I know you’re getting on up there, Al, but I hope you weren’t in parochial school in the 1890s! 
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No. But I did start parochial school in 1930. In the late 19th century my mother was taught that only by professing Jesus Christ as your Savior could you be saved from eternal damnation. In fact, the only assurance one has is to be baptized as a Catholic. She had too many Lutheran friends to believe that, but it bothered her regardless.
Al Leo
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In response to my post, our old friend Eddie suggested links to an account of both sides of the debate:
There is also an abridged edition, less expensive, but his link doesn’t seem to point to it!
He hopes that’s helpful to you.
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Thank you! That is very kind indeed.
Although–maybe we can all learn from them how to avoid the “diatribe and violent counterattack” between Christian brothers and sisters!
I’m learning from those on this forum in a good way, I think.
Is there a conflict between science and faith? Many of the great scientists of history have been men of faith. Newton, Galileo, Maxwell, and Faraday for instance. Science is simply using observation and reason to understand the natural world.
However within science there are many theories. There is no requirement to accept every theory is true. In fact we know from that many theories held to be true by the majority of scientists at some time have been disproven and discarded. The same is likely for some theories that are generally held to be true today. Questioning or rejecting a theory does not make somebody anti-science or a science denier.
What makes somebody anti-science is elevating a pet theory above criticism and claiming that anyone who questions it is against the whole of science.
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The other end of the anti-science spectrum from elevating a theory to the point where it is above criticism is categorically dismissing mountains of valid observations and independently corroborated measurements because one does not like the implications. The understanding of the various mechanisms involved in evolution is consistently being critically evaluated and refined.
And I have more than once been told that questioning certain claims of creationism is tantamount to being against the whole of the Bible. That is as ridiculous as the scenario you describe, and I would call it anti-Christian.
Would you agree that “What makes someone anti-Christian is elevating a pet interpretation of the Bible above criticism and claiming that anyone who questions it is anti-Christian?” If not, why not? How is it different than what you described?
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Yes, I think you’re right. It sounds like a good way to fall into heresy. Even if that pet interpretation is correct trying to prevent open discussion like that isn’t the best way to defend it.
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Synergetics 1 and 2.
Read "Ever Rethinking the Lords Prayer’ by Bucky Fuller that he states he ran through his head every night before bed. I like his 1979 version best. He published it in his book "Critical Path’.
https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/07/12/buckminster-fuller-ever-rethinking-the-lords-prayer/
His ways of thought processing --and others-- led me to think like this.
Spirit-1 is metaphysical-1 spirit-of-intent as associated with mind/intellect/concepts basedupon and stem from, our nervous system patterning
Spirit-2 is fermions, bosons and any aggregate collection thereof,
Spirit-3 is metaphysical-3 gravity,
Spirit-4 is meta{ beyond }physical dark energy.
I think of gravity and dark energy as meta{ beyond }physical because unlike most other fermions and bosons in standard model, gravity and dark energy have not been quantised nor quantified.
It may be, that, they will never be quantised nor quantified ergo always appearing to as meta{beyond}physical.
As for abnormal, far-out, extra-ordinary experiences, I recall my wife and I traveling at night on some unfamiliar back roads and we were using a state map to understand where we were exactly and which way we needed to go to get to my moms house.
I one point I stated to my wife that, have no idea what the name of the next road we come to could be. I was frustrated and blurted out the name could be Red Star something something.
A longer and not ordinary name that came seemingly nohwere in my mind. That strange four word name was the name on the street sign of this country road, I was totally blown away.
The best that I could figure was that name must have occurred somewhere earlier on our journey and went into my subconscious, only to pop-out at a moment of frustration. The state map did not have any of these small country road listed.
Probably had just seen it along the way and it never registered with my mind or something else occurred that I have no idea what it was.
My mother attempted to practice Christian Science{ Mary Baker Eddy } with Winstons cigarettes in one hand and her Seagrams 7&7’s in the other and with the Bible or Christian Science Journals in between on the table.
Love my mother for all of the metaphysical conversations—using the word metaphysical— in childhood.
I have faith that all questions, of all time, can be answered, given enough time and a desire by humans to seek truth.
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