Brilliant post, Daryl, but what are you arguing? That ideas or philosophies which can fail, should fail?
Based on that reasoning, democracy should fail, since there never has been a viable system whereby leaders took direction from the led. Ultimately, all governance to date has been coercive. Violence has been the true test of authority and has never failed to be thus.
Is it to be always thus?
Perhaps, but I think that democracy -- the impulse to be relieved of arbitrary control, and to control oneself within a community -- should continue, regardless, to struggle from its current, imperfect state into something better. Likewise with Christianity or any other religious or moral system. It should be constantly renewing and improving itself, but maintaining the basic idea, which has something to do with faith and mercy.
If you are just pointing out that Christianity has evolved greatly and that its dogmatists are people who do not understand their (or any) history -- of course you're right.
Based on that reasoning, democracy should fail, since there never has been a viable system whereby leaders took direction from the led. Ultimately, all governance to date has been coercive. Violence has been the true test of authority and has never failed to be thus.
Is it to be always thus?
Perhaps, but I think that democracy -- the impulse to be relieved of arbitrary control, and to control oneself within a community -- should continue, regardless, to struggle from its current, imperfect state into something better. Likewise with Christianity or any other religious or moral system. It should be constantly renewing and improving itself, but maintaining the basic idea, which has something to do with faith and mercy.
If you are just pointing out that Christianity has evolved greatly and that its dogmatists are people who do not understand their (or any) history -- of course you're right.
