The next Einstein and the expressway churches
By Damola Awoyokun

ALBERT Einstein's eminent successor, Stephen Hawking on May 11 began a journey to South Africa on an initiative to find African Einsteins through an Institute For Mathematical Sciences based in South Africa. Said Hawking: 'The world of science needs Africa's brilliant talents, and I look forward to meeting young Einsteins from Africa in the near future.'

Case 1: In South Africa between the N1 expressway linking Johannesburg, the commercial capital with Pretoria, the political centre is the Silicon Valley of the telecom and computer giants. South Africa is home to African headquarters of many of these world corporations. Between Lagos the commercial capital and Ibadan, what do we have? The fastest growing blue-chip corporations in Nigeria: the expressway churches.

Case 2: A 24-year-old graduate with second-class upper was diagnosed with breast cancer. She informed her mother who then told her church prophet. Prayers, fasting, vigils, alms giving, mountain pilgrimages were immediately ordered. Her daughter was never allowed to go back to University College Hospital (UCH) for chemotherapy that was sufficient since the cancer was still very young. The man of God strongly objected since it meant the mum was doubting the power of the Almighty. It was when the girl's breasts turned into a rotten pair of plantains that she was returned to hospital and, died. While her body was still warm in the grave, the man of God visited the bereaved family, prayed for them and said 'the death was God's will, if not it won't have happened.' If I were God, I would spit on that prayer and damn him for murder.

Case 3: Mid-nineties, in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife, the number of weekly religious meetings leapt from 19 to 120. Every evening, to get a free class where you could quietly study was tough. When you got one, be assured that preachers would soon barge in to dismiss studying as irrelevant, it is eternal life that counts, that the world would soon end as there is now abundant fresh evidence; or: that there is a big man of God from Lagos in the sports stadium working miracles, casting out spirits of cultism, poverty, indecent dressing or curing AIDS; or that failure in exam is a spiritual attack from home which needs spiritual defence, you must not miss your blessing time at the sports centre. It was not surprising when last year in that same university some students that were supposed to be writing their exams were found in the forest awaiting Rapture.

The problem of the expressway churches in every nook and cranny of the country is not essentially in their mushrooming, it is in the way they barge into our minds and corrode the roots of our thinking with what they preach. They start with fear. And fear like HIV is very polite and diplomatic, its effectiveness is in being unassuming, going on easy till it shatters your immune system and leaves you gullible to all sorts of senseless teachings and practices. 'Come and thank God for your life, many slept yesterday, but couldn't wake up today, that you woke up is not your doing but, or: ' I know one man who did not pay his tithe for only one month his son became ill, he sold land and properties to pay hospital bills, his son still died.' Or 'repent now, tomorrow may be too late.' Without enacting fear and promoting its negativity as a normal state of mind - fear of eternity, of hunger, of curses, of tomorrow, fear of enemies, real or imagined, fear of God - no religion would prosper. Fear is after all, the masterpiece of the evil one.

In the North, a shepherd boy with a small stick (saanda) can order around thousands of cows with big-horns on their heads like PhDs. In the expressway churches, anybody with a pocket-size Gideon bible in the hand can tell tens of thousand of 'educated' people that 2+2 = 13 has been revealed as the truth, they will jump up and shout Ameeen and begin to dance around! That is the depth to which we have sunk. Reason and scientific thinking are no longer a matter of fact. Instead of the unrestricted and diligent exercise of the intellect to problems, we are told solution is in praying for divine intervention, we are told we are in end times and so earthquakes, cyclones, AIDS are fated. We can do nothing.

Weirdly, Christianity no longer calls itself a religion, it is a way of life. So every time on any day you turn on your TV or radio, in the buses, in the offices, markets, on the Internet, a preacher is there retailing some messages or emails of mental bacteria. Little wonder there is an outbreak of mediocrity all over the country. In serious countries, they are building heavens and making lives better for their citizens, in Nigeria we are bringing about hell so as to justify why we have to go to heaven.


Ask kids what they want to be in the future; many are now answering 'pastors.' Why? 'To do miracles and save lives.' Not the technological miracle of space technology or medical saving of lives. It is a la the expressway jamborees. One pastor justified September 11 saying the World Trade Centre was like the biblical Tower of Babel (human attempts to reach God.) God 'had to' destroy it. Other stupidity aside, but why are the lofty achievements of human thought seen as an affront to the supremacy of a most high God?

