Why is Christianity in the US dying

@fmf said
Yes. Everyone's religious belief and lack of religious belief is rooted in their cognition and it is a function of their consciuosness.

That’s simply false, at least as far as Christianity is concerned.

@fmf said
Even gut feelings and instincts are perceived and processed and acted upon using the prism of our cognitive functions.

I think you’re overstating the role of cognitive functions in a human being’s life.

@pb1022 said
That’s simply false, at least as far as Christianity is concerned.

I disagree. There is no supernatural altering of Christians that results from them having faith.

@pb1022 said
I think your overstating the role of cognitive functions in a human being’s life.

Everything that happens to us - or that we do - that we are aware of - even abstract and metaphysical things - is seen through the prism of our cognition. I don't think this is overstating anything.

@fmf said
I disagree. There is no supernatural altering of Christians that results from them having faith.

Well, like I said, I think you should talk to Christians in your community and ask them what they think of your assessment.

@fmf said
Everything that happens to us - or that we do - that we are aware of - even abstract and metaphysical things - is seen through the prism of our cognition. I don't think this is overstating anything.

Ok, well we obviously disagree.

@pb1022 said
Then I suggest you may not have been a Christian and that you oughta have a heart-to-heart with Christians in your community about whether they agree with your assessment.

I suggest you may not have been a Christian

You may think this is a good debating point, and others have used it too, but all you are doing is trying to point to the incomprehensibility of your own faith to people who are unimpressed with the subjective assertions you make.

OK, so you have said - for the umpteenth time - that you don't believe I was ever a Christian. Good for you. Use it as often as you see fit. But it will have the same lack of traction in the discourse every time.

@pb1022 said
Well, like I said, I think you should talk to Christians in your community and ask them what they think of your assessment.

Thanks for the advice.

@fmf said
I suggest you may not have been a Christian

You may think this is a good debating point, and others have used it too, but all you are doing is trying to point to the incomprehensibility of your own faith to people who are unimpressed with the subjective assertions you make.

OK, so you have said - for the umpteenth time - that you don't believe I was ever a Christian. ...[text shortened]... it as often as you see fit. But it will have the same lack of traction in the discourse every time.

I said that with all sincerity.

And I suggested you may not have been a Christian. I don’t know you well enough one way or the other, but what you say in here leads me to question whether you were.

@fmf said
Thanks for the advice.

It’s good advice.

You’re too busy playing a role in here and worrying what others think of your posting and whether you’re winning or losing an argument to get at the truth.

You need to set your ego aside if you want to have a serious and productive discussion and you can’t do that in here.

That’s why I suggested you have a heart-to-heart with a Christian in your community - so your ego isn’t threatened and so you don’t have to pretend you have all the answers.

@pb1022 said
I suggested you may not have been a Christian. I don’t know you well enough one way or the other, but what you say in here leads me to question whether you were.

However you dice it, it's a weak "debating point".

@pb1022 said
You’re too busy playing a role in here and worrying what others think of your posting and whether you’re winning or losing an argument to get at the truth.

You need to set your ego aside if you want to have a serious and productive discussion and you can’t do that in here.

Thanks again for your assessment and advice.

@fmf said
However you dice it, it's a weak "debating point".

Why do you view this in terms of a debate? I think it’s more of a discussion.

In a debate, one side, even when they’re wrong, feels the need to dig in their heels and twist and misrepresent.

The objective of a debate is to win.

The objective of a discussion is to learn.

I think you’d be a lot better off if you viewed your interactions with other posters in here as discussions and not debates.

@fmf said
Thanks again for your assessment and advice.

Well I hope you consider it privately.

I certainly wouldn’t expect you to do publicly.

Have a good night/day 👋

@pb1022 said
Why do you view this in terms of a debate? I think it’s more of a discussion.

It's both.