I bailed out of that mess.

[Ouroboros]

How funny!

 

But it shows you that religion grows when knowledge of it shrinks.

The less you know what you're supposed to believe the easier is it to believe it.

 

"God helps those who help themselves", hehe, that's in:

Book of Me, Myself and I, 1:1

[Mythra]

My favorite bible verse is "to thine own self be true."

 

It's in 2 Thessalonians. I think.

[Tyson]

So exeggis is a 'lost art,' huh? How many people in lesser developed nations have a library full of concordances, lexicons, bible dictionaries, commentaries, the hottest book on Christian apologetics or might even be able to read the Bible? Who then will teach them "the word?" Oops! My bad. The holy spook.

[Reach]

Also, from the George Barna Group: Christians Say They Do Best At Relationships, Worst In Bible Knowledge from June 14, 2005

 

The two aspects of spiritual life that people were most likely to acknowledge struggling with were "sharing your faith with others" (23% above average, 23% below average, with 53% average) and "Bible knowledge" (21% above average, 25% below average, 53% average).

 

No surprise there but how can you not share the faith if you believe in the existence of hell?

[Tyson]

Are the contents of the above article even surprising? I've noticed this since my days in church and notice it on various Christian websites and religious forums. Many of my peers in church used to almost seem proud they did not read, much less study the Old Testament except the book of Psalms, Proverbs and a few happy scriptures here and there. Many would only open a Bible on Sunday morning. When I used to preside over Bible quizzes at various churches, I used to always have people scrambling through their Bibles looking for the book of Hezekiah.

 

Frankly it was my observation and it is my opinion that all that many people did was follow and repeat mindless dogma, not really knowing what they really believed. While I believe many Christians will not admit it, I really believe that many do not become aware of things in their Bible until a critic raises an issue about it or brings it to their attention. This catches them completely off guard and some resort to ad hominem attacks, fall silent on the matter or spout the dogma of faith..

 

Then there are those in seminaries who are indeed learning more about the Bible yet lose their faith the more they learn about it, but keep silent for different reasons and/or go on to become ministers, professors but in reality do not believe much of what they are teaching, teachings that this article calls "eseential" Christian teachings.

[Thurisaz]

Good idea.  Get them to read the Bible thoroughly; watch attendance drop faster than Anna Nicole's tits as old age approaches.

 

 

[sonofspong]

I was actually surprised to discover that my parents know less about the bible than I do, and I'm the sinful hellbound heathen!!!

 

As I recall, the "god helps those who help themselves" line was from Ben Franklin, not the bible, so he is correct. Makes you wonder how many other lines where from other people, yet still thought to be from scripture.

[Hero of Hyrule]

If that's survey is true...Then what do they do in Churches?

[Purple Rhino]

If that's survey is true...Then what do they do in Churches?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Answer:

They empty their wallets, their conscience, and their common sense. In exchange for a feeling of superiority and a kick ass mansion in the fluffy clouds.

 

PR

[diggin]

My favorite bible verse is "to thine own self be true."

 

It's in 2 Thessalonians.  I think.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

"This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man." - Hamlet by Shakespeare - good line.

 

Here's the closest Bible verse I could find to that: “Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar” (Romans 3:4).

 

I can't think of what you're referring to in 2nd Thess..

but I like this one: "the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waitng for Christ." (3:5)

[diggin]

Are the contents of the above article even surprising? I've noticed this since my days in church and notice it on various Christian websites and religious forums. Many of my peers in church used to almost seem proud they did not read, much less study the Old Testament except the book of Psalms, Proverbs and a few happy scriptures here and there. Many would only open a Bible on Sunday morning. When I used to preside over Bible quizzes at various churches, I used to always have people scrambling through their Bibles looking for the book of Hezekiah.

 

Frankly it was my observation and it is my opinion that all that many people did was follow and repeat mindless dogma, not really knowing what they really believed. While I believe many Christians will not admit it, I really believe that many do not become aware of things in their Bible until a critic raises an issue about it or brings it to their attention. This catches them completely off guard and some resort to ad hominem attacks, fall silent on the matter or spout the dogma of faith..

 

Then there are those in seminaries who are indeed learning more about the Bible yet lose their faith the more they learn about it, but keep silent for different reasons and/or go on to become ministers, professors but in reality do not believe much of what they are teaching, teachings that this article calls "eseential" Christian teachings.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

All excellent points.

"Christianity is a mile wide and a half inch deep"

 

This is indeed the post-Christian era, not just because the world at large doesn't want to hear the Christian message of repentance from sin. That's a tiny part of it. But a much bigger part is that the traditional Christian message is laced with hypocritical falsehoods: the hell thing, the trinity "god-man" thing, the "say a prayer and never have to be accountable to anyone ever again" thing. "Christians" are the worst possible advertisement for belief in God.

 

Read Rev. 18. God commands whoever is listening to leave traditional Christianity completely because it's headed for actual payback time. Enumerated among the reasons for payback: persecution of true believers, money-grubbing, fostering of slavery and geo-political domination of the poor.

[spamandham]

But it shows you that religion grows when knowledge of it shrinks.

The less you know what you're supposed to believe the easier is it to believe it.

 

For most of the history of Christianity, the Bible was out of reach. That's one of the factors as to why it grew to dominate. Here was a book, written in a language most couldn't understand, with copies closely guarded by priests, that gave all the answers. The evidence was right there for anyone to see, but no-one had the means. In the days of incredulity, that was enough.

 

We went from the age of incredulity, to the age of reason, to the age of faith. Perhaps, just maybe, the age of reason can come to triumph again.

