»Darwin was Kinder and More Loving than Jesus«

Just had to start this to go with my new avatar.
It seems to me, after having read quite a few biographies of famous people throughout history, none of them - especially not Jesus - can compare to Darwin in terms of just plain niceness and lack of hatred. I always find it funny when Christians try to cast Darwin as some kind of firebrand revolutionary with blood in his eyes: nothing could be further than the truth. Nothing that I know of that he ever wrote, said, or did was spiteful or vengeful in any way. It's almost kind of embarassing; especially for someone like me who is always starting nasty arguments (I do this in real life too; now you see the difference between geniuses like Darwin and normal folks like me). Jesus got himself crucified by breaking the law (treason), and even on the cross whined about his fate ("Father, father, why have you forsaken me?"); Darwin was a law-abiding citizen who lost his mother at an early age, and who was for much of his life a very sick man, yet never complained or made a spectacle of himself. And yet many Christians will say that simply because Darwin made the choice to question the literal truth of the Bible and to explain to the world his reasons, he is somehow a terrible example.

Jesus tossed the moneychangers out of the temple; Darwin would have explained to them that they shouldn't be there because it was inconsistent with their belief system. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the father but by me," implying that belief in him was the only way to heaven; Darwin never implied that belief in evolution was somehow necessary for salvation or even general happiness. Within a few centuries of Jesus' statement about himself as the only way to heaven, Christians were attempting to convert their enemies through violence because they thought they were doing them a favor. No one has ever been persecuted because they disbelieved Darwin's ideas, no matter what Christians say in debates over the science curriculum.

This is really true. I don't know what to do

I think very few people have been so ignorantly maligned and inaccurately portrayed by religious conservatives as Charles Darwin.

posted by holy_of_holies

in-my-opinion.org -> Religion and Mysteries, from worship to werewolves -> Religious & Philosophical Topics -> Darwin was Kinder and More Loving than Jesus

holy_of_holies:

I always find it funny when Christians try to cast Darwin as some kind of firebrand revolutionary with blood in his eyes: nothing could be further than the truth.

Satan comes as an angel of light.

holy_of_holies:

Darwin was a law-abiding citizen

= a coward

holy_of_holies:

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the father but by me," implying that belief in him was the only way to heaven; Darwin never implied that belief in evolution was somehow necessary for salvation or even general happiness.

Exactly, thus you can't compare them and then state that Darwin was better.

posted by knn

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knn:

holy_of_holies:

I always find it funny when Christians try to cast Darwin as some kind of firebrand revolutionary with blood in his eyes: nothing could be further than the truth.

Satan comes as an angel of light.

Even ignoring the irrational and religious nature of that reply, I have to disagree with your point. All of the really destructive and negative individuals throughout modern history go out of their way to cause distress or pain for others. Jesus apparently didn't do this, and I never claimed he did. But the point is that no one who has read Darwin's autobiography (a personal statement, thus fair game for analysis) and the records of his actions could possibly interpret his personality as that of a "Satan." Nor was he an "angel of light," by the way. Just a damn nice guy - the whole point of this thread.

knn:

holy_of_holies:

Darwin was a law-abiding citizen

= a coward

If you are serious, remind me to avoid your country the next time I travel (unless you are American, in which case you don't deserve to be here).

knn:

holy_of_holies:

Exactly, thus you can't compare them and then state that Darwin was better.

I didn't say that knn. I said he was "kinder and more loving than Jesus". "Better" is entirely subjective. Kindness and lovingness are not quantifiable, but they can be assessed.

posted by holy_of_holies

holy_of_holies:

I didn't say that knn. I said he was "kinder and more loving than Jesus". "Better" is entirely subjective. Kindness and lovingness are not quantifiable, but they can be assessed.

I stand by my statement.

"My kindergarten teacher was kinder and more loving than Jesus". That's a worthless statement.

"John F. Kennedy was kinder and more loving than Jesus". That's another worthless statement.

posted by knn

knn:

"My kindergarten teacher was kinder and more loving than Jesus". That's a worthless statement.

"John F. Kennedy was kinder and more loving than Jesus". That's another worthless statement.

Well obviously I'm talking about the Jesus of Biblical and historical tradition. If you ask me, no such person ever existed. But it's perfectly valid to compare an actual peron's motives and actions to those that are ascribed to a mythical figure.
You seem to take a very antiquated, "black box" view of psychology knn. It's really not that mysterious!

posted by holy_of_holies

holy_of_holies:

But it's perfectly valid to compare an actual peron's motives and actions

But you don't. You talk about Darwin's love.

Looooove.

posted by knn

knn:

holy_of_holies:

But it's perfectly valid to compare an actual peron's motives and actions

But you don't. You talk about Darwin's love.

Well there are lots of details to his life; I don't feel like listing them all here.

posted by holy_of_holies

The time now is 24 May 2012, 18:37
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