Posted by J.H. [JH] on April 07, 1999 at 19:39:54 {HTWDI6pmYgHSG.vl05doHR5JhS9/hc}:
In Reply to: ****Thoughts on reform posted by The Liberal Elder on April 07, 1999 at 16:39:43:
LE,
: P.S. It is hard to see a place in Christianity for a skeptic, don't you agree ;-)
Thomas managed, didn't he? The gospels of course had to portray his display of rational thought in the worst possible terms, but still he is there.
Most people are skeptics up to a certain point. If you aren't a skeptic, you go around all life being fooled and few people do that. People are skeptical about marketing ploys, about money generally, about anything politicians say or do, and certainly about everybody elses religion.
So, yes, I think we should teach people to be skeptics. Not necessarily philosophical skeptics, but at least to be skeptical.
I will say that if anyone comes out of the JWs and has not learned to be skeptical towards religious claims, the experience is wasted. That person will invariably fall into the first fundie religion that comes his or her way. Nothing will be gained, and nothing learned.