 

The Catholic curch still does not encourage Biblical literacy for the most part. The few Bible studies with Catholicism concentrate on the nice parts (select psalms, Gospels, etc).

 

The first question I ask anyone who questions my skepticism is "how many times have you read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation?" That shuts almost everyone up.

[Vixentrox]

All excellent points.

"Christianity is a mile wide and a half inch deep"

 

This is indeed the post-Christian era, not just because the world at large doesn't want to hear the Christian message of repentance from sin. That's a tiny part of it. But a much bigger part is that the traditional Christian message is laced with hypocritical falsehoods: the hell thing, the trinity "god-man" thing, the "say a prayer and never have to be accountable to anyone ever again" thing. "Christians" are the worst possible advertisement for belief in God.

 

Read Rev. 18. God commands whoever is listening to leave traditional Christianity completely because it's headed for actual payback time. Enumerated among the reasons for payback: persecution of true believers, money-grubbing, fostering of slavery and geo-political domination of the poor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

So...when exactly was the church "pure"? When did it become something less than the true teachings of god?

[Flyby Stardancer]

The Catholic curch still does not encourage Biblical literacy for the most part.  The few Bible studies with Catholicism concentrate on the nice parts (select psalms, Gospels, etc).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That is so true. My mom is Catholic and she's NEVER read the Bible. I've read maybe 1% of it, but I still know more about the Bible than she does. That is sad.

[chefranden]

Good idea.  Get them to read the Bible thoroughly; watch attendance drop faster than Anna Nicole's tits as old age approaches.

 

All things shall be forgiven thee save the blaspheming of Anna's tits. She paid good money for them things.

[chefranden]

Thank you Fwee,

 

This explains why no Christian has ever beaten me at Bible Trivial.

 

Ha -- you can tell I'm a heathen cause I know scripture.

[Vixentrox]

It's always great to ram thier own fucked up book down thier holier than thou throats.

[DaveL]

I'm not really into works of fiction so does it really matter whether it's quoted or not? I'd rather quote the Hitchickers Guide to the Galaxy.

 

Funny how the rest of the free world is quietly becoming more and more secular eg. France, Canada. I can't see too many problems in those countries.

 

I love the bit about the bible teachers getting involved in the daily lives of the followers. Sounds a bit George Orwell to me - 'Big Bible Teacher is watching.'

[Checkmate]

Educating Xians is a two-edged sword.

 

Should they remain ignorant of the bible, they may well remain "poor examples of Xianity". Not knowing the scriptures, could in fact make them dangerously unprepared to "witness", nor can they "stay strong in the faith".

 

However, on the plus side of ignorance, sheep are more malleable. Catholics have historically found it much easier to manipulate an ignorant populace. That is why in the early years of Xianity only priests were allowed to possess and read the bible.

 

But then, what happens when the sheep learn to read and begin to think for themselves?

 

Look at history. The Protestant Reformation occurred due to people learning to read the scriptures AND interpret them for themselves.

 

My own departure from Xianity occurred after I read XIAN author and musician John Fischer's book, "What On Earth Are We Doing?" The following excerpt has remained with me many years after reading it:

 

"...(T)oday, the term 'thinking Christian’ seems an oxymoron. If thinking and Christianity ever were compatible, they have had a falling out of late. Belief now is often equated with blind acceptance of truth as it is spelled out by whatever spiritual authority a person or group recognizes. Dutiful followers sit in rapt attention before magnetic personalities who dish out the goods for hungry souls. Heads nod, hands clap, and minds behave like washing machines on soak cycle.

 

"Anyone who has ever watched Christian television has probably seen it. Whatever a speaker says is received with unquestioning assent, as the heads nod up and down. The people are taking it straight, like strong ‘gospel truth’ medicine from a trusted doctor.

 

"Questioning in such an environment can be taken as rebellion and disbelief. There seems to be no precedent for thinking something through as a natural step toward the ownership of an idea. Many people don't bring minds to church to engage in learning more about God; they bring heads that need only to be filled.

 

"There is a tacit understanding within many churches and fellowship groups that this gospel ship navigates best if you don't rock the boat.

 

"Pastors, priests, and theologians get paid to do religion on our behalf. Christian publishers exist to provide resources with answers to difficult questions. Somewhere there is a book or a video or an article about whatever confuses you...As long as someone, somewhere, did the required thinking, you can take their word for it.

 

"Few of us feel personally responsible to articulate our faith even in church, much less the marketplace. After all, the church is run by specialists. They, along with the writers of more books than anyone will ever read, are the spiritual somebodies who have this thing down pat. Leave it to them to grapple with the mysteries and ambiguities of faith. If we go to church, we can all manage well enough.

 

“Our thoughts are not our own, but someone else's: a teacher's, or a pastor's, or a political leader's, or a movie star's, or a talk show host's. Everyone's thinking someone else's thoughts.

 

"When everyone thinks someone else's thoughts and no one checks it out, you never know what might end up being 'true'."

 

In a few short sentences, this XIAN author inadvertently accomplished what no atheist had accomplished before--he challenged my gullible acceptance of Xian doctrines. From that day forth, I began THINKING MY OWN THOUGHTS! From there it was only a hop, skip and a jump before I left Xianity and embraced atheism.

 

And thus you have the two-edged dilemma.

 

While an ignorant flock may well be an embarrassment (albeit easy to manipulate), an EDUCATED sheep will (if he/she is honest) awaken to the prospect of being fleeced and led to the slaughter, and thus rebel.