The remarkable solar eclipse of two years ago happened at the day and hour it was predicted to happen for 4 minutes 45 seconds by instruments of science and technology. For over 2000 years now, Jesus had failed to come as constantly predicted by the Bible and men of God, yet a lot of quality time, energies and resources are devoted uselessly to this otherwise eclipse of reason. Meanwhile the next solar eclipse's date, hour and minute has been predicted 25 years in advance. It will happen. So which should merit our trust, thinking or faith?

Young African minds eager to be the next Einstein or Hawking must start by rejecting their being made sheep that the religions constantly find fulfillment in doing. Sheep is one of the most stupid animals in existence. Have you seen how they cross busy roads? Young minds should aspire to be goats. A goat believes in itself. It is smart. It does not take no for an answer that is why it always seems to be constantly disobeying. It is never satisfied with the status quo. Through the Enlightenment, Europe began to see progress when they squashed the prevailing grip of religion over their minds. Eric Hobsbawm, a British Jewish historian, said Jews began to make startling impacts in all disciplines after the 18th century when they unchained themselves from the application of Mosaic laws to the very last details of their lives. The laws clogged their minds and imagination, shutting them off from the world. So their startling achievements consist not in being God's chosen people but in the conscious rejection of that identity.

Einstein said of his deep religious childhood: 'Through the reading of popular scientific books I soon reached the conviction that much in the stories of the bible could not be true. The consequence was a positively fanatic orgy of freethinking coupled with the impression that youth is intentionally being deceived by the state through lies; it was a crushing impression. Mistrust of every kind of authority grew out of that experience, ' What a genuine goat.


Awoyokun lives in the United Kingdom


http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/editorial_opinion/article04//indexn2_html?pdate=220508&ptitle=The%20next%20Einstein%20and%20the%20expressway%20churches

I really seem not to understand what this person mean. I read the topic in guardian and was wondering? Anyway, we have freedom of religion, or what do u think anonimi ?

I think he is saying we must use our God endowed wisdom and think out issues very deeply and seriously before rushing to men of god who are more often than not out to fleece their unsuspecting congregation.
You may try to study European history and development as well as the various phases of church growth and decline in their society to have a greater insight into what he is saying.

Religion is the opium of the masses, throughout history various forms of religion have been used by religious leaders and rulers to manipulte and control their people. Even thoug there are a lot of truths about various religions there is always the human element to it and human beings would always manipulte it to suit their selfish desires. A good example is the manipulation of the meaning of tithes to suit the greedy selfish desire of some preachers who collect it.

Its a bandwagon effect really,
many preachers learn one day that theres this church somewhere on the express thats drawing lots of crowds, presto!everyone is rushing down there too, its good for church marketing, im sure we now know the bandwagon effect on TV preaching which started in the 80's with very few churches but now every pastor wants to be on air, my kid brother joked on day seeing one church on the TV that the church should have spent the money paid to TV houses to repaint their auditorium!
Fact is we get more religious and less good to one another daily thats why corruption is so rampant despite religion, and dont think its just christianity, the expressway madness has caught up with iss-slam(which is so adept at copying pranks from pentecostal churches) i saw a big NASFAT ground along the lagos-ibadan express lately.
its so sad.
Opium is so so addictive!

A well written article by Damola Awoyokun.

It was writings like this by intellectuals from the 1600's that helped Europe out of the dark ages of overt religiosity in which Africa is currently enmeshed and today Europe generally has one of the highest level of development in the world.

Gladly though, a growing army of Nigerians are seeing through the charade of religious fundamentalism

Ovamboland:

A well written article by Damola Awoyokun.

It was writings like this by intellectuals from the 1600's that helped Europe out of the dark ages of overt religiosity in which Africa is currently enmeshed and today Europe generally has one of the highest level of development in the world.

Gladly though, a growing army of Nigerians are seeing through the charade of religious fundamentalism

we thank god ourselves for that

I believe the world of Internet will help to open the eyes of many Young Nigerians.
The lack of access to informations like this article is one of the reasons why we are the we we are now.

Ovamboland:

A well written article by Damola Awoyokun.

It was writings like this by intellectuals from the 1600's that helped Europe out of the dark ages of overt religiosity in which Africa is currently enmeshed and today Europe generally has one of the highest level of development in the world.

