A Christmas Metaphor
On the festival formerly known as Saturnalia/Yule, an interesting (or not) observation.
Isaac Asimov in short story, "Little Lost Robot", introduced Nestor series of robot. These robots in addition to being "three laws" compliant, had the ability to detect gamma radiation.
This is the basic setup which drives the story. Nestor robots, bound by first law ("A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm."), persistently try to save the scientists working with gamma radiation, even though the working scientists are at no point ever in danger (more than adequate safeguards, gamma radiation itself being mild etc). Since first law is absolute and gives no leeway for safeguards or human judgement, the robots have no option but to drag away the scientists from their experiment, literally stalling the project. In short, they were great pain in the unmentionables.
This has uncanny similarity with Christianity. According to Christian theology, all humans are afflicted by original sin, and as such destined for eternal torment of hell. Luckily for us, Jesus Christ, son of God, God in human form, sacrificed himself for our sins. As such it is duty of every Christian to bring heathens to light of Jesus and save their eternal souls. If this annoys the heathens or disrupts their (Satanic) customs, then (for Christians) it is but a small price to pay for their salvation.
And that is why neo-Christians who have consciously accepted Christian theology (unlike cultural Christians, for whom it is just part and parcel of inherited culture) , are usually such pain in the ass.
Isaac Asimov in short story, "Little Lost Robot", introduced Nestor series of robot. These robots in addition to being "three laws" compliant, had the ability to detect gamma radiation.
This is the basic setup which drives the story. Nestor robots, bound by first law ("A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm."), persistently try to save the scientists working with gamma radiation, even though the working scientists are at no point ever in danger (more than adequate safeguards, gamma radiation itself being mild etc). Since first law is absolute and gives no leeway for safeguards or human judgement, the robots have no option but to drag away the scientists from their experiment, literally stalling the project. In short, they were great pain in the unmentionables.
This has uncanny similarity with Christianity. According to Christian theology, all humans are afflicted by original sin, and as such destined for eternal torment of hell. Luckily for us, Jesus Christ, son of God, God in human form, sacrificed himself for our sins. As such it is duty of every Christian to bring heathens to light of Jesus and save their eternal souls. If this annoys the heathens or disrupts their (Satanic) customs, then (for Christians) it is but a small price to pay for their salvation.
And that is why neo-Christians who have consciously accepted Christian theology (unlike cultural Christians, for whom it is just part and parcel of inherited culture) , are usually such pain in the ass.
