Watching the J.D. video described in my last post, it occurred to me that two assumptions are built into J.D.’s view of Christianity: that anyone who has an experience he would describe as “miraculous” must logically become a Christian; and that the differences between Christian sects are unimportant–in other words, Christianity is monolithic. Is he right?
No. Miracles occur in a wide range of religions; it may be the cultural default in America to ascribe them to the Christian deity, but that association is neither driven by logic or a lack of other choices. As to the unimportance of Christian doctrinal differences, try squaring that with the Know Nothing Party, the Klan, and the furor about JFK’s candidacy in 1960, to say nothing of the millions of victims of religious wars in the 16th and 17th centuries.
J.D.’s conversion to Catholicism would have put an end to his political career throughout most of this country’s history. He should be grateful he lives in the more pagan environment he finds so deplorable today.