4. Even if I know it’s a psychological necessity, and there’s a need for the numinous. Further problem, it turns out that religion—Xtianity in particular—was a hidden animating force for the Enlightenment and science, because it prioritised truth.
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Replying to @tomxhart
I'm instinctively inclined to agree with the claim that Christianity prioritises truth and therefore caused its own downfall, but the details mostly escape me. How would you convince a sceptic?
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Replying to @IDJennings
Read Nietzsche? This chap (
@vncvrrentevents) has a quite nice summary of the historical aspect: http://cosmosandhistory.org/index.php/journal/article/viewFile/518/894 … I may have misunderstood you. I’m assuming you mean a sceptic of this thesis, not Xtianity?3 replies 0 retweets 0 likes -
Replying to @tomxhart @vncvrrentevents
One further thought: Would this self-destructive tendency in Christianity apply to the other major monotheisms? If yes, how to account for their (somewhat) different historical trajectories? Islam, for one, appears to be ascendant, although that may of course be illusory.
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Replying to @IDJennings @vncvrrentevents
I don’t know. It strikes me that Judaism stresses adherence to law and Islam stresses obedience to the will of God (there is also an Islamic school of thought that says taqiyya, lying to enemies, is moral). It seems only Christianity priorities truth in particularly.
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Replying to @tomxhart @vncvrrentevents
I'd be curious as to whether insiders see these emphases the same way, and, in case of Christianity, whether parts of the sacred texts (or practices etc. central to the religion) provide support for Nietzsche's thesis.
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Replying to @IDJennings @vncvrrentevents
I read the Bible every day, I think so. The problem with “insiders” is that they can’t be honest. Can a priest, a Rabbi, a liberal (degraded Xtian), or an Imam be really honest about what they think of their faith—esp. to an outsider? Their roles prohibit this very thought.
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Replying to @tomxhart @vncvrrentevents
My thought was a bit more straightforward. I’m interested in whether the Nietzschean thesis can be supported by Christian texts that explicitly prioritise truth in the relevant way.
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Replying to @IDJennings @vncvrrentevents
I think the New Testatment is mostly about this. Jesus comes as a force against law (the Pharisees & Rome) and for something higher, which seems to me to be redemption found in truth & love. Speaking this is the highest good, and higher than religious law or the laws of state.
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Replying to @tomxhart @vncvrrentevents
And the question why Christianity’s ideals were able to take root remains. Already there in some sense?
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1. I don’t know. One answer is that the Roman Empire was degrading & that people start to believe in religions like Christianity when a civilisation fails. Socialism & liberalism would be analogous beliefs in the contemporary West.
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2. As with all religions and systems, you can see elements within other systems and religions (e.g. Judaism in Islam or the influence of Stoicism in Christianity). However, the religion or system as a piece is still unique, other influences notwitstanding.
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