


I got 31 of the 32 although a couple were guesses.

From the report:






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I managed 30 out of 32 - had no idea who Jonathan Edwards was and I thought both catholics and protestants depended on salvation through faith ... ah, well.  The rest was pretty simple.

And I agree - most pastors and preachers want to keep their congregations ignorant of the bible.  How many times have we heard that thorough knowledge of the bible, or at least certain facets of it, is the fastest way to atheism?

Oh! I so agree, "reading the Bible is the fastest way to atheism".

If it isn't Joan, then something is really wrong with the people who read it and STILL believe.  Why would they even want to?!!!

I think it is fear. If one is born into a born-again family, or a fundamentalist or catholic family, strong family ties, often generations long, form tight bonds; they can be healthy or unhealthy. From the first day of birth until one decides to leave a religious tradition, terrible stories of damnation, hell, combined with strict obedience, submission and yielding to authority figures put tight bindings around ones mind. 
I was born into a family of butchers and grew up in a slaughter house and butcher shop. I thought nothing of killing an animal and eating it. It was "normal". Even cruel treatment of animals was normal. Now that I am older and hopefully more enlightened, I see animal cruelty and take matters into my own hands to find safety for the animal. Taking in injured animals is now normal for me. 

For others, the desire for community is stronger than the desire for being able to think and reason and seek other opinions. 

Some find social status in their affiliation with a community, and religion often fills that need. Some feel helpless, unable to take care of themselves, having to have a person or an unseeable power to guide and empower them. 

Some people like to be in control and the bible gives instruction, indeed, an imperative to have dominion over all that swims, crawls and flies. Others have the need to be controlled.

We humans are kind of like a dam with lots of holes. Religion offers opportunity for those holes to be filled, not because it is healthy to have something outside oneself to fill those holes, but it is easier, it doesn't take as much thought, and risk of failure can be shifted to some thing or some other power.


What a great explaination! I intend on using this in the future. :)

30 of the 32. What does it say about us, Sentient Biped, Are we smarter than an atheist? :-D 

100%. I knew about Jonathan Edwards - famous for Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. And, as a former Catholic, while faith is important, adherence to the sacraments and forgiveness by Christ is what gets you a 1st class ticket to Neverland.  Oh, wait. Sorry. That was Michael Jackson's theme park that priests dream of going to one day.

You are not only well educated, you are FUNNY!

Thank you Joan. But, believe it not, I'm considered the droll one in the family.

Pat, if family members consider me something I claim it. That way I take control of the word. For example, some family members call me arrogant. Well, I am arrogant. What else is new? Some say I am opinionated. Well, I am opinionated. What ...

31 out of 32. Forgot Maimonides. Like Loren said, pretty simple. But I got a leg up, being both an atheist AND an ex-mormon, both groups that scored high. Guess all that Sunday bs was good for something, but for the life of me, I just can't think of what it is. :)

I got one wrong and I am ashamed to say that I didn't answer Abraham as the one willing to kill his son. That was the easiest of the lot and none of them were hard. 

I took a comparative religion course at Central Texas Community College and the instructor was a Baptist from Baylor, a "top Texas Christian University." As we discussed each religion, he ridiculed their beliefs and why they would not get anyone a ticket to salvation. Two of my close friends, one a black woman from Africa with Roman Catholic beliefs, the other from Thailand with Buddhist beliefs, held their tongue in class but had harsh rebuke for him over coffee. At that time I was a Sunday school teacher and member of Protestant Women of the Chapel. Even I couldn't abide his baptist bias but failed to challenge him. 
Sentient, you might remember that Luther stated man was saves by faith, not works.


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