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In reading an interesting set of articles recently, it occurred to me that in this day and age, an appeal to faith simply gets you nowhere during an argument or reasoned debate. Not that this comes as a surprise. But, it is, nonetheless, a powerful cultural shift.
For example, take the debate over same sex marriage.
This same action can be seen all throughout our society: Theologian arguments may state that the earth was created in a week about 10,000 years ago. Rational people scoff at that, demand proof. The theologian points to scripture. Secular folks shake their heads.
Much the same occurs when anyone begins a discussion about Jesus or Noah's Ark or the Exodus. Secularists point to the historical record, rightly show that no such events could have been possible. The faithful deny the realities, argue that what is written in their Book supersedes whatever science or archaeology have unearthed.
In the end, religious blind faith is waning. Fewer and fewer people believe that science is wrong about a four billion-year old planet where dinosaurs once ruled and man only appeared in the recent past. In fact, to think man and the dinosaurs inhabited the same space at the same time a mere 6,000 years ago is today considered childish, if not stupid. But, a few hundred years ago, thinking differently and saying it out loud would have resulted in a burning at the stake. Nowadays, thinking it results in your opinions being dismissed.
Discuss.
For example, take the debate over same sex marriage.
When Wilson answered a question by citing the Bible, Sullivan pounced. Wilson’s was a fundamentalist, theocratic argument. Sullivan defined democracy as a system that excludes appeals to religious authority from the foundations of public life.
Gay Marriage and Christian Imagination » Peter Leithart | A First Things Blog
This same action can be seen all throughout our society: Theologian arguments may state that the earth was created in a week about 10,000 years ago. Rational people scoff at that, demand proof. The theologian points to scripture. Secular folks shake their heads.
Much the same occurs when anyone begins a discussion about Jesus or Noah's Ark or the Exodus. Secularists point to the historical record, rightly show that no such events could have been possible. The faithful deny the realities, argue that what is written in their Book supersedes whatever science or archaeology have unearthed.
In the end, religious blind faith is waning. Fewer and fewer people believe that science is wrong about a four billion-year old planet where dinosaurs once ruled and man only appeared in the recent past. In fact, to think man and the dinosaurs inhabited the same space at the same time a mere 6,000 years ago is today considered childish, if not stupid. But, a few hundred years ago, thinking differently and saying it out loud would have resulted in a burning at the stake. Nowadays, thinking it results in your opinions being dismissed.
Discuss.