re: #106 Love-Child of Cassandra and Sisyphus

I don’t know enough theology to be an apologist & I don’t promote Christianity to atheists. I use my scientific knowledge & credentials to reassure Christians that despite the pronouncements of vocal atheists, science and Christianity are perfectly compatible, & not “at war”.

— Sy Garte (@sygarte) August 29, 2019

I know enough theology to be a counter-apologist. It doesn’t take a degree in theology (or even a college degree at all).

The Bible makes testable claims about the physical universe. It fails all those tests.

The idea that fundamentalists are somehow “new” is counter-factual. Fundamentalism has always existed in Christianity, and frequently ruled with an iron fist (there’s a reason we call them “the Dark Ages”). The Puritans didn’t come here for religious freedom, they came to set up a theocracy, and killed people for witchcraft because the Bible tells them to do that (and opposed smallpox inoculation because smallpox was “God’s will”).

Fundamentalism was beaten down by the Enlightenment and only seems strange today because it was quiet for a while. It is the norm, not the exception, of Christianity.