My ansr to Keith Parsons on Harris's idea that moderates are as bad as extremeists.

Sam Harris










 "Christian Responds to Harris on the Evils of “Moderates”"
April 25, 2016 by Keith Parsons on Secular outpo0st
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/secularoutpost/2016/04/25/a-christian-responds-to-harris-on-the-evils-of-moderates/



I regard Harris as having the same theological acuity as I do Donald Trump for his foreign policy "expertise." How much credence do I give Trump for knowing knowing foreign policy? I would sooner trust Cosmo Creamer as secretary of state than anyone Trump would pick. I do not see Harris in any beet a light. Alfred E. Newman would be a better chief executive (at least he wouldn't worry).
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First consider the concept that "moderates" are as much to blame as extremiats for the evils of religion. Two fallacies leap to mind, everyday now slippery slope, guilt by association: "Perhaps they are not as much to blame as extremists, fanatics, and those who carry out violence in the name of God, but they still must bear a considerable degree of responsibility for the bad things caused by religion. If “moderates” do not themselves commit acts of intolerance, they are at least enablers and fellow travelers of those that do because they continue to preserve and promote dangerous doctrines with a proven history of inspiring persecutions, pogroms, witch hunts, crusades, etc."
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Fellow Travelers? could you name some names? Is Harris willing to testify before My committee? I don't know weather to be more offended as a Christian or a former communist. The idea that nuts like Cruz are somehow take heart in the belief of moderates and that is egging them on.(yes that's right I see Cruz just one step away from joining the Klan if will take him). People of that ilk think liberal Christians are demons sent to lure Christians into hell. They think moderates are fools who are willing to be duped. I doubt that they getting much out of me being a Christian.
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"Harris says that you can maintain your moderation in religion only by ignoring the actual content of scripture. For instance, Deuteronomy 13: 7-11 says that if your brother, child, spouse, or best friend says that other gods than Yahweh are to be served then you should stone that person to death and, indeed, strike the first blow yourself. I Samuel, Chapter 15: 3 commands that Saul should commit genocide upon the Amalekites, killing them all regardless of age, condition, or sex. II Kings, 2: 23-24 tells us that as Elisha approached Bethel, children of the town mocked his bald head (I empathize)."
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Here we see his true ignorance at work. He's assuming that the extreme fundies are "true" Christians and they really speak for the faith,Those benighted liberals like the Pope are just ignorant and don't really understand religion.But of course he does. He's assuming it's all literal and departure from that is not true belief. He's assuming that true belief would interpret scripture as a literalist would. He knows nothing of dispensations or covenants. I see that assertion of fundamentalism as the true essence of belief in the same way that I see Trump choosing all military adventure types for his foreign policy staff. He's an idiot.
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Holy message board Batman. this is the same damn bullshit I've hashed out with atheists who are a lot less educated that Harris, on message boards all over the net for 20 years. I bet you if I was to say to him that his atheism makes him culpable with Stalin for the purges he would say it's guilt by association., Yet he would never see it in his own argument.