That is a deceptive lie, which I know from first-hand experience of having lived in Europe. It is a convenient blinder atheists in USA like to throw upon themselves at ignorant evangelicals there who simply don’t know one way or another about it. Why? Because they’ve never visited or been to European countries, or visited during worship hours Christian churches there.
So you’re saying that Christianity is not dead in Europe? That’s news to me. I’d like to hear more. What kinds of Christianity are flourishing, and where? Cheers.
Of course it’s not dead. That’s a ludicrous exaggeration that just displays ignorance. There is a vibrant spirit of Christianity in many parts of Europe.
I’ve met or heard Christians from dozens of European countries at various events unrelated specifically to religion. Having a conversation with someone, or in a ‘reflexive’ field hearing presenters ‘situate’ themselves in the conversation (Haraway), can reveal a lot.
Besides, one can make overtly sociological pronouncements poorly or well on this topic. The ‘secularisation’ thesis of Weber is already long spun out. The new ‘secular’ is just as ‘religious’ as the old situation. It is no use listening to lying atheists about this. In some countries more than others, one cannot easily gain audience from public display of religion. While in other countries and communities it is obvious, welcome and common. To just focus on public officials itself is a minimizing of the conversation.
Heads of State in Europe acknowledge their Christian heritage and the legacies of great Christians in their nations regularly. Though the ‘church attendance’ numbers are down, there are pockets of religious resurgence in many countries of Europe. And migration can play a role in this as well. E.g. in the UK, the number of Catholics has grown in recent years, principally with the immigration of Poles. I would suspect that the current immigrants to Canada and the USA who are religious are higher in religiosity than a considerable amount of the tired many-generation native US citizens, though with different traditions incoming than say in Catholic New France.
How typical and predictable - equating an atheist with the Devil. As you are well aware, Atheist don’t believe that the Devil, demons, evil spirits exist. What’s next - Atheist don’t really exist? We are just rebelling against God?
i don’t think this a ludicrous exaggeration when you look at the past 1000 years of European history. The Catholic Church dominated European society and culture. Everybody had to confirm to the dogma and doctrines of the Church. During the plague of 1300s, Europe lost one third of the population while the Church asked for prayers and money. During the science revolution starting in the 1400’s even Catholic like Capericus, Galileo and Newton faced prosecution as heretics. The pardon saint of atheism Bruno was burned at the stake for thinking that there might be other worlds or universes out there. As late as the 1980s, the Church dominated social/cultural/political life. Even though Europe had secular governments for a long time, it wasn’t truly secular. Now it is. There are some countries in Europe where poll after poll says 0% believe in God. Do you know how difficult it is to poll at 0%. So to say that there is a vibrant spirit of Christianity in many parts of Europe is like saying upper state rooms on the Titanic are still dry.
Thank you, I am glad that some atheist can raise to the level of fine atheists.
Is Biologos science any different from regular science? Is TE really anything different than evolution with the word theistic in front it? Where is the commitment to doing science under the assumption of methodological naturalism?
After all these discussions you still ask this question?
BioLogos is accommodates the idea that God is guided or arranged the Evolution of humanity, sharing common descent with other primate groups, from a common ancestral primate population.
When YECs arrive at BioLogos spoiling for a battle with Darwinists… we encourage them to find you and your friends, because Darwinism or even Neo-Darwinism is not what is being promoted at BioLogos.
Discussing science without adherence to methodical naturalism is like playing chess with someone who claims to have a imaginary queen that has just checkmated me. Their claims of victory are greatly exaggerated.
We’ve been through this before… and you don’t seem to have retained any of the discussion.
Discussing Evolution with a Christian without including God’s use of Evolution to create humanity is like banging your head against an Atheist’s brick wall.
Send them a copy of Dawkin’s - Selfish Gene. If that doesn’t work send them a copy of Dawkin’s - God Delusion.
I see Biologos very differently than you. As the floodgates open as Millienial in the millions become “nones” for a whole variety of reasons, I see Biologos as meek voice saying “Wait stop, you can still be a Chrisitian”.
BioLogos seems pretty happy with engaging its conversations with people who are Christians. I’ve never seen them spend much time on the issue of how to make Atheists into Christians.
I think you spend too much time worrying about Christian disappointment about Atheists.
When American Evangelical Christians stop pushing their social agenda on everybody, I will stop. When the National Day of Prayer is ended, I will stop. I have a dream that someday my grandchildren will live in an America where they will not even know about the dogma and doctrine of their grandparent’s religion let alone be bound by it politically, socially, and morally.
And yet … if BioLogos and PeacefulScience is successful, there will be a lot fewer Evangelicals that are openly hostile to science… and there will be more pro-Evolution Christians who agree that religion must stay out of the public schools.
I’m not sure if Joshua identifies evangelical protestants as his main focus in writing or not. He has not made himself clear on this as far as I can tell and I have ribbed him for this already. Could you show where he has said that to clarify the claim please? Has he identified evangelicals or protestants by name as being his intended audience? It does not appear so in his 660-word Disclaimer, which identifies ‘religious communities’.