Posted on 12/28/2015 2:10:19 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
....it's easy even for Christians to forget how revolutionary Jesus' birth was. The idea that God would become human and dwell among us, in circumstances both humble and humiliating, shattered previous assumptions. It was through this story of divine enfleshment that much of our humanistic tradition was born...
...the incarnation - the belief that God, in the person of Jesus, walked in our midst - is history's hinge point. The incarnation's most common theological take-away relates to the doctrine of redemption: the belief that salvation is made possible by the sinless life and atoning death of Jesus. But there are other, less familiar aspects....
....rejecting the Platonic belief that the material world was evil...
The incarnation also reveals that the divine principle governing the universe is a radical commitment to the dignity and worth of every person, since we are created in the divine image.
....we have value because God values us....
....secular humanist and French philosopher Luc Ferry writes that in contrast with the Greek understanding of humanity, "Christianity was to introduce the notion that humanity was fundamentally identical, that men were equal in dignity - an unprecedented idea at the time..."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
God permitted the extreme leftist NY Times to inadvertently publish some truth.
I try not to chide a person or an organization when it does something right for a change. The NYT’s publishing of this editorial may (a big “may”) help some secularists to gain a better understanding of Christianity.
Thanks. It’s a nice article and well written. The comments are typical bile from the aggressive look at me I’m smart because I’m an atheist crowd.
Dogmatic atheists are a conundrum.
Christians have often fallen short of what followers of Jesus are called to be. We have seen this in the Crusades, religious wars and bigotry; in opposition to science, in the way critical thought is discouraged and in harsh judgmentalism. To this day, many professing Christians embody the antithesis of grace.
Ah, so we’re not so wonderful after all.
geesh.......
The Crusades: Christians should not have defended themselves?
It’s amazing how little people know about the Crusades and about Islam. And their ignorance will spell the end of Western Civilization.
I guess that to keep his writing 'gig' with the Slimes, he had to get a dig in at Christianity, in the form of his comment on the Crusades. Otherwise, a piece that is actually relatively fair and balanced from the Slimes. A modern day 'Christmas miracle', no less.
It will enlighten many to be sure, but doesn’t address the future.
“We are part of a great drama that God has chosen to be a participant in, not in the role of a conquering king but as a suffering servant, not with the intention to condemn the world but to redeem it.”
He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, redeemer and judge. He conquered with His death and will in fact rule and with a rod of iron, no less. Thing is, He will rule with truth and grace. Can’t wait.
Get lost.
in opposition to science,
?
Are you talking about empiricism? Materialism? Neither can bridge the gap between what IS and what SHOULD BE.
Materialists have no grounds to moralize.
in the way critical thought is discouraged and in harsh judgmentalism.
Tell that to St. Albert the Great, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Dominic, St. Anselm, etc., ad infinitum.
Secularism has brought us the joys of communism and anti-rationalist post-modernism and deconstruction.
Back to DU, college student.
Since is was “Catholic” led, it is diabolical. The term “Dark Ages” was a slam at Catholic theology and the brilliant “thinking” that occurred in that time period which literally led to the Scholastic period and the Renaissance.
Control of Words (Wittgenstein) and language will determine how one “feels” about an event or idea.
The demonization of Catholic/Christian Theology has been going on for hundreds of years because it is the only Rational religion-—and for useful idiots the Left/Marxists/nobles/elites have to have ignorant, irrational masses who just “feel” so they will be “happy slaves”.
The Age of Reason and Modern Science was only possible with a Christian Mindset along with the elevation of women/the family unit-—the understanding of Natural Law Theory—Logic and Reason and God’s Design of the Universe and Human Nature (the Bible).
Dr. Bill Warner knows the truth about Islam. His books and videos should be mandatory for schools
Gack!
Who knew?
I know Someone who knows.
Tagline
I didn’t think the sarcasm tag was necessary. Obviously I was wrong.
If that was saracasm then please accept my apologies.
If that was sarcasm then please accept my apologies.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.