Church takes on atheism by embracing doubt

[cynatnite]

Patrick began delivering an eight-week program of Sunday sermons about doubt last month. And on Tuesday nights church members and their skeptical friends can gather for “The Doubting Sessions” to talk about the issues brought up in that week’s sermon.

“ ‘The Doubting Sessions’ are for everyone to doubt their doubts, to examine the unprovable assumptions we all have about life, the faith assertions we all live by,” Patrick said.

Church officials play a short video of atheists and skeptics they’ve interviewed making thoughtful points about unbelief, or questioning the nature of a certain Christian theology or doctrine.

Patrick then tackles that topic in a 45-minute sermon. Some of Patrick’s sermons are titled: “There can’t possibly be only one ‘true’ religion, can there?”; “Doesn’t belief in religion only breed prejudice, violence, and injustice?”; and “Why would I pattern my life after a book of old stories that have been proven by science to be mere myth?”

Erich Vieth, founder of the “Dangerous Intersection” blog, was one of the skeptics filmed by the church. He said he was surprised and pleased that the church is exploring doubt.

“I’m sure it’ll be OK with them if some skeptics see what they’re doing and say, ‘I wouldn’t mind going to a church that doesn’t act like they’re so sure of everything,’ ” Vieth said.

http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081107/FAM/711075203

[amyrose2712]

1. Interesting. Though I wonder what happens when

they can not refute the arguments? Will they admit to being proven wrong about certain aspects of the dogma? Such as the "virgin birth" or other easily scientifically refuted ideas?

[trotsky]

2. I'm pretty sure this "doubt" is closely monitored and restrained.

The doubt is confined to those areas in which apologists have come up with some kind of reasoning to soothe the believer's mind, so when the exercise is finished, the believer feels like they've really explored and questioned their beliefs when they really haven't.

[enlightenment]

3. I think Patrick pretty much summed up what they're really

doing with the statement "‘The Doubting Sessions’ are for everyone to doubt their doubts, to examine the unprovable assumptions we all have about life, the faith assertions we all live by,"

For everyone to 'doubt their doubt' - in other words, we'll prove to you why you SHOULD doubt your doubt and just believe what we tell you . . .

[amyrose2712]

6. Yeah you are right...

I did not catch the "doubt their doubt" part on first read. But, I couldn't imagine them actually being open minded to science. Considering all the discrepancies in their teachings.

[progressoid]

9. Two more key words, "unprovable assumptions"

"We don't have scientific proof of our assumptions but these atheists and doubters can't prove us wrong either so we win!"

:puke:

[laconicsax]

4. Shenanigans!

Problem: People realize that their religions make no sense unless you pick and choose tiny bits of it.
Solution: Tell people that you can pick and choose tiny bits and ignore the rest.

Problem: People realize that if they can ignore most of their text, then maybe it didn't come from a supernatural, celetial dictatorship.
Solution: Tell people that only the good parts came from the dictatorship and the bad parts came from 'fallible humans.'

Problem: People realize that different adherents believe that different parts are from 'fallible humans,' and so there's no way to know if any parts actually came from the dictatorship.
Solution: Tell people that they have to believe it on faith alone that it came from the dictatorship and faith is a virtue.

Problem: Some people are still skeptical to the point that they may think that the dictatorship doesn't exist.
Solution: Tell people that they have to believe it on faith alone and to see coincidence as divine intervention.

Problem: Some of the people who fell for solution #2 see people who believe different parts are from the dictatorship as infidels.
Solution: Reassure people that they alone are right and that the benevolence of the dictatorship will pardon them for their thought-crime.

End result: Nothing changes because people are taught and encouraged to suppress their brains, the deluded non-thinkers think that their religion is one of tolerance and reason, and that other adherents who do despicable acts aren't true adherents or haven't actually read the contradictory parts of their holy book.

Did I miss anything?

[amyrose2712]

7. Very good points! nt

[and-justice-for-all]

5. Religious reasoning is nonexistent...like their invisible friends..nt

[laconicsax]

8. All three of their friends are visible.

In Christianity, two of their gods are bearded white men and the third is a dove that rapes women. That's why you see tons of graven images art depicting them.