Question Author
well said, supernick.
If someone started a religion touting that 'The earth was created by a yellow marshmallow living in Basingstoke', many would (rightly) say to followers of such a religion 'What you believe is nonsense, where is the evidence for such a ludicrous claim?' But because christianity is so well established and part of our culture (5 days time we all eat a big bit of turkey in its memory), it's 'petty doing-down of people's beliefs is the sort of thing you find in a sixth form common room.' Let's do a quick recap on christianity to see where we should find some middle ground:
-all people born in state of emnity with creator as result of inherited evil from first parents
-on death, supernatural soul leaves body, goes to eternal fire, or, if person was baptised believer in man who had beard 2000 years ago, state of eternal bliss for ever and ever
-Organ of thought, memory, and will is not the brain (scientists deluded, see?) but some spiritual essence for which there is no evidence. Hard explaining alzheimer's, autism, etc etc, but never mind.
What a complete and utter load of crap. But I'm not allowed to say that because I'm 'intellectually arrogant'.
Why might forcing catholicism on those too young to properly appraise it be akin to 'child abuse'? Well, what are catholics teaching their kids.
-God loves you. He made you out of love. But there is a list of things that you should never do or you will go to a pit of fire for ever unless you say you are sorry.
-God made all your friends, but only the catholic ones like the ones you go to school with (and the 'invincibly ignorant') will go to be with Him forever in heaven. The muslims, protestants, jews, aborted foetuses, etc, will all go to the fiery pit.
-You must talk to god frequently in order to find out what you should do and so that things will go well for you. IE God can withhold what is best for you unless you ask