Critical self-evaluation for Christians

[angellous_evangellous]

Once a year I read several important works, usually within the same few weeks.

Bertrand Russell's essay "Why I am not a Christian."

Nietzsche's "Antichrist."

Michael Holmes' translation of the Apostolic Fathers

The New Testament

Udo Schnelle's "New Testament Writings"

Seneca's Moral Essays and Moral Epistles

Plutarch's Table Talk

----

It's important I think for every Christian to read these works - most important, if a Christian reads nothing else ever, they must read Russell and Nietzsche.

No one can show a Christian's faults better than these writers. I think that Nietzsche understood Christianity quite well - he simply interprets it in absolutely the worst possible light.

Anyway, Chrsitians are too forgiving of themselves... of all our faults, and there is much truth in the criticisms of both of these philosophers. It's my opinion, and I've expressed it here, that these philosophers did more for the moral reform of Christianity than any Pope or preacher ever did.

Read these works, memorize them, hold them in your hearts.

 

[soma]

I agree Christians need to reflect and go deeper to gain a deeper understanding of their faith and who they are.

We think we know the reality of matter and all things, but we cannot know reality as long as we are separated from it. Living in our skin, we look through eyes, periscopes, microscopes and telescopes, but our instruments and senses only let us perceive and understand what our minds allow us to perceive and understand. Reality and the awesome material universe are something else altogether; in truth, we need to change our paradigm in order to have access to Reality.

 

[Vasilisa Jade]

I have heard many christians say that reading works, like The DaVinci Code and such, they feel has hurt their testimonies and their faith. What you suggested is much more hard-core than that.

I think it just creates wounds/disturbing questions from not practicing self-reflection and deep thinking about their faith. Once they take the time to heal the wounds I think doing this would strengthen any christian. Being such an educated christian, also educated in those areas, shows how truly strong you are, AE.

 

[tomspug]

Once a year I read several important works, usually within the same few weeks.

Bertrand Russell's essay "Why I am not a Christian."

Nietzsche's "Antichrist."

Michael Holmes' translation of the Apostolic Fathers

The New Testament

Udo Schnelle's "New Testament Writings"

Seneca's Moral Essays and Moral Epistles

Plutarch's Table Talk

----

It's important I think for every Christian to read these works - most important, if a Christian reads nothing else ever, they must read Russell and Nietzsche.

No one can show a Christian's faults better than these writers. I think that Nietzsche understood Christianity quite well - he simply interprets it in absolutely the worst possible light.

Anyway, Chrsitians are too forgiving of themselves... of all our faults, and there is much truth in the criticisms of both of these philosophers. It's my opinion, and I've expressed it here, that these philosophers did more for the moral reform of Christianity than any Pope or preacher ever did.

Read these works, memorize them, hold them in your hearts.

I definitely should read Nietzsche, but I have such a laundry list of philosophes I want to get to first. As far as Russian literature goes, I am more eager to read Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and Chekov.

The thing is, I'm sure I will be much more interested in more controversial works when I am ready to even enter into such dialogue. I don't even know enough about my own religion to get into the kinds of topics that you might be more eager to dive into, you being older and more experienced.

For instance, once I am further educated in church history, I would be more likely to enter into debates on the church's relationship with world history. I currently don't. In the same way, while I am familiar with SOME theologies and philosophies from a Christian perspective, I am mostly ignorant.

Nevertheless, I will keep these recommendations in mind. Thanks for the tip!

 

[tomspug]

I have heard many christians say that reading works, like The DaVinci Code and such, they feel has hurt their testimonies and their faith. What you suggested is much more hard-core than that.

I think it just creates wounds/disturbing questions from not practicing self-reflection and deep thinking about their faith. Once they take the time to heal the wounds I think doing this would strengthen any christian. Being such an educated christian, also educated in those areas, shows how truly strong you are, AE.

A work of entertaining fiction is one thing, but disturbing questions can be a great benefit to your faith, in my opinion. For example, if you were told that Jesus was a white man, your faith may be initially "hurt" because your "perfect" image of Jesus is somehow altered, but the reality of Jesus's ethnicity would inevitably add to the humanity of Jesus, which only adds to the mystery and wonder of the concept of God made flesh.

Obviously, many people like their religion to be comfortable, but that is rarely a good thing, in my opinion.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Being such an educated christian, also educated in those areas, shows how truly strong you are, AE.

