Another Mile on Christianity

Jim Murphy's "reply" ignored my letter and instead repeated the traditional Christian assertion that "Intellectualised, rational and purely secular arguments" are useless against Christianity since Jesus "doesn't claim to be understood on this lever". Then followed an appeal to me to succumb to the Muggendge syndrome—"Open up your heart to Him, Gary"—and finally he signed his letter not with a simple "Yours" or "Yours sincerely" but with "All our love". You should lay off the piss, Jim, it's starting to addle your brain.

The Christians have been quite successful in persuading people to accept the view that their assertions shouldn't be judged by the standards of ordinary common sense but I have never understood why they are so special. Jim's reason that Jesus "doesn't claim to be understood on this level" is nonsense. I suppose it's worth a try though, so I hereby give notice to my lecturers that my answers in exams are not to be challened on the grounds that they may bear no relation to reality or are illogical because I don't claim to be understood on that level. Somehow I doubt my claim will be accepted as readily as some people have accepted the Christian's.

The report on the University Inaugural Church Service attempted to clear Christianity of the charge of being a reactionary superstition by claiming it is a distortion of "true" Christianity. The argument usually goes on that Christianity is in fact a revolutionary ideology but this is a little difficult to reconcile with the views of its founder who was capable of such rebellious outbursts as "And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it another mile." (Matt. 5.41). If to get around this they say they mean an "internal" revolution they are simply confirming the reactionary nature of their religion.

Christian PR emphasises the charitable work the Churches do and it suggests Christianity is a form of humanism albeit with a large component of mysticism but this is a distorted view because in fact it is a set of beliefs and principles stated in the Bible and elsewhere which the Christians believe derive their authority from God and therefore are to be followed whether or not this involves hardship for themselves or for others. An example of this attitude is the Catholic belief that all abortions including therapeutic ones are a violation of God's Law and therefore should be illegal. Of course not all religionists hold views which are as extreme as those of the Catholics but generally speaking any society which through misguided liberalism allows religious organisations to operate legally is asking for trouble. The University could set an example by scrapping the Chaplaincy and the Christian Clubs.