Stahrwe wrote:we recognize our failures and are trying to lead better lives.
Stahrwe's claim that Christians 'recognize our failures' is so dishonest. If Christians actually wished to recognize their failures they would invite DM Murdock and people like her to their pulpits to preach about the real failures in intellect within Christianity. They would not make ignorant knee-jerk condemnations of scholars who are trying to find the truth of Christian origins. Christians do not invite Murdock to speak, and they ignore or belittle what she does say, because Christians wish to hide and deny their failures, especially the biggest failure of all, the failure of honesty in the world-historical swindle at the origins of their faith.
Christian teachings such as how forgiveness requires repentance, and how the truth will set you free, can take on a whole new meaning when the real story of the dishonesty within the Biblical stories is confronted explicitly. Christians are chained in a web of lies, and need to recognize their failure of intellect through an honest reading of the Bible.