Catholic Civil War Brewing?

Link about the over reporting?

Thanks

 

Nonsense would involve believing in things that are evidentially untrue. It does stand to reason that it would be hard for a program to define its programmer, so lack of clarity in what one believes in should be somewhat expected.

What really takes faith is believing that the program exists without a programmer, no matter how much you learn and understand, it still goes back to the magic of "just because" for a source.

There are those who recognize they have faith, those who lack faith and lack certainty, and those who have faith but won't admit it because then they'd have to categorize their own views under the same "nonsensical" umbrella. I'm not sure it's possible to lack faith while having such certainty.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

Do you think life has meaning and / or purpose? Do you find some things are beautiful and worthy of being appreciated, treasured, or protected? Are you glad you survived that fall off the garage roof?

 

Of course, but thats likely always happened. The increases are still clear.

 

Clear to one who is biased.

 

I am glad I survived my fall. My purpose I think is to take my dog for a daily walk. lol

 

Post 62.

 

Cmon Dan. Love ya man, but the bias is far from one sided here.

Christianity is not shrinking. No data suggests it is, yet you always come here and beat that broken drum.

The organized stale brick and morter legalistic western church on the corner maybe struggling, but that is only because the full church is returning to the communal way it was intended.

Churches like mine are flourishing. Growing to nearly 1000 people in 11 years has certainly come at the expense of some dead wood churches. So if a large church swallows up 2 or 3 struggling ones that does not equate to a shrinking of the faith.

The church in Africa is exploding, same with China.

I understand your position on faith, but your disdain for it does not diminish it's impact and growth.

It's like saying, I hate UGA and FSU, and because I do they must be struggling and have shrinking fanbases.

I can scream it from the rooftops, but it wont be true.

 

I have never been to Africa but I have worked extensively in China. Missionaries were common and most did good work, but the Chinese are not believers. If people started flocking to faith the government would put them down and the missionaries would be lucky if they were just expelled.

For example the Maygars are a Muslim minority they are being systematically targeted and may get wiped out for believing. What makes you think Christians would be treated differently.

 

Google "underground church in China"
Protestant Christianity is booming in China
My cousin was involved in supplying them.

 

Out of curiosity, what reasons do you think are the reasons for your church growth? Honestly curious. The Methodist church I attend and love has shrunk during COVID. Several reasons I think. Politics to an extent, the general split of the UMC church over the gay issue, but I suspect the biggest reason is people just formed different habits over COVID. I was curious about your take.

 

Great question. I will speak for me. My family made the move 5 years ago because it was such an engaged community. Working in community to be the hands and feet of Jesus... devoted to building community. Sound teaching. It is what church should be and it may be the first time in my life I have felt it.

Many reasons. My guess is all of the members feel the same.

 

Mark 2020 as the year the church shrunk back. It was shameful. That said, there appeared to be a correlation between the churches that have not fallen prey to identity politics, like the UMC, and a readiness to emerge from hunker down cowardice.

 

I would guess there are more seriously committed Christians in China than in the U.S.

 

Given that their population is much greater than ours the idea doesn't seem far fetched

 

Pretty sure he's referring to martyrdom as a very real daily reality in China, vs a historical abstract concept stateside, translating into more proven Christians in China, regardless of declaration or self identification, than here,
respective populations notwithstanding.

 

Martyrs for the Faith

 

I think when you leave it vague like that (program and programmer) you’re absolutely right. But where religion gets it wrong is with the specifics. The whole born of a virgin, son of god who walked on water, raised the dead and turned water into wine before being executed and rising from the dead is where the “nonsense” comes in.

To quote Sam Harris:

“Man is manifestly not the measure of all things. This universe is shot through with mystery. The very fact of its being, and of our own, is a mystery absolute, and the only miracle worthy of the name. The consciousness that animates us is itself central to this mystery and ground for any experience we may wish to call “spiritual.” No myth needs to be embraced for us to commune with the profundity of our circumstance. No personal God need be worshipped for us to live in awe at the beauty and immensity of creation. No tribal fictions need be rehearsed for us to realize, one fine day, that we do, in fact, love our neighbors, that our happiness is inextricable from their own, and that our interdependence demands that people everywhere be given the opportunity to flourish.”

 

There’s martyrdom in China ?

 

I don’t know a single religious person whose beliefs proceed from positing God. Sam Harris is not impressive.