Funny thing is, I am constantly surrounded by people who are much more gifted and knowledgeable than myself. I'm painfully aware of my limits.

 

[zenzero]

Friend AA,

Funny thing is, I am constantly surrounded by people who are much more gifted and knowledgeable than myself. I'm painfully aware of my limits.

The AWARENESS part is correct but PAINFULLY is not as it should be GAINFULLY.
As personally it has been always gainful to have friends who are intelligent, gifted, knowledgeable with whom such interactions can happen.
Love & rgds

 

[Jeremy Mason]

Thank you A_E, I'll put them at the top of my list.

 

[ChristineES]

I suppose it is healthy to read about criticisms, particularly ones that are not personal, to help one grow. I think I will find some of those works at the library. Probably Bertrand Russell first. I know I shouldn't hold against Nietzsche the fact that Hitler twisted his works so I maybe I will his work next.

 

[lunamoth]

I would like to read Russell's criticisms, but I have to say I find Nietzsche's writings very tough going. It's not just that he is critical of Christianity (and pretty much everything else), but that his views are just crushingly, scathingly negative. He insults, and seems to almost hate, pretty much everything. His views on women are incredibly condescending. It's very hard for me to get past that to what is supposedly 'the good part.' He offers the freedom of the supremacy of the individual...but is that really something a Christian can use as a cornerstone in their worldview?

Yes, it is always good to read criticisms and not live in a glass house where no stones can be tolerated. It is important to challenge our comfortable suppositions and even our cherished beliefs so that we don't end up following a road that can lead to something as horrifying as the Inquisition or Nazi Germany.

It's also good to know the arguments of ones critics just to help you address soft spots in your own worldview or philosophy, to shore them up and plug the holes to whatever extent is possible. Nietzsche is right that that which does not kill us makes us stronger.

Having said all of that, I think it is bad advice, AE, to suggest that if you are only going to read two books to read just those two eloquent critics. It is a reasonable point to say you can't fully understand Christianity if you never leave its confines of thought, if you never attempt an outside or objective view of its history, scriptures and theology. But I think it is equally true that you can't get a full picture of Christianity (or anything) by just reading the critics, or just reading 'impartial commentary' if such a thing is even possible. Somewhere along the line you need to make the leap of faith. Read wide and read deep.

 

[lunamoth]

For a taste, the conclusion of The Antichrist.

62.

--With this I come to a conclusion and pronounce my judgment. I condemn Christianity; I bring against the Christian church the most terrible of all the accusations that an accuser has ever had in his mouth. It is, to me, the greatest of all imaginable corruptions; it seeks to work the ultimate corruption, the worst possible corruption. The Christian church has left nothing untouched by its depravity; it has turned every value into worthlessness, and every truth into a lie, and every integrity into baseness of soul. Let any one dare to speak to me of its "humanitarian" blessings! Its deepest necessities range it against any effort to abolish distress; it lives by distress; it creates distress to make itself immortal. . . . For example, the worm of sin: it was the church that first enriched mankind with this misery!--The "equality of souls before God"--this fraud, this pretext for the rancunes of all the base-minded--this explosive concept, ending in revolution, the modern idea, and the notion of overthrowing the whole social order--this is Christian dynamite. . . . The "humanitarian" blessings of Christianity forsooth! To breed out of humanitas a self-contradiction, an art of self-pollution, a will to lie at any price, an aversion and contempt for all good and honest instincts! All this, to me, is the "humanitarianism" of Christianity!--Parasitism as the only practice of the church; with its anaemic and "holy" ideals, sucking all the blood, all the love, all the hope out of life; the beyond as the will to deny all reality; the cross as the distinguishing mark of the most subterranean conspiracy ever heard of,--against health, beauty, well-being, intellect, kindness of soul--against life itself. . . .
This eternal accusation against Christianity I shall write upon all walls, wherever walls are to be found--I have letters that even the blind will be able to see. . . . I call Christianity the one great curse, the one great intrinsic depravity, the one great instinct of revenge, for which no means are venomous enough, or secret, subterranean and small enough,--I call it the one immortal blemish upon the human race. . . .
And mankind reckons time from the dies nefastus when this fatality befell--from the first day of Christianity!--Why not rather from its last?--From today?--The transvaluation of all values! . . .

THE
END​

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Perhaps "Will to Power" would be better.