For starters, I am a man of faith. I was raised in the Anglican/Episcopal Church, and am now an EcoBuddhist (yah, it's pretty cool). I believe that people of faith have accomplished great and meaningful things, to the greater benefit of humanity and the world. I believe that faith has inspired great works, and is core and fundamental to the human experience. Faith is awe, and empathy, commitment and sacrifice.
However, a lot of blood has been shed, and atrocities committed in the name of faith. That unfortunate side-effect continues to this day, encouraged by power-hungry leaders, manipulative tyrants, and viciously deluded followers. Which is core to my questions on the current state of extremist Xian faith in America today...
_Why do those Xians most committed to an intangible and rationally unprovable explanation for life and the Universe insist on a higher level of scientific proof for the concept of evolution than scientists themselves?
_Why do those Xians most adamant about freedom of religion in America, to the extent of demanding the right to prayer in public schools, insist on imposing their faith-based strictures on those of other (or no) religions, when it comes to abortion?
_Why does it seem that those same Xians who oppose abortion support or tolerate the death penalty? Why do they seem to be so much more passionate about imposing their opinions about abortion on others, than on working to end poverty, or child hunger, or injustice in the world, or even just in America?
_Why do those who believe that God has "granted dominion" over the earth, and all the living beings therein, refuse to take responsibility for global warming and other human-based destructive actions? What happened to being good stewards?
_Why haven't those who believe that the Bible is the literal word of God learned Aramaic, which is apparently the language of God? And if the Bible is the word of God, why is there no explicit reference in the Bible to that Truth?
And a bonus question, going all the way back to Genesis:
_How could Adam and Eve have knwn that disobeying God was wrong/evil, until they'd eaten from the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil? What kind of malicious god would punish innocents for sins they committed before they knew what sin was?
I have great respect for those who have committed themselves to showing their faith through their works, by improving the lives of those around them. I have seen faith empower people in ways that are hard for me to understand, to do works that I am in awe of, and am unendingly grateful for. RFK says it well:
It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
And yet I'm profoundly disappointed by various manifestations of the Xian faith in both followers and leaders today. I truly believe that they have failed to hear Christ's Word.