Christianity was one of the biggest suppressors of knowledge in all of history.
Biggest suppressors? I'd say barbarian hordes in every era,the world over.Goths,vikings,gauls,etc. Hard to point the finger at any one group.
Christian Monks,and missionaries,in the middle ages,are responsible for preserving most of the classical literature we have today.
When the visigoths first took Rome,and started looting and burning books,It was Irish christian monks that copied everything they could get their hands on.
A lot of books that didn't agree with the bible were either burned, or the author was killed.... and the books were burned. lol
What is "a lot of"? Sounds like an exaggeration.
Yes.The papacy has,at times,banned certain books they felt might contradict scripture.At times,they burned the violators,and the books.No argument there.
Though,I'd wager less books have been burned,and even fewer authors have been killed,than you're implying.
Unless you're talking about Diocletians persecutions?
I can't argue that those things weren't built by Christians. Keep in mind often education, food, shelter would only be offered if the people agreed to convert.
History disagrees.Since their inception,christian churches have provided :hospitals,universities,libraries,etc.-and taught,fed and sheltered...more often than not,regardless of religious conversion.
wikifact:The Catholic Church is the largest non-government provider of education and medical services in the world.(<I didn't know that)
I go to St. Elizabeth's hospital for treatments.My primary doctor is a member of St.Elizabeth's physicians. I've never been asked about religious denomination, or conversion.
Greeks founded the first universities thousands of years ago. Christianity was still a 'wink in someone's eye'....
Then would you say the greeks contributed?
It comes up because nothing in Christianity had a direct influence on science.
The majority view of scholarship says otherwise.Science historians,medieval historians,history professors,all say it did.
I've provided transcripts of it being taught in secular history classes,and provided links to scholarly articles on how they've arrived at their conclusions.
Now,I'm not always on the right side of scholars,but for me to disagree with them,it does take some convincing.
There's nothing in the bible that decrees education should be held with esteem
Proverbs from the bible:
An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
Let the wise hear and increase in learning
I didn't have to look hard.The early christians and jews advocated education and held it in high regard.
and no findings were discovered because of christianity.
Matthew Maury created the science of oceanography because he
believed the Bible when it said there were paths in the seas.
One among many.
Discoveries would have been made regardless of the religion of the scientist. You are confusing causation and correlation. Saying science stemmed from religion is a non sequitur. It doesn't follow that just because a few scientists believed in God that science resulted from it.
You're confusing the argument.
Me saying that christianity contributed to scientific development,and you saying that I'm implying by my statement,that "science stemmed from religion" is a non sequitur that takes a huge leap.(IMO)
I'm 100% positive that you know that's not what i'm implying.
When the roman empire fell and the Christians took over they abandoned the most technological achievements of the time, e.g. aquaducts, roads, etc.
Deurbanization for the most part.I don't imagine the visigoths were too christian-friendly at the time.
There was a time when religion ruled (with an iron fist) it was called the dark ages, and was a virtual standstill for any scientific advancement.
Most historians don't use the term "dark ages" anymore."Early middle Ages" is the more accepted label.They changed the term because more and more evidence showed that the time wasn't as uncivilized and bleak as once thought.Scientific advancements slowed,but never to a "virtual standstill".
Pick any era of "the dark ages",and I'll show you scientific advancements,by christians.The 10th century would be you're best choice,but even then there was scientific advancements,by christians.
If Christian churches (and feudalism) wouldn't have prevailed,then it would have been any one of the barbarian masses.Slavics,croats,germanic goths,huns,etc.
Living in the middle ages,which would you prefer? If you're undecided I can provide links to description of their conquests,and warfare tactics.
Christians had a large part to play in establishing institutions. I agree, with that part of your argument.
Good.We're making progress.
It's not that much more of a leap to say christianity has made contributions to our development.
I just don't agree that modern science exists because of Christianity
Christianity contributed to modern sciences development.Many times throughout history.
I understand you don't like it,but according to the mainstream view,it's factual.No matter your interpretation of it.
(especially considering the Greeks and Romans were practicing science thousands of years previous, and it took Christianity to completely fuck up thousands of years of study and experimentation).
How,exactly,did christianity "fuck up thousands of years of study and experimentation",when christian monks copied and preserved most of the classic literature,and ancient texts that western civilization uses even today?
The motives of the founders of the institution have zero to do with the content the university teaches.
Christian cathedrals,monasteries,Universities,etc.,provided settings where any number of fields could be studied.
Universities don't just accept Christians, they are learning institutions that anyone can attend.
Which goes against your previous argument,that you had to convert to christianity before you could attend.
Christians helping people because of the creed of their religion can give credit to their religion if they want to.
If they say christianity influenced or inspired their achievements,then we should acknowledge their influences or inspirations.To them,it could have made all the difference.
Good people will still do good things, and bad people will still do bad things, regardless of religion. For good people to do bad things, that takes religion.
I never understood this quote,or why people use it.Good people do bad things all the time.No religion involved.Don't you agree?
"Cherish your family, help Christians get an education, but KILL ALL FAGGOTS."
The extremist view.Not even the majority view where I'm from.The conservative south.
Tell me Beef,you're an atheist.Do you hold the extremist views of atheism? And should we judge all atheists by their extremists?
Kill People Who Don't Listen to Priests
SNIP...
I still don't see the proclamation of your quote.That Christians "are given permission to maim, kill, lynch, torture, and enslave people without batting so much of an eye".
I will,however,go over each and every one of these events with you in detail,although,We would have to go one at a time.Not all of these events have the same answer,and most would require a non anachronistic view.Time,culture,and context play major roles.
Point of the authors view,as well.Remember,these are largely hebrew books.So what might be good for the hebrews,wouldn't automatically be accepted the same way for other cultures at the time.
Freedom is demonstrable. It doesn't need a physical form, but there should be justification for believing it exists.
This reads like a set-up.But I'll dive in anyway.
Their belief is their justification,because yes,they believe god,jesus,etc.,exists.
Freedom from belief,and freedom to believe.Both require freedom.
Admonish them,educate them,and by all means take away their ability to inflict unnecessary harm to others,but you should never impose on their freedom to believe.Whether you think it's justified, or not.
If religion never existed do you think no one would be charitable?
Certainly there would still be charities.No one group holds a monopoly on charity.
Although,I will say,without Christianities involvement,it may not be to the extent we see today.But that's only speculation.
But it's irrelevant.Christianity has been in full force as a provider of charitable donations,since its inception.Thankfully!(again St.Judes hospital for children comes to mind)
No, I just think we need to see the good and the bad. Drugs have demonstrably saved peoples lives, god has not.
Does that mean we need to see the good and the bad christianity has done through the ages? Christian charities,hospitals,medical contributions,etc.,have saved peoples lives as well.Regardless if god exists,or not.
There is a TON of murder, rape, child abuse, slavery, misogyny, ritual sacrifice, etc., ad nauseum, in the bible. The few bits about loving your neighbour and turning the other cheek seem minuscule among the pages upon pages of death and destruction.
Few bits? Miniscule?
While I appreciate your simplistic view and exaggerative phrases,i assure you there are more than just a "few bits" of positive messages within the bible.
