the fundamentalist bullshit turns people off. Get religion out of government and out of politics NOW! It's as toxic and corrupting as big money.

I am just glad that the religious leaders are not likely to be reading your advice, because they might be inclined to take it. And that could lead to fewer people being turned off by them.

Some have called for change in teaching, but usually by those who just simply know nothing about theology. No, what is needed is a renewal of faith, rooted in truth and the Holy Spirit — genuine renewal.

This is the kind of blather that the faitheists over in Religion tout as theological profundity (usually with a shot at the allegedly uncomprehending "New Atheists" thrown in), but WTF does it even mean? A "renewal of faith"? More like, STFU, stop questioning and just BELIEVE WHAT YOURE TOLD! And "rooted in truth"? If something were demonstrable truth, why the fuck would you need "faith" to be convinced of it? And of course, throwing in the vague and undefinable Holy Spirity thing is just the cherry on top of an intellectual dung heap.

It's not a problem with religion - it's just that we haven't tried the TRUE religion!

How's that different from a regular old non-genuine renewal? Beats me. I think it's something like...

The Emperor's jockstrap is made of finest linen, not ordinary cotton.

It reminds me of the hilarious scene with the phony street preacher in Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood (from memory):

"Y'all listen to the prophet! His church is different. Because it's...uh...hmm...ah...it's NEW!"

Something to do with quantum vibrations.....


or is it the Universal Consciousness (TM)?


At least it's not Sciencism!.... or something....

Worst are the Catholic priest, who just says 'forget reality - I hold The Truth'; the "Distinguished Professor of History" who just says "screw your question", and then lies that the "vast majority" of 'nones' regularly attend church (Jeez, hasn't he heard that even the majority of Americans claiming a faith don't regularly attend church?); and the guy from the Dallas Theological Seminary who does a victory dance over the Catholics and mainline Protestants with "having a faith that is really a faith in God may be the lesson in that difference". With friends like that, the mainline churches don't need enemies.

think that when they question their faith, it is a test, so they must, somehow, find a way back to it.
The have to ignore the very real questions that would lead to dismissing their faith.

..... the bunch of bunk they are. All that work for years and years to keep the reality of it at bay. No wonder it's hard to give it up.... you must put so much into it. My atheism seems effortless.

And I love the appeal to theology.

Theology is what intelligent people came up with to make their struggle with keeping the fact that it's bunk away look scholarly. To me it's like learning Klingon.... when you coulda learned, y'know, French or something. Theology is arguing whether Santa Claus comes down the chimney head first or feet first.