Gladly though, a growing army of Nigerians are seeing through the charade of religious fundamentalism

Wasn't it in the 1600s when religious fanatics like Isaac Newton was rewriting our understanding of Physics in such a way that we still use his laws today?
After these so called" Dark Ages", did mankind launch into peace or two World Wars and Communism, which killed hundreds of millions?

I'm opposed to overt religiousness as well, while the article was not bad, it uses too much hyperbole, and what has the solar eclipse got to do with Jesus?

 The problem of the expressway churches in every nook and cranny of the country is not essentially in their mushrooming, it is in the way they barge into our minds and corrode the roots of our thinking with what they preach. They start with fear. And fear like HIV is very polite and diplomatic, its effectiveness is in being unassuming, going on easy till it shatters your immune system and leaves you gullible to all sorts of senseless teachings and practices. 'Come and thank God for your life, many slept yesterday, but couldn't wake up today, that you woke up is not your doing but,  or: ' I know one man who did not pay his tithe for only one month his son became ill, he sold land and properties to pay hospital bills, his son still died.' Or 'repent now, tomorrow may be too late.' Without enacting fear and promoting its negativity as a normal state of mind - fear of eternity, of hunger, of curses, of tomorrow, fear of enemies, real or imagined, fear of God - no religion would prosper.[/b] Fear is after all, the masterpiece of the evil one.

In the North, a shepherd boy with a small stick (saanda) can order around thousands of cows with big-horns on their heads like PhDs. In the expressway churches, anybody with a pocket-size Gideon bible in the hand can tell tens of thousand of 'educated' people that 2+2 = 13 has been revealed as the truth, they will jump up and shout Ameeen and begin to dance around! That is the depth to which we have sunk. Reason and scientific thinking are no longer a matter of fact. Instead of the unrestricted and diligent exercise of the intellect to problems, we are told solution is in praying for divine intervention, we are told we are in end times and so earthquakes, cyclones, AIDS are fated. We can do nothing.

Weirdly, Christianity no longer calls itself a religion, it is a way of life. So every time on any day you turn on your TV or radio, in the buses, in the offices, markets, on the Internet, a preacher is there retailing some messages or emails of mental bacteria. Little wonder there is an outbreak of mediocrity all over the country. In serious countries, they are building heavens and making lives better for their citizens, in Nigeria we are bringing about hell so as to justify why we have to go to heaven

Its really really a pathetic and hopeless case. . . .Religion is one of the greatest problems Nigerians are facing today. . . .Personally I believe that the black man does not believe in freedom and equality if we do then we will not accept these endless myths that we are told about all the time which abound in our culture and or society. . . .  myths both local and foreign that have not in any way helped in moving us forward as a people. . . . .FEAR remains the only vehicle religions have on those that subscribe to their endless myths, lies and wishful thoughts. . . . .Its not only Christianity. . .Those of us that are from the North know that Islam is even worse. . . .

There is freedom or religion but there is also right to peace and quietness. Why should religious activity be allowed to disrupt academic activities? How about those camp grounds that bring traffic to a peaceful highway causing untold hardship to people going about normal activities? The latest one now is one church posing a nuisance to another church and its the people who reside around that get to suffer from the combined output of madness.

whats all these for and whats happening here?

CarlosVent:

whats all these for and whats happening here?

Read and digest!

@poster,
FREE WORLD BOYYYY FREE WORLD.
Look there is no perfect system anywhere in the world. There are many churches out there that dont over do most things as painted above. Dont allow a few or some to make u generalize.
however like i said above its a free world. there are many regions in th world and its not by force u can choose any u think will be 100%  pure and follow. u can choose islam and die of terrorist attack soon or u choose any other one or better still dont worship anything. thats ur choice. But never u think there will ever be a concept or doctrine without adulteration. the most important thing is in any doctrine u find urself make sure u really understand it  and be sure there is any truth in it so that when it begins to derail u will know and decide weda u still want to follow or not.
My  little contribution,

Before una get hypertension all these write-ups will not stop anything; you guys can hire demons from hell to do your write ups it will not eradicate true movement of religion christianity.

Religion vs Intelligence
Advocating for religious intelligence?

