> > KS> I would otherwise agree with the statements. Unfortunately
> > KS> Christianity has had its dark ages when the evangelism effort of the
> > KS> good message had produced very aggressive and cruel actions. In other
> > KS> words Christianity as any other mass movement systems relies on the
> > KS> internal inertia, and sometimes this social force could mutate into
> > KS> something that the original idea opposed.
> >
> > True indeed. But atheism has also had its dark ages. Just consider the last 70 >years or so in the USSR, where some 20 million people perished because they >failed to understand the only way to universal happiness.
>
> I agree, and there's something in common with both the atheist/political
> movement and middle Ages Christianity. And that key word is 'fanaticism'.
> Another good key word is 'prejudices'.
>
I disagree. What went on in Russia and the rest of the USSR had nothing to
do with atheism. It had all to do with Power and Control as practiced by
Stalin. The Othodox Church was a rival or potential rival. There are two
ways to take power, from within or without. Since Stalin was no choirboy,
from within wasn't a choice, so he went with from without. There is
nothing in athiest philosophy, if this isn't an oxymoron, that says kill
those who disagree with you. Stalin was "just" consolidating power. He
could have espoused any other philosophy and would probably have done
exctly the same thing. So I don't think what went on in Russia had
anything even remotely to do with atheism.
On the other hand, as seen in graphically pointed out in recent threads,
the Bible is chock full of hate and killing. The injustises done in the
name of Christianity, then, have their root in the stated philosophy of
Christianity.
James L. Felder (216)891-4019 -My opinions are MINE-
Sverdrup Technology, Inc. jfelder@lerc.nasa.gov I think that should
NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland 44135 cover all bases,
don't you.
"Some people drink from the fountain of knowledge -
