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An unusually honest and insightful Christian argument

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I found this unusually honest and insightful Christian argument about the difference between Christian and non-Christian thinkers.

Here is a short quote to peak your interest.

Creationists and evolutionists, Christians and non-Christians all have the same evidence—the same facts. Think about it: we all have the same earth, the same fossil layers, the same animals and plants, the same stars—the facts are all the same.

The difference is in the way we all interpret the facts. And why do we interpret facts differently? Because we start with different presuppositions. These are things that are assumed to be true, without being able to prove them. These then become the basis for other conclusions. All reasoning is based on presuppositions (also called axioms). This becomes especially relevant when dealing with past events. https://answersingenesis.org/creationism/creation-myths/creation-wheres-the-proof/

And what is the source of most presuppositions? The source of most of presuppositions is one’s early childhood education. Whether one is a religious believer or not is a matter of what their parent taught them.

So if you really want to know the truth, you have to first examine and understand your upbringing.

Intellectual freedom v certainty

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“At the beginning of human history, man lost some of the basic animal instincts in which an animal’s behavior is embedded and by which it is secured. Such security, like paradise, is closed to man forever; man has to make choices. In addition to this, however, man has suffered another loss in his more recent development inasmuch as the traditions which buttressed his behavior are now rapidly diminishing. No instinct tells him what he has to do, and no tradition tells him what he ought to do; sometimes he does not even know what he wishes to do. Instead, he either wishes to do what other people do (conformism) or he does what other people tell him to do (totalitarianism).” Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

If God doesn’t exist, then why are religions so persistent?

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That’s a very good question.

Religions have survived the centuries because they satisfy the basic human need for answers about the universe and our place in it. You see, religion is only possible in intelligent, thinking animals. God and religion are products of our own intelligence. Because our intelligence demands answers. And in the absence of science, that need was filled with what ever was at hand.

And at that time it was mythology, magic and superstition.

That line of thinking continues today’s because most people aren’t sufficiently exposed to an alternative way of thinking.

That religions can exist even though there is no god is self evident. Just look at all the competing mutually exclusive monotheistic religions existing at the same times. They can’t all be simultaneously true. Therefore most or even all of them are built on a god that doesn’t exist. And some of these religions have billions of followers.

But they survive because people are happy with the answers they provide as they have society and the weight of history behind them. And if a serious challenge is mounted the person behind it is often killed or imprisoned to eliminate the conflicting idea. Think the Spanish inquisition, Galileo, the Taliban and blasphemy laws.

In addition they are implanted in young minds before reason and logic can dispute them. Therefore they have precedence on their side.

Religion is about the unknown. And as our knowledge base grows the domain of religion will grow smaller and smaller. But there are areas of knowledge that science will likely never conquer. It’s in these areas that religions can continue their influence.

But only in minds that don’t have exposure to science, reason and logic. As evidenced by the inverse correlation between education and level of religiosity. Religions are strongest in third world uneducated populations and weakest in universities and educated first world populations.

The waning of religion is natural product of a liberal education.

What is a religion?

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A religion is a tribes rules and collective memories rolled up into an all inclusive world view. It’s passed down from generation to generation until fiction and mythology become fact. Once it becomes the sacred word of god, then we call it a religion.

And that’s why it seems so real from the inside. It’s a complete system with all the answers because it has been tailored to fit the tribe by countless minds over many generations. And it flourishes because it promotes the tribe’s best interest. Not the individual’s interest but the tribe’s interest.

But religion can only become rooted in a child’s mind in the absence of conflicting information. That’s why it’s so important to indoctrinate a child into a religion early in life, before they can learn about the real world.

Indoctrinate them early and sufficiently and they will reject all non religious facts as the work of the devil and pass that belief system on to the next generation.