Please can someone summarise the write up for, I lack the patience to read the long eassay

i wonder why person no fit post B _ R _ E _ A S __T cancer, they moderator dey convert am to bosom cancer which doesn't make sense, at least he his using it in an informative way, na over sabi dey kill monkey

@POSTER,
Your article may sound highly intellectual to many, but it has one reason too many to raise dusts.
The fact is you don't understand christianity, so never try to complain about what you can't comprehend. In every good thing there must be fakes. Don't you hear about fake doctors, fake surveyors, fake lawyers, they're all over the place. so your view is very biased.
You are relating d scientific prediction of eclipse with your acclaimed 'prediction' of Jesus. Fact is you don't know what prediction actually is. For your benefit nobody predicted Jesus would come again. It's a fact without any iota of timing<that's our belief>.
Einstein was great, yes. but everybody can't be einstein. If every Nigerian were as scientifically inclined as einstein, who would ask questions and who would teach ?
I really wonder what bias you have towards christianity, you claim that's it's the cause of mediocrity. maybe you never knew, every individual<irrespective of race, tribe, religion> is a creator of choice. you make the choice, you have d consequences. christianity isn't d cause of mediocrity, at least d word 'mediocrity' wasn't defined within the limits of any religion.
d article is so biased. i better hold my breath.

@POSTER,
Your article may sound highly intellectual to many, but it has one reason too many to raise dusts.
The fact is you don't understand christianity, so never try to complain about what you can't comprehend. In every good thing there must be fakes. Don't you hear about fake doctors, fake surveyors, fake lawyers, they're all over the place. so your view is very biased.
You are relating d scientific prediction of eclipse with your acclaimed 'prediction' of Jesus. Fact is you don't know what prediction actually is. For your benefit nobody predicted Jesus would come again. It's a fact without any iota of timing<that's our belief>.
Einstein was great, yes. but everybody can't be einstein. If every Nigerian were as scientifically inclined as einstein, who would ask questions and who would teach ?
I really wonder what bias you have towards christianity, you claim that's it's the cause of mediocrity. maybe you never knew, every individual<irrespective of race, tribe, religion> is a creator of choice. you make the choice, you have d consequences. christianity isn't d cause of mediocrity, at least d word 'mediocrity' wasn't defined within the limits of any religion.
d article is so biased. i better hold my breath.

lomaxx:

@POSTER,
Your article may sound highly intellectual to many, but it has one reason too many to raise dusts.
The fact is you don't understand christianity, so never try to complain about what you can't comprehend. In every good thing there must be fakes. Don't you hear about fake doctors, fake surveyors, fake lawyers, they're all over the place. so your view is very biased.
You are relating d scientific prediction of eclipse with your acclaimed 'prediction' of Jesus. Fact is you don't know what prediction actually is. For your benefit nobody predicted Jesus would come again. It's a fact without any iota of timing<that's our belief>.
Einstein was great, yes. but everybody can't be einstein. If every Nigerian were as scientifically inclined as einstein, who would ask questions and who would teach ?
I really wonder what bias you have towards christianity, you claim that's it's the cause of mediocrity. maybe you never knew, every individual<irrespective of race, tribe, religion> is a creator of choice. you make the choice, you have d consequences. christianity isn't d cause of mediocrity, at least d word 'mediocrity' wasn't defined within the limits of any religion.
d article is so biased. i better hold my breath.

well then u have to agree that over 97% of nigerian pastors including are fake arn't they? There must be more fake holy men than ther are fake lawyers surveyors etc abi?

lomaxx:

@POSTER,
Your article may sound highly intellectual to many, but it has one reason too many to raise dusts.
   The fact is you don't understand christianity, so never try to complain about what you can't comprehend. In every good thing there must be fakes. Don't you hear about fake doctors, fake surveyors, fake lawyers, they're all over the place. so your view is very biased.
    You are relating d scientific prediction of eclipse with your acclaimed 'prediction' of Jesus. Fact is you don't know what prediction actually is. For your benefit nobody predicted Jesus would come again. It's a fact without any iota of timing<that's our belief>.
   Einstein was great, yes. but everybody can't be einstein. If every Nigerian were as scientifically inclined as einstein, who would ask questions and who would teach ?
   I really wonder what bias you have towards christianity, you claim that's it's the cause of mediocrity. maybe you never knew, every individual<irrespective of race, tribe, religion> is a creator of choice. you make the choice, you have d consequences. christianity isn't d cause of mediocrity, at least d word 'mediocrity' wasn't defined within the limits of any religion.
d article is so biased. i better hold my breath.

