Fundamentalism versus Critical Thinking

What do you mean "unchecked skepticism"? Are you saying that there is a certain point at which people should just be willing to accept something as truth and believe it when someone else tells it to them? That's because the people "like [you] who are attached to [your] beliefs" are people who gain power from "checked skepticism." They are delivered control in the form of being able to tell people things that they will accept without question or reason to disbelieve. Preachers, pastors, popes, etc. all have somewhat of a control over people like you who believe what they tell you to believe. Because you chuck your skepticism at the church door, when they tell you something, you will believe it. This means that their beliefs/interpretations of whatever religious text you happen to read at your place of worship will be delivered to you and imprinted on your mind. When you "spread the word," you will be spreading their word.When religious figures teach about the evils of things children learn in school, they do so because they dislike critical thinkers. For each critical thinker that is added, a non-skeptic that is willing to accept the garbage these leaders spoon feed to their flocks is removed. In the numbers of people you can sway to your opinion is your power. The religious leaders live on this power, and indeed it is all they have. If everyone critically thought of the junk they were taught in church, there wouldn't be any more people in church, the leaders would be without people, they would be without power, and above all they would be without money.The goal of fundamentilist leaders is to further themselves and their own agendas, and until you pick your skepticism up off the front lawn and put it back in your head, you will be willing to believe what they tell you--albeit it to a point--and to that point they will have power over what you think, how you act, and what you tell others--who might consider comming in to check things out and maybe make a $$$ offer to the colection place . These are the points I was talking about. You are willing to take in their slop to a certain point. That "point" has been brainwashed into you, and their greatest fear is that you will start to think critically of the situation and realize that. So, they preach that schools and colleges are evil and ruining the youth. Mentally thin individuals are willing to believe it and send their children to a nice private school where they can be tought restricted thinking while being brainwashed to pre-believe everything the church--generally connected to the school building--tells them.Anway, that's my rant. Off to class.J0N1CU5 M4X1MU5_____________________________________ Edited by Jonicus Maximus, : Title :-)

So, from within yourself, with no external influences, you came to the realization that there was a God, and that Jesus Christ was His Son? Are you sure you didn't have any help with that at all!?Once you answer this question, I will be able to continue with the rest of what you've said.J0N1CU5 M4X1MU5

That argument is getting old. If the Sun is square, it's square no matter how round we see it to be. Your notion that if something can be dreamed up, then it's okay to believe in it is ridiculous. So are you saying that if you didn't live in a country that was 88% Christian, and smashing that Christian-ness into you everywhere you turned--which is sadly what happens in this country (U.S.)--that you still would've come to define God in the same way as you do? If parts of your God are within you, and other parts based on cultural influence, how do you distinguish the two? God permits slavery, but you disapprove; clearly you've chosen to accept the cultural influence over God's influence. Where do you draw the line? How do you decide? Pick 'n' choose? Is God's power limited in what you choose to accept? Doesn't sound so Almighty to me.J0N1CU5 M4X1MU5 Edited by Jonicus Maximus, : Coding...Edited by Jonicus Maximus, : Grammar...

That the Sun is square would be a belief, and I wouldn't be any more comfortably knowing there are people out there who want to believe something like that without questions than I am knowing that there are people like you out there who will believe anything religious on Faith alone. This puts too much power into the hands of the religious leaders, who are many out to destroy critical thinking; the very process used to bring us into our great age of science and technology.J0N1CU5 M4X1MU5

Nothing at all, what I am saying is that you are not thinking originally when you come to the conclusion that God exists. Some (if not most or all) of what you are using to make your decision is culturally influenced. You are not stopping to analyze the situation. I've been in chat with you, watched you "critially think" about your religious beliefs, and you always are off somewhere... something's always just not right with your thinking.It always seems like you assume some truth, that there is something that you need to explain on a spiritual level. Anyway, I don't think that's what this thread is for. All I know is that to find the beliefs you want from certain feelings there are many religious. If you are in need of meaning in life, many religions offer that. There's no need to pick Christianity? And I doubt your culture doesn't get you exposed to other religions... something about the way the preacher preached God and Jesus to you that drew you in... something about what he did, or the way he did it. It wasn't just a free choice... you were slightly manipulated, like buying one car over another. Unless... did you investigate Hindu before settling with Yahweh?Anywhoo... off to classicus. Good topic, man, though I have no idea what it's really about.J0N1CU5 M4X1MU5