Grow up, already!
By Astreja
One of the odder things about Christianity is its tendency to exalt the child at the expense of the adult. In fact, the "Ye must be born again" meme lies at the heart of the evangelical form of the religion.
But is this desirable? Well, it all depends on what the "keepers" of that faith are actually trying to accomplish.
Consider this: In most cultures, the transition to adulthood is a highly significant time. "Childish things" are put aside, and the mantle of responsibility is assumed. In return, the initiate gains the authority to participate in adult matters such as procreation, governance and support of the tribe.
Contrast this with the infantilization of Christians by Christianity. Cast in the role of eternal child to an Eternal Parent, the natural maturing process is short-circuited. Responsibility gives way to "I'm not perfect, just forgiven". Reasoning, skepticism and problem-solving skills are downplayed or denigrated, while credulity is elevated to a virtue.
And then there's all those late-night chats with one's Invisible Friend. Lovely, just lovely.
For the average person, this deliberate abrogation of full maturity is a tragedy of the highest order -- Both for the self and for the community at large.
For those who would lead such trusting young lambs, however...
One of the odder things about Christianity is its tendency to exalt the child at the expense of the adult. In fact, the "Ye must be born again" meme lies at the heart of the evangelical form of the religion.
But is this desirable? Well, it all depends on what the "keepers" of that faith are actually trying to accomplish.
Consider this: In most cultures, the transition to adulthood is a highly significant time. "Childish things" are put aside, and the mantle of responsibility is assumed. In return, the initiate gains the authority to participate in adult matters such as procreation, governance and support of the tribe.
Contrast this with the infantilization of Christians by Christianity. Cast in the role of eternal child to an Eternal Parent, the natural maturing process is short-circuited. Responsibility gives way to "I'm not perfect, just forgiven". Reasoning, skepticism and problem-solving skills are downplayed or denigrated, while credulity is elevated to a virtue.
And then there's all those late-night chats with one's Invisible Friend. Lovely, just lovely.
For the average person, this deliberate abrogation of full maturity is a tragedy of the highest order -- Both for the self and for the community at large.
For those who would lead such trusting young lambs, however...
Comments
i was thinking about so many verses telling how god will take care of our every need. that also is a very childish concept. I know my goal is to make my kids self-sufficient and to be able to stand on their own 2 feet. To think for themselves. It seems in the christian world the goal just the opposite: to keep you helpless and dependent on an invisible god your entire life. whenever your own reasoning gets in the way, it must be evil (see martin luther's thoughts on reason)! Now that is childish!
Sadly, it took me 20+ years of my adult life to "GROW UP", but thankfully, i finally did.
Do religions in general teach that "foolishness" is good?
Gods are fed and fueled, in this story, by belief. Om enters the mind of a sleeping shepherd and causes him to set up a prayer stone at that place in order to seed belief and gain followers.
Pratchett points out that the Church of Omnism could have been very different:
"The merest accident of microgeography meant that the first man to hear the voice of (the God) Om, and who gave Om his view of humans, was a shepherd and not a goatherd. They have quite different ways of looking at the world, and the whole of history might have been different. For sheep are stupid and have to be driven. But goats are intelligent and need to be led."
Pleace forgive my apalling cpelling.
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