Why is any rational post considered to be biased? Of course, in order to explain its irrationality mysteries, religion tells us that we cannot understand. The article does not presume any intellectual airs at all. If you do not understand it you are stupid.
What is there to understand about Christianity (or indeed any religion)? That some bearded dude who has no beginning and no end decided someday to create the world as his plaything. He created man and woman and gave them dominion over all things, and immediately outlawed sex unless for the reason of pro creation. In the case of Christianity, he sacrificed his son for the sake of mankind (only it was not much of a sacrifice as the son was going to rise up again). What else is there to understand about fairy tales?
I am amazed that lomaxx now says no one predicted Jesus would come again. Either the fool does not read his bible, or all those mugus waiting for the second coming will be sorely disappointed (they will be anyway, but this is another story).
What have fake doctors, lawyers and surveyors got to do with the topic? At least, they do not claim to be on intimate terms with God, unlike the pastors people like lomaxx clearly look up to.
Religion does lead to mediocrity, one only needs to look at theocratic countries for confirmation of this proposition.
I wish lomaxx would hold his breath for ever. It would mean less mediocrity around.

The fact is you don't understand christianity,

The fact is that Christianity is a ridiculous myth-infested foreign dogma which persons like you chop hook line and sinker without thinking.

The author of this article is simply suggesting that people should abandon religion and go scientific.RELIGION HAS NEVER STOPPED ANY RACE FROM BEING CREATIVE, INVENTIVE,SCIENTIFIC and so forth,the muslims and christians both have their great strides in different areas of mathematics, medicine optics mechanics and so on,so, for someone to come out and say religion causes backwardness is an infantile utterance.whether he likes it or not there is a living GOD that sees everything that transpires here on earth and he gave everyone abilities.Religion is all abt God.GOD EXISTS.The author should prove otherwise.Afterall has disbelieve in religion made the author discover or invent any thing or made him an "EINSTEIN" or a "STEVE HAWKING".This kind of people only know God when they are about to die

lomaxx:

@POSTER,
Your article may sound highly intellectual to many, but it has one reason too many to raise dusts.
  The fact is you don't understand christianity, so never try to complain about what you can't comprehend. In every good thing there must be fakes. Don't you hear about fake doctors, fake surveyors, fake lawyers, they're all over the place. so your view is very biased.
   You are relating d scientific prediction of eclipse with your acclaimed 'prediction' of Jesus. Fact is you don't know what prediction actually is. For your benefit nobody predicted Jesus would come again. It's a fact without any iota of timing<that's our belief>.
  Einstein was great, yes. but everybody can't be einstein. If every Nigerian were as scientifically inclined as einstein, who would ask questions and who would teach ?
  I really wonder what bias you have towards christianity, you claim that's it's the cause of mediocrity. maybe you never knew, every individual<irrespective of race, tribe, religion> is a creator of choice. you make the choice, you have d consequences. christianity isn't d cause of mediocrity, at least d word 'mediocrity' wasn't defined within the limits of any religion.
d article is so biased. i better hold my breath.

I DONT KNOW PEOPLE LIKE THIS STILL EXIST. MY PEOPLE PERISH DUE TO LAK OF KNOWLEDGE.
\
Meanwhile lomaxx please use what happens around you on daily bases to make judgements, assumptions, etc.
try to forget whether you understand Christianity or not.

NiceHans:

The author of this article is simply suggesting that people should abandon religion and go scientific.RELIGION HAS NEVER STOPPED ANY RACE FROM BEING CREATIVE, INVENTIVE,SCIENTIFIC and so forth,the muslims and christians both have their great strides in different areas of mathematics, medicine optics mechanics and so on,so, for someone to come out and say religion causes backwardness is an infantile utterance.whether he likes it or not there is a living GOD that sees everything that transpires here on earth and he gave everyone abilities.Religion is all abt God.GOD EXISTS.The author should prove otherwise.Afterall has disbelieve in religion made the author discover or invent any thing or made him an "EINSTEIN" or a "STEVE HAWKING".This kind of people only know God when they are about to die

nope. the author did not suggest that any one should abandon religion. He kind of suggested that we should be going to Church with our eyes open and not closed. Pray very well but do what you can do as human . Dont live everything for God. He made you in his image to take care of your problems. He knows when to intervene. if He never intended us to go to hospital, He wouldnt have given us brains to become doctors.

This is a real wonderful piece.

I cant but agree with the writer, especially as it relates to NIGERIA!.

