[SKempis]

"What is truly ludicrous is to judge events of the past as if they happened yesterday in Fresno. If you have no concept of the cultural context in which these things happened, then you will stay in a state of perpetual shock, as you seem to be."

Why don't you respond to what I actually wrote rather than posting such an empty retort?

1. Nothing in my post suggests that I am in shock, perpetual or otherwise.
2. I am well aware of the cultural contexts. (see my last comment in the post)
3. Whatever the context, the fact that there are episodes in the history of Christianity which were shamefully un-Christ-like is not disputed by anyone who is both honest and informed.

If you want to debate me, please respond to the points I have made. I don't play games.

[jrherreid]

Whatever the context, the fact that there are episodes in the history of Christianity which were shamefully un-Christ-like is not disputed by anyone who is both honest and informed.

If you want to debate me, please respond to the points I have made. I don't play games.

Pretty funny. There have been times in the history of the world that those calling themselves Christians have behaved in unchristianlike ways, but it is not the fault of the Church as such.

I think you should do more research on the Middle Ages before you, like Voltaire, decide to condemn it completely. As one of my history teachers mentioned, the epochs of history were not actually labeled until the 1700's, when (mosty Deist) historians saw fit to call the expansion of Christianity as "The Dark Ages" and their own time as "The Age of Enlightenment."

I would recommend to you the works of historians Edward Peters and Regine Pernoud.