Just came across this article written by an individual who was educated at a conservative seminary, trained as a minister, and served as a pastor.
To get an idea why I found the article worth sharing, here is one of the author’s leading statements:
From Darwin to COVID the church has been wrong.
Wow! That statement … coming from a believer? Will wonders never cease!
Here is what he says towards the end of the article:
There is nothing to fear from scientific data and proper research. There is something to fear from the fearful and ignorant. Anyone who is not willing to question their own belief structure, or anyone that remains in their own echo chamber, is dangerous. That is why there is a pandemic of the unvaccinated. It is expressing the fear of people who claim to have none.
If you are a person who recognizes the dangers of COVID-19 and its variants — and finds it mind-boggling that Christians refuse vaccines (!) — I think you will find this article very refreshing.
Take a gander …
Evangelicals, science and the vaccine:
Refusal is built on deep-seated fear
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Image by Jeyaratnam Caniceus from Pixabay
He’s a rarity…sane and using reason….
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A man of sanity where science is concerned.
Huge Hugs
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So what is Manderson really saying: God exists, in spite of the Bible, and in spite of science. And evangelicals are foolish to risk their lives to refuse to accept science. 1 point for him. He still assumes God. Minus 200 points!
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Especially given the OMNIPOTENCE of their precious god…who does he think CREATED COVID? They should just accept death and stop trying to defy the will of God with modern medicine and science. /sarc
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Even though this guy clearly has a message about accepting science and reason, one does have to wonder why the those who are the most literal fundamentalists (as evangelicals tend to be) get reality so wrong. You would think that if God really does speak to them, as they claim, that they would do so much better than they do.
When the fundamentalists of a religion get it so wrong I think it speaks volumes about just how wrong the fundamentals of a religion are.
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Wow!
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If only they all thought like that!
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This man can at least see and speak past most of his indoctrination, most cannot question anything due to the emotionally charged blindness they have succumbed too. This guy has a chance of transforming into complete reality and if he’s lucky an atheist if he goes somewhat further into questioning the Christian doctrines.
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All that and he still believes in the invisible man? Reason couldn’t have sunk in that far, I guess!
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But at least he recognizes the failures of his faith … where SO MANY never even consider them!
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Nan, thanks for sharing this. The best advice we can give to the unvaccinated is please check with your doctor. The doctors are not perfect, but they abide the “do no harm” doctrine, so their opinion matters more than a religious leader, politician or someone on social media, including me. I understand that there are some who may have legitimate reasons to think twice about the vaccine, but to not do so because a religious leader or politician said not to is reckless. Keith
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Unfortunately, we live among a LOT of reckless people …
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True. I just read a second anti-vax radio host just died from COVID in the past ten days. I am sorry anyone dies and feel for their families and friends, but hopefully others will finally start realizing how serious this is. It should be noted an anti-vax Texas state legislator passed due to COVID in the past ten days as well. Keith
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Yes, but … it always happens to “somebody else”, doncha’ know?
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My father (died three years ago) was a devout Roman Catholic but he also had a BA in Physics & a MA in electrical engineering … He loved the sciences & mathematics & thinking just for the fun of it. He was also a pretty good musician & woodworker.
He once told me that when you learn science, you learn how “God did it”. There are some things you simply do not take on faith. Also … the Bible is metaphor. It is not supposed to be taken literally. Only simple minds do that.
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“How is it that hardly any major religions looked at science and concluded, ‘This is better than we thought! The Universe is much bigger than our prophets said, grander, more subtle, more elegant?’ Instead, they say, ‘No, no, no! My god is a little god, and I want him to stay that way.’ A religion, old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the Universe as revealed by modern science might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths.”
Carl Sagan The Pale Blue Dot
The Ethiopians say that their gods are snub-nosed and black, the Thracians that theirs have light blue eyes and red hair.”
—Greek philosopher Xenophanes (c. 570-475 BCE), cited by James A. Haught, ed., “2000 Years of Disbelief: Famous People with the Courage to Doubt” (1996)
Compiled by Annie Laurie Gaylor
© Freedom From Religion Foundation. All rights reserved.
I think the man is on a good track. Once the light starts filtering through the gaps it is hard to choose to stay in the dark, though some do.
Do not condemn the judgment of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong. ~ Dandemis
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This is good — Once the light starts filtering through the gaps it is hard to choose to stay in the dark — and essentially, this was my thought when I read the article … and why I posted the link.
I felt the author was slowly but definitely beginning to take a second look at his faith. No, he hasn’t walked away — and who knows? He may never. But I do think his vision is improving.
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