Quote:
Originally Posted by onetwo_threefour
I love the concept of atheists as condescending. As if you can be more condescending than someone who tells you that they have perfect knowledge of something without even having to think about it, and with all the thinking you can do with your human brain you can never reach it.
The fact of the matter is that there are contradictions in the bible, and calgaryborn can explain away all he wants but mental gymanstics aside, the fact is that the approved english translations of the bible currently in use are both approved by various christian sects and yet are clearly full of contradictions. Many of those sects preach biblical inerrancy so it is appropriate for non-believers to point out internal inconsistencies in the bible as a challenge to specific religious beliefs such as biblical inerrancy (but not faith itself).
The reaction of religious believers who feel that an attack on biblical inerrancy is automatically an attack on their core beliefs strikes me as something of a persecution complex. Non-believers have had to listen to Christian philosophy and history in the public ideas marketplace for a couple of thousand years, but it is unfair for atheists to publicly air any critique of religious tenets or dogma.
I think many religious people have a long way to go to accept that tolerance includes tolerance of others publicly stating their disagreement with your own base beliefs. Right now it seems that many religious folks are grudgingly tolerant of my right not to believe in a deity, but not of my right to discuss the rationale for same.
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Out of thanks, so Thanks! Wonderfully put I might add.