That is the kind of critical thinking that I would expect from Christian fundamentalists.

Actually there is a story in the Kabala that the Rabbis captured the Devil and cast him into a barrel of cement.

They thought they had done the world a great service. But instead that world stopped working. No one had ambition. No one was lustful enough to bother with procreation. And most important no one had any doubt. So all critical thinking stopped.

So the Rabbis released Satan and the world went its merry way. But they cut off one of the devil's ears just as a reminder to him to preceed carefully. Have you seen the picture of Lucifer with one ear?

So the Kabala, based on this story, agrees with the Christian fundamentalists, except that the jews think that the devil is necessary for the world to work. Satan and God work hand in hand. Satan promotes evolution of physical bodies and God promotes evolution of the soul, both by death and rebirth. And doubt is necessary for critical examination

By the way, the Articles of Islam published in the 1300s forbid critical thinking and research. That is when their science began to falter. It sent them into the dark ages just as Christainity was coming out of them. An act of god I presume.

Fundamentalist Christianity has the same potential if it ever gets enough power.

Sincerely,

Richard

• Some can come from the flesh too - bible_believer3 - October 24, 2003 - 15:06 UTC