Millionaires Pastors and Imams are being made at the expense of the strugging masses and people have been brainwashed to jettison their reasoning and be waiting for divine miracle.

While I acknowledge God in all I do, I refuse to be led stupidly by most of these men of God who are in the constant business of claiming to know the mind of God.

I will love to be "GOAT" in the the context of the article

good write up, simply implies: what we ought to do has been lying around undone and our focus has been shifted from doing exploits in all life aspects to just 1 area ; RELIGION. we upcoming generation need re-orientation seriously before it's too late.

@ article

Tight. Keep it up.

You know one important fact people who write this type of article always forget to mention is that Christianity also teaches you about choices, meaning nobody will force you to go to any particular church, tithing is by choice, infact the whole idea of being a christian is a matter of choice, granted there are bad eggs just like you will see in every aspect of life. I am a born-again christian and I believe my Pastor is a true man of God but I don't do everything he says just because the Pastor said so, even the bible says you should check and hold on to the truth

Zodiac61:

Why is any rational post considered to be biased? Of course, in order to explain its irrationality mysteries, religion tells us that we cannot understand. The article does not presume any intellectual airs at all. If you do not understand it you are silly.
What is there to understand about Christianity (or indeed any religion)? That some bearded dude who has no beginning and no end decided someday to create the world as his plaything. He created man and woman and gave them dominion over all things, and immediately outlawed intimacy unless for the reason of pro creation. In the case of Christianity, he sacrificed his son for the sake of mankind (only it was not much of a sacrifice as the son was going to rise up again). What else is there to understand about fairy tales?
I am amazed that lomaxx now says no one predicted Jesus would come again. Either the fool does not read his bible, or all those mugus waiting for the second coming will be sorely disappointed (they will be anyway, but this is another story).
What have fake doctors, lawyers and surveyors got to do with the topic? At least, they do not claim to be on intimate terms with God, unlike the pastors people like lomaxx clearly look up to.
Religion does lead to mediocrity, one only needs to look at theocratic countries for confirmation of this proposition.
I wish lomaxx would hold his breath for ever. It would mean less mediocrity around.

Religion leads to mediocrity, yet religion lead the renaissance, it lead the Islamic Golden Age, it lead all art and culture that we have today, it lead Rome, Egypt and Mesopotamia, whether you think it's fairy tales or not. The Bible has not said Jesus will come on the xx date of the xx month, nor did Jesus himself say anything like that. Somebody claiming to know something like this is no difference than somebody claiming to have found the source of all matter.
Please, hold your tongue if you are goig to vomit nonsense like this.

lomaxx:

@POSTER,
Your article may sound highly intellectual to many, but it has one reason too many to raise dusts.
  The fact is you don't understand christianity, so never try to complain about what you can't comprehend. In every good thing there must be fakes. Don't you hear about fake doctors, fake surveyors, fake lawyers, they're all over the place. so your view is very biased.
   You are relating d scientific prediction of eclipse with your acclaimed 'prediction' of Jesus. Fact is you don't know what prediction actually is. For your benefit nobody predicted Jesus would come again. It's a fact without any iota of timing<that's our belief>.
  Einstein was great, yes. but everybody can't be einstein. If every Nigerian were as scientifically inclined as einstein, who would ask questions and who would teach ?
  I really wonder what bias you have towards christianity, you claim that's it's the cause of mediocrity. maybe you never knew, every individual<irrespective of race, tribe, religion> is a creator of choice. you make the choice, you have d consequences. christianity isn't d cause of mediocrity, at least d word 'mediocrity' wasn't defined within the limits of any religion.
d article is so biased. i better hold my breath.

You keep saying the OP does not understand Christianity but am wondering if you as an African now understand it better than Europeans who practiced it for centuries before some of then decided to bring the beliefs here.

Europeans seem to have been able to pick aspects of Christianity that emphasize integrity, community interest, love for fellow man etc and have since generally moved on while we are still saddled with aspects to seeks to demonize intellect, rational thinking, making men subservient to other men.

Virtually non of the positive aspects is even unique to Christianity that is why the Asian tigers (Singapore, Malaysia and Japan/China) that are doing well trace their development to the values their own religious philosophers left for them.

Do you know that at a time the church was responsible for crowning kings in Europe even the reforming orthodoxy wielded similar powers over there spheres of influence but where did it all lead to? persecutions, intolerance, making many seek a new life in the new world - America , Australia etc.