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Full Idea
The notion that religions are creeds - lists of propositions or doctrines that everyone must accept or reject - emerged only with Christianity.
Gist of Idea
Christians introduced the idea that a religion needs a creed
Source
John Gray (Seven Types of Atheism [2018], Intro)
Book Ref
Gray,John: 'Seven Types of Atheism' [Penguin 2019], p.5
A Reaction
With a creed comes the possibility of heresy. I''m not happy with children being taught to recite something which begins 'I believe…', but which they have never thought about and barely understand.
| 23055 | Christians introduced the idea that a religion needs a creed [Gray] |
| 23056 | Judaism only became monotheistic around 550 BCE [Gray] |
| 23057 | Gnosticism has a supreme creator God, giving way to a possibly hostile Demiurge [Gray] |
| 23058 | Buddhism has no divinity or souls, and the aim is to lose the illusion of a self [Gray] |
| 23061 | Free atheism should start by questioning its faith in humanity [Gray] |