Why a book-based religion eventually fails
By Micahel Runyan ~
Christianity and many other religions are stuck on a book. A book that can’t be added to, subtracted from, or changed in any way. It leads its followers to assume that what is right and wrong never changes, despite all of the advancements of knowledge and experience over centuries and centuries of human history.
In Christianity’s case, the book that defines and confines its doctrine was written from about 1450 BC to around 100 CE. Nothing written in the past 1900 years has been added to it. But the world has changed dramatically over that time.
Christianity teaches that homosexuality is a sin, but if ongoing research continues to reveal that homosexuality is not a choice, is the Christian position still tenable?
Christianity teaches that men have authority over women, but if ongoing research and historical experience shows that women have talents equivalent to men, is the Christian position still tenable?
Christianity teaches (through its scriptural silence and traditional treatment) that animals other than humans have no divinely-inspired rights, but if ongoing science shows that animals have thoughts, feelings, intelligence, and capabilities similar to humans, is the Christian position still tenable?
Christianity teaches that premarital sex is prohibited, but if ongoing research indicates that those who engage in premarital sex wait longer to marry and tend to have more successful marriages than those who remain chaste, is the Christian position still tenable?
What these examples show is that a religion based on a book that can’t be amended will eventually become obsolete. It will not change with the times as it should to accommodate changes in society and the increase in knowledge as civilization ages. This is why Christianity and most other religions are failures. A true religion, one based on a real, living god, would surely not look like this. It would change with the times and receive unambiguous messages from its god constantly updating doctrine to coincide with new knowledge and changing conditions.
In Christianity’s case, the book that defines and confines its doctrine was written from about 1450 BC to around 100 CE. Nothing written in the past 1900 years has been added to it. But the world has changed dramatically over that time.
Christianity teaches that homosexuality is a sin, but if ongoing research continues to reveal that homosexuality is not a choice, is the Christian position still tenable?
Christianity teaches that men have authority over women, but if ongoing research and historical experience shows that women have talents equivalent to men, is the Christian position still tenable?
Christianity teaches (through its scriptural silence and traditional treatment) that animals other than humans have no divinely-inspired rights, but if ongoing science shows that animals have thoughts, feelings, intelligence, and capabilities similar to humans, is the Christian position still tenable?
Christianity teaches that premarital sex is prohibited, but if ongoing research indicates that those who engage in premarital sex wait longer to marry and tend to have more successful marriages than those who remain chaste, is the Christian position still tenable?
What these examples show is that a religion based on a book that can’t be amended will eventually become obsolete. It will not change with the times as it should to accommodate changes in society and the increase in knowledge as civilization ages. This is why Christianity and most other religions are failures. A true religion, one based on a real, living god, would surely not look like this. It would change with the times and receive unambiguous messages from its god constantly updating doctrine to coincide with new knowledge and changing conditions.
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