Posted by Tim Horgan after the recent seminar: Looking for Jesus in the 21st Century

I thought you might be interested in my note sheet from yesterday’s meet  It pieces together my observations and thoughts, mainly from the group conversation in the middle of the meet. I have attached it below. As you can see, I titled it, ‘practical benefits of religion’. It is in no way comprehensive, but it gives the gist of what I was trying to get at.

Now, I know I am new to the Lay Forum, and I apologise if I appear to be a bit pushy, but I feel as though I need to express my own ideas with regard to the direction of the group.

I feel as though it would be best if the group came to some sort of collective agreement regarding the practical benefits of religion. If it moved focus away from the negative aspects and the dilemmas religion faces, it would be in a position to focus on ‘the solution, not the problem’. It seems that much of the argument from the representatives of religion focuses on defence. Religious institutions have been copping a barrage of criticisms and attack for too long, and it