Exodus

No, not that Exodus.  Instead, here's an insightful article on ways that Christians drive people away from the church:

8 Ways Christian Fundamentalists Make People Convert

As Points 2 and 6 touch on, it's not just about bad behavior on the part of far too many Christians - it's often about a system of belief that forces people to abandon critical thinking and to dismiss any scientific discovery that contradicts "The Bible."  That false dichotomy often remains so deeply embedded in the minds of ex-fundamentalists that they continue to believe that the Bible must be taken absolutely literally or dismissed entirely - a mindset I've come across more than a few times in the comment sections of other blogs.

Those of us who understand that one can believe in God - and that He/She/They in some way inspired the authors who wrote the Bible - without abandoning reason share the frustration of the article's author.  As long as Christian fundamentalism remains a potent force in American culture there's no simple solution to the problem.  But perhaps in the larger picture it's necessary that the current situation plays out to its logical conclusion before Christianity's healthier strains can regain control of the conversation and rebuild the church on a firmer foundation.

Quotable

A few random thoughts for an election year...

It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it. -Upton Sinclair

It requires neither great oratory nor astute conspiracy to inflame a group with a sense of persecution. -Evelyn Waugh

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.
-Bertram Russell

Life Soundtrack 31

You Get What You Give, by The New Radicals

A little encouragement for those going through difficult times...