Posted on 03/27/2019 5:03:46 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
The importance of Christianity in the formation of Western civilization can hardly be denied. That importance is not simply a matter of the past.
In the process of secularization Western culture did emancipate itself from its religious roots, but that emancipation was by no means complete. A complete break from Christianity was not intended in the seventeenth century by those who wanted to put the public culture on an anthropological rather than religious foundation. The issue at that time was not a revolt against the Christian religion, nor even against its influence on the culture.
Rather, there was an urgently felt need to get beyond the confessional antagonisms and religious warfare that had disrupted the peace of Europe for more than a century. The turn away from Christianity as the basis of public culture was not, at least in the first instance, caused by alienation from the Christian religion, although that turn may have produced alienation in the long run.
Beginning with the eighteenth century, however, the humanistic values associated with modernity were viewed as being completely independent from the Christian religion, and even antithetical to it. In our century the circumstance is again different. Today, familiarity with Christian teaching has faded; biblical narratives and the vocabulary of Christian faith are no longer common cultural currency.
Christianity is not the only root of Western culture, of course. A similar importance must be accorded Classical Antiquity, comprising Greek and Roman art, literature, and philosophy, as well as Roman law. In some ways the continuity of modern culture with Classical Antiquity might seem even stronger than with Christianity. Although its treasures had to be reappropriated from time to time in movements of renaissance, there was never a definitive break with the classical tradition...
(Excerpt) Read more at firstthings.com ...
Too many Christians don’t see themselves as breaking with the past. They imagine the ‘law of love’ supercedes the Biblical prohibitions of things like homosexuality. They smugly assure themselves of personal salvation while condemning their culture and offspring to the crudest immorality.
loving the sinner, yes, does not include loving or approving of the sin
John 8:11
Ping.
My most comfortable situation has been living with Christians. God bless these good people.
If anyone should dare to disturb that, I’d have no problem making war and slitting their throats.
“A complete break from Christianity was not intended in the seventeenth century by those who wanted to put the public culture on an anthropological rather than religious foundation. The issue at that time was not a revolt against the Christian religion, nor even against its influence on the culture.”
The Founding Fathers in the 18th century certainly revolted against religion; by rebelling against the King of England they were also revolting against the head of their Church.
Our founders were quite diverse and varied in their personal relationships with God and Jesus. You have the likes of Thomas Paine on one hand who was practically agnostic by the end of his life (to the dismay of his peers who did not afford him a proper burial as a result) — and then you had the likes of Ben Franklin who was a deist that grew increasingly confessional as he couldn’t help but feel the distinct hand of God over the whole struggle to make the Constitution and gave a famous speech calling for prayer to be said before its proceedings.
The founders collectively forged a Constitution specifically designed to PROTECT ‘true’ faith and ‘true’ adherents from the institutional and political corruption that was characteristic of popes and kings.
Hence why colonies were safe havens for the likes of Puritans who wanted to ‘purify’ Christianity from the trappings of Catholic then Anglican dressings...but who also saw their own attempts at creating theocratic utopias fail miserably...descending into witch trials and things...
Freedom for true (Christian) religion, not freedom from. That is what American is supposed to be about. And no country on earth has sent out more missionaries across to the furthest reaches of the earth than this one.
They seem to have created a country based on Judeo-Christian principles with religious freedoms for those seeking them and freedom from any religion for those seeking that as well.
The pervert lobby now seems intent on disrupting this arrangement.
Sincere Christians would denounce your bloodthirstiness - especially if it were on their behalf.
War is sometimes necessary, but it is mot a cause for such eagerness. I doubt you understand Christianity.
Ping
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