Whats with Protestants and Catholics and their hate of knowledge?
The Spanish Inquisition ("(Keep Feeling) Fascination" by The Human League) - YouTube
In the early years, the Catholics hierarchy was against the reading of scriptures. In that day, to question any dogma was often met with violence. It took Martin Luther to end Catholic monopoly of biblical interpretation yet it can be argued that he did so for political, monetary and not religious reasons. Germany was losing too much wealth to Rome and he used his theses against indulgences to split from the Catholic Church.
Since that day, the Spanish inquisition, and Catholic/Protestant policies have pushes for only the biblical interpretations that have been sanctioned by the various Church hierarchies to be accepted. IOW, they are to control your theosis or apotheosis.
Being a Gnostic Christian, I of course ignore such commands. If you are one of faith then you cannot. You must kowtow to whatever sect you belong to and believe as they believe.
Most Catholics and Protestants I talk to tell me that we are not to judge God. Strange as this condition excludes them of course, as they have judged their God to be good. The rest of us are fine if we agree and since we cannot judge God on our own, we are not allowed to judge anything but good. Judging God as evil is not allowed.
To judge, one needs knowledge first and foremost. Eden shows that God did not want Adam and Eve to have knowledge of good and evil. The early Catholic Church followed suit by burning competing gospels and killing members of other Christian sects that did not convert. Protestant sects and their hierarchies, by insisting that theosis is under their guidance only, also discourage questioning and judging and acquiring knowledge.
Faith must trample under foot all reason, sense, and understanding.
Reason is a whore, the greatest enemy that faith has.
Martin Luther
What do the churches fear with a more intelligent population?
Are they afraid that with knowledge, people will stop believing in talking animals and other fantasies, miracles and magic and realize that their faith has no clothes?
hans christian anderson emperor's new clothes - Yahoo! Video Search
Are so called religious folk following religions and Gods or are they following tradition and culture as this following indicates?
Richard Dawkins: If Science Worked Like Religion - YouTube
Is that why the various Abrahamic cults are not reconciling their doctrinal differences and not seeking knowledge and unification?
A & E were punished for seeking knowledge and becoming as Gods.
The Church punishes any that seek knowledge that does not match Church dogma. True or not.
Just how stupid does the Church want their adherents? Do they want slaves the same way their God does?
As a believer, just how big of a blinder are you willing to wear to follow your Church and God?
How much B S are you willing to eat from your Church hierarchy to maintain the delusion that you believe in an invisible miracle working absentee super God?
Regards
DL
Dear GIam:
1. I would compare the monopoly on church law interpretations
to the current monopoly we have in our government over secular law interpretations controlled by judges and any corporate interests they may favor, including
legislation and rulings that benefit the legal profession and political party system.
We have the same fight going on today, on whether "we the people" have the
right to interpret and exercise laws democratically without depending on
judicial authority to mandate this on a statewide or federal level.
Issues such as gay marriage and legalization of drugs/prostitution/abortion
could be resolved on a local level, instead of trying to impose mandates nationwide.
We will probably continue fighting this battle between individual free will vs. collective authority for the public good (whether defined by majority rule, by consensus, or by financial or political forces), until Jesus comes back and there is true Justice for all.
It's the same battle of them vs. us,
outside authority imposing on my free will,
that has plagued humanity since the inception of self-awareness and conscience.
2. As for "not being able to judge God as anything by good"
this is a matter of DEFINITION
if you define God to be what is universally true and good as the highest love of all,
then anything evil or selfish that corrupts that is defined to be from the opposing influence.
It is WELL that we SHOULD judge "righteous judgment" and DISCERN
what is universally good true and right from what is imposed or corrupted by self-interest
It is just that we would then align what is good as "coming from God" (by definition)
and what is selfish or false as contrary to God (also by construct).
We are meant to question and derive conclusions by experience, reason and free will.
This includes asking what is God's will, and focusing on the greater good in all things.
Thus, it also necessitates distinguishing what is false or wrong at the same time.
This is too easy. Try harder, sir.
