Obviously those who burned people at the stake were not authentic believers. That doesn't even make sense.
No, I don't agree.
They might have been incorrect in their interpretations, but there were plenty of people who honestly believed it when they did stuff like that.
There are also tons of people who used those things without believing and only did it for personal gain as well, so there is a difference, but, for example, I think the Puritans really did believe that they were doing God's work by drowning witches.
Again, you make it seem like you DGAS what happens. Oh well, that's just the way things evolve.
I'm resigned to the inevitable. Maybe that means I'm not passionate enough but there is even less you can do about this than you can about, say, forcing Jerry to change his ways. All you need to change Jerry is a couple thousand people.
Societies have become less extremist as they develop economically, that is a tried and true historical fact. I'm not even sure it's entirely a bad thing, as it's ended up with benefits such as better treatment for women and minorities over time. On some things, I remain very traditional -- such as yes, I think it's better if the man works and the woman raises children. At the same time, I think it's good that women should be allowed to vote. Both of those things are a direct result of the industrial revolution.
In the end, I'm gonna run my house the way I think it needs to be run. But as for changing societal attitudes, its like trying to stop the tide from coming in.
The Muslim terrorists are fighting a losing battle too, and they are doing a hell of a lot more than I'm prepared to do.
Heres the deal: I encourage anyone who is a believer to really live there lives like Christ taught. Not how our preacher/priest, foxnews or grandma told you. If yoy do that our life will chane and you won't have to try to make an impact in our sphere of influence. It will simply be a byproduct of genuine faith. That's what I've been preachin for the almost 10 years that I've been at the DCC an everywhere else.
Good, I encourage that.