Thanks for the Discussion

you're welcome.

Chris, when I read your first post on this topic a few days ago, I sort of found it idly interesting, but in light of the previous discussion for which you thank the blogosphere, I am more curious. And it seems to me that while the actual existence or non existence of god is a largely academic topic, the psychological impact and meaning of religion is not. So perhaps you could at some point post regarding the psychological research you mentioned earlier, and what about it conflicts with Dawkins. I don't wish to reignite the debate, but I'd like to hear about the things you know from the practical side of things.

ME, will do. Atran recently published a paper on memory and religion (he mentions the research in his BBS paper, which I can link you to if you like), and I was planning on blogging about it. There's a post or two in the archives of this blog on religion (I know I reposted the one on whether children attribute false beliefs to God), and I'll probably repost some of the others too. If you're interested in looking up some stuff yourself, you can start with Atran's work, and Pascal Boyer's as well.

(I'd like to post this here because I'm afraid that due to the terrible length of the other thread you won't see it otherwise. Please forgive what may be possibly trollish of me. Do delete deleteriously if so deemed.)

Noah and his nuances aside, all Christians belive that Jesus was born of a virgin, was the human incarnation of a triumverate God, was executed to fulfill a prophecy and save mankind from Original Sin, arose from the Dead after a long weekend, and ascended to Heaven.

That is absolutely the most important tenet of Christianity, and all Christians, whether Fundamentalist Baptist, Methodist, or Evangelical believe it. The Catholics and Presbyterians who were murdering each other in Northern Ireland for the past four hundred years both believed it with equal, uh, vehemence. The Korean exchange students who prostelytize on my campus believe it as strongly as the Jews For Jesus who hand out pamphlets in the commons.

Every last Christian believes it - yourself included.

And it is entirely delusional. It was an invented story made up by the Apostles, just like the Revelations were made up entirely by John of Patmos. (Yes, I'm quite familiar with the nuances of Scripture. The knowledge only emboldens my position.)

I fail to understand the need to politely examine a theology that has at its base an entirely false and demonstrably invented premise.

I also contend that the reason we atheists are so vitriolic in our denial of the Christian myth and not, say, Shinto is the fact that Christians feel the need to either convert or condemn everyone else, where Shintoists don't. Nor do they actively inject their beliefs into science and government. The way Catholics and Presbyterians and Mormons and Evangelicals do, in their respectively nuanced ways.

Cheers-

Christians belive that Jesus was born of a virgin, was the human incarnation of a triumverate God, was executed to fulfill a prophecy and save mankind from Original Sin, arose from the Dead after a long weekend, and ascended to Heaven.

this is false. unitarian christians and jehovah's witnesses reject much of this, as do mormons. perhaps they aren't christians, but then you are accepting particular christian definitions of what it means to be christian (e.g., those who affirm the creed agreed upon at the council of nicea in 325, as well as the thinking of church fathers such as st. augustine in regards to original sin).

but i take your point.