CONGRATS! YOU WON!!! CHRISTIAN DOGMA: The 21st Century Perspective: Barry E. Blood Sr.- Scheduled Date: Wednesday, December 21st

GIVING VOICE TO THE SILENT PULPIT –

A Layman Explores the Differences Between Popular and Academic Chri...

http://barryblood.com/books/

Author Barry Blood explores the many differences that exist between Popular Christianity, (the doctrine as taught from the pulpit) and Academic Christianity, (the doctrine as taught in our colleges and seminaries). He contends these are startling differences in these christian beliefs that may shock the average Christian layperson.

Ten of the most important Christian beliefs and doctrines are examined side-by-side (Popular vs. Academic), including the concept of God, original sin, the trinity, miracles, atonement, and others.

 The author reveals how these differing beliefs have created an intellectual gap between the church and our present day worldview of reality. A gap which has contributed to the decline in Christian membership rolls worldwide. He contends that exposing these known doctrinal differences will create a more intellectually honest Christianity, and—he believes—will build a church that can be a more engaging choice for the educated populace of the twenty-first century.

In his book “Christian Dogma – The 21^st Century Perspective” author Barry E. Blood introduces readers to several articles written by modern Biblical Scholars, Theologians and Church Leaders. These articles in turn delineate for the reader, problems facing Christianity as it attempts to retain a prominent role in the intellectual society of the modern world.

Barbara McIntire, one of the lead characters in the fictional portion of the book, becomes the alter ego for those readers who have never been exposed to modern religious knowledge about the dogma of the Church, and who may find such knowledge shocking and/or radical.

In the final chapters of the book, Mr. Blood points to potential changes and reformations that can allow Christianity to survive it’s problems and once again flourish in the twenty-first century and beyond.

This is the Kindle edition of,Christian Dogma – The Twenty-first Century Perspective.

This book is written with a unique combination of fiction and non-fiction. The story line is fictional, the articles and excerpts that are inserted throughout are non-fictional. Just as a television program is intended to keep a viewer’s attention between commercials, the fictional story line of the book is intended to entice the reader to continue on to the next article. The articles are intended to entice the reader to read the books from which the articles are taken.

The purpose of this book is to introduce to the laity of the Christian religion—the people in the pews—intellectual facts about their religion that are not being presented to them from the pulpit. Facts that have come to light in the three thousand years since the Old Testament was written but are often ignored in the doctrines and practices of almost all Christian denominations.

Dear Fellow Christian,

The church has a responsibility to keep the laity informed of new knowledge regarding our christian beliefs, but has chosen not to do so. Instead, the church has, more often than not, chosen to deny, rebuff, or simply remain silent about new knowledge that would counter ancient christian beliefs. Today the gap between what is preached from the pulpit and what the clergy and hierarchy of the church know has become problematical.

This problem can only be solved by exposing the church’s hidden secrets. To my way of thinking, there is no choice—the church must turn to a more honest doctrine or perish. Perhaps together you and I can start to solve this problem. This book is my attempt to get that ball rolling.

BEB.

For over two hundred years, the “Professionals” of Christianity (with only a few exceptions) have chosen to remain silent about the true history and authenticity of God, religion and the dogma of the Church. Opting instead to allow the myth of an immature belief system to continue unabated; by maintaining an “Our father who art in heaven” theology.

But now, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, intelligence is beginning to overtake the silence of the Church. More than just a few of the Church “Professionals” are breaking rank. They are talking and writing about the true understanding of gods and goddesses, religion and “faith.”

Some – who would squelch this new truth – object on the grounds that the people in the pews should believe what ever they want to believe. If the old belief (myth) system gives them comfort, leave it alone. After all, many of them . . .”can’t handle the truth.”

My question to you is . . . Does it matter? . . . Does it make one “hoot” of difference what the masses believe? I believe that it does.

It is a well known fact that ‘what a person believes will affect how he acts.’  If one believes there is a supernatural being, “up there” or “out there’”who will hear and answer prayer, it lessens one’s feeling of personal responsibility. “I will pray for the hungry, the homeless . . . and God will care for them.”

If one believes that his/her “Holy Book” contains the inerrant word of God, and the moral law(s) for all time, then all debate over moral issues is dead.

If one believes that his/her “Holy Book” contains the inerrant word of God, he/she might be persuaded to strap on a vest full of explosives, walk into a crowd of innocent people and blow one’s self up.

If one believes that his/her “Holy Book” contains the inerrant word of God, he/she might feel compelled to bomb an abortion clinic, to drop “smart” bombs on a city of two million people, or to suggest “taking out” the leader of a foreign country.

Belief in a God and/or an ancient book, is a belief based on lack of knowledge. Twenty-first century knowledge explains how when and where Gods and Goddesses and those ancient books came from, and renders such belief systems impotent. Facts, evidence, reason and just a little bit of logic must prevail if the human race is to mature beyond it’s current state.

Yes, I know all the arguments about leaving room for the spiritual and the transcendent and not wanting to disturb Granny and her comfort zone . . . but such right brain (emotional) thinking is bringing the world closer and closer to the brink of disaster.

Richard Holloway, Bishop of Edinburgh, in his book,  Godless Morality writes:

”it is better to leave God out of the moral debate and find good human reasons for supporting the system or approach we advocate, without having recourse to divinely clinching arguments. We have to offer sensible approaches that will help us to pick our way through the moral maze that confronts us.”

It is time for all religions to become honest . . . and first of all, honest with themselves.

That’s what I believe . . . but then, I could be wrong.

Barry E. Blood