Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!uupsi!njin!paul.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: jclark@sdcc6.ucsd.edu (John Clark) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Bigotry? (Re: The Ongoing Inquisition) Message-ID: Date: 17 May 91 06:24:42 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of California, San Diego Lines: 39 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article djdaneh@pacbell.com (Dan'l DanehyOakes) writes: + +There is no need to go looking for anti-Christian malice where none need +be present. Bova's law, "Never attribute to malice what can adequately +be explained by stupidity or laziness," is applicable here. Why do I bring up the Inquisition in conversation with Christians? Because it seems to me that many Christians are unaware of some of the 'real' extensions of some of the beliefs that are passed as Christian fundamentals. Such beliefs as there is only one 'True' Christian belief or there is only one 'true' religious expression directly lead to inquistatorial situations. I believe the current title of the Roman Catholic office which is the successor to the Inquistion, is "the Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith"(I could be wrong on certain words here). It's main reason for being is to determine what is Catholic doctrine and what is not. The previous incarnation was an attempt to do the same. But unfortunately the combination of church and state seems to have brought the 'evil' which is attributed to the 'Inquistion'. I emphasize the combintation of church and state, since it is of no consequence to me whether the Catholics include or exclude various classes of behavior or believes. It is when the state has punishments for 'ecclesiastical' states, i.e. excommunicated or engaging in non-church approved practices, that the combination become yet another essentially corrupt earthly power. As for the abreviation of X for Christ that goes back a long way. One should not see it as a 'decay' of religion. There are some Christians who would like to take the 'mass' out of Christmass. It was essentially the Pagan Roman holiday of Saturnalia, a time of parties and gift giving. -- John Clark jclark@ucsd.edu [In this context the "X" is actually the Greek chi, the first letter of Christos. --clh]