Christianity is fundamentally anti-critical thinking and the U.S. is not a Christian nation

[dhh712]

@dhh712 I love that Acts 8 passage, how Isaiah 53 came alive to the Ethiopian eunuch.......

Right! Isn't that the way the way it goes often? Philip comes along and sees him reading and ask him, "Do you understand what you're reading there?" And the guy's like, "How am I supposed to understand it if someone doesn't explain to to me? Is the writer talking about himself or someone else?" And so Philip goes over and shows him Jesus in those verses. It's great.

 

[farouk]

Right! Isn't that the way the way it goes often? Philip comes along and sees him reading and ask him, "Do you understand what you're reading there?" And the guy's like, "How am I supposed to understand it if someone doesn't explain to to me? Is the writer talking about himself or someone else?" And so Philip goes over and shows him Jesus in those verses. It's great.

@dhh712 We can indeed be 'fellowhelpers to the truth' (3 John 8), although in the end it is the Holy Spirit Who gives light and understanding (cf. 'Lydia....whose heart the Lord opened', Acts 16.14).

 

[dhh712]

@dhh712 We can indeed be 'fellowhelpers to the truth' (3 John 8), although in the end it is the Holy Spirit Who gives light and understanding (cf. 'Lydia....whose heart the Lord opened', Acts 16.14).

That is right of course--you can explain it all clearly to someone but if the Holy Spirit doesn't enlighten their mind and give life to their spirit they'll still refuse to believe.

 

[Angelina]

is right of course--you can explain it all clearly to someone but if the Holy Spirit doesn't enlighten their mind and give life to their spirit they'll still refuse to believe

True but I do not think that any word that goes out of a man or woman of God, comes back empty. Is 55:11
1 Corinthians 2:4 says:
My message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,

 

[Skovand1075]

Being a Christian is not anti critical thinking.

 

[St. SteVen]

Some people will say I'm making a gross overgeneralization and come up with all sorts of tidbits and details as to why Christianity is complementary with science and critical thinking. However, most if not all of those reasons are superficial at the end of the day (if not straight up lies) and they ultimately hold no water.

Great topic, thanks. I hope you are still here on the board.

Christianity discourages skepticism, you are not supposed to use your brain at full capacity under the guise "of having faith".

Right. Questions = unbelief. Unbelief = loss of salvation. Loss of salvation = eternal hell fire.
Therefore: Questions = eternal hell fire. (spiritual extortion)

It is a statistical fact that education is associated with an increased chance of a loss of faith. I hear all these apologetics talk and they're essentially rationalizing against critical thinking. If you ask too many questions, you cannot be Christian in the end for the simple reason that one must come to a point where the questions stop completely, you effectively become intellectually lazy.

Right. Statistically, skepticism leads to atheism.
What does that say about Christianity?
AND... What does that say about skepticism?

If you keep asking questions, you end up being told that a true Christian doesn't question the authority of God, for example.

Thus making God a tyrant, and Christians his tormenting minions. What's wrong with this picture?

There are so many controversial verses in the Bible (such as Romans 13 where one must obey the government since God put it there) that one must come up with all these copes and rationalizations for each one in particular in order to uphold their core beliefs.

Agree. All about the work-arounds. (apologetics, without apology)

People often confuse "You're not listening to me" with "You're not agreeing with me". I've got some very hard core Christian family members who tell me that I'm "Just fighting the truth". But this is all a mere projection of them giving up on using their brains. They have admitted to asking questions at one point...but they ultimately had to stop. Critical thinking and skepticism thrives on asking questions, they've stunted their own mental growth.

Another poster, that I love, says. "This is the kind of nonsense we have to put up with from you." - LOL (quote from memory)

 

[St. SteVen]

Being a Christian is not anti critical thinking.

Since when?
I didn't get that memo.

Easy to miss the memorandums among all the random memos. - LOL

 

[Lapidem]

Being a Christian is not anti critical thinking.

Correct. It is simply a total lack of critical thinking.