Pope: Religion--Especially Christianity--Becoming Marginalized
Here.
I'm not really sure it's fair to say that religion/Christianity is being marginalized...I mean, it's/they're no longer pervasive, and no longer central to Western civilization..but I'm not sure that constitutes being marginalized. I'd, of course, be more inclined to say that they're being cut down to size...but Mr. Ratzinger and I would obviously not see eye-to-eye on this.
As for whether it's a good thing...I guess my atheism is watery enough now that I'm not sure. There's good stuff in Christianity...if only it could recognize itself as a good nth step on the road to figuring out life, the universe and everything, instead of insisting that it's the last word in all that...which it so obviously is not. Is it a good thing that Christianity is fading? I'm not sure, and neither are you. We don't know what its successor will be like. It might be a kind of Dawkins-y pop positivism that replaces an unjustified faith in God with an unjustified faith that empirical science (narrowly construed) can answer all questions. Or it might be a kind of scientistic ethical egoism. Or something else.
Is it a good thing that Christianity is fading?
I don't know, and neither do you.
Here.
I'm not really sure it's fair to say that religion/Christianity is being marginalized...I mean, it's/they're no longer pervasive, and no longer central to Western civilization..but I'm not sure that constitutes being marginalized. I'd, of course, be more inclined to say that they're being cut down to size...but Mr. Ratzinger and I would obviously not see eye-to-eye on this.
As for whether it's a good thing...I guess my atheism is watery enough now that I'm not sure. There's good stuff in Christianity...if only it could recognize itself as a good nth step on the road to figuring out life, the universe and everything, instead of insisting that it's the last word in all that...which it so obviously is not. Is it a good thing that Christianity is fading? I'm not sure, and neither are you. We don't know what its successor will be like. It might be a kind of Dawkins-y pop positivism that replaces an unjustified faith in God with an unjustified faith that empirical science (narrowly construed) can answer all questions. Or it might be a kind of scientistic ethical egoism. Or something else.
Is it a good thing that Christianity is fading?
I don't know, and neither do you.
posted by Winston Smith at
5:24 PM
1 Comments:
WS,
Herr Ratzinger might reflect on the fact that people of faith are finding that what his church (and many others) offer is marginal to their lives. He might try to address in a forthright manner the failings of his church.
Just kidding! What Herr Ratzinger *means* by "marginalized" is that he is bothered that the church he heads has been dethroned from dominance. However, the fact that it is, to a large degree, the church's own fault doesn't seem to bother him in the least.
You might check out Tom Levenson's reaction to the Pope's attempt to whack atheism across the knees with a pipe.
Best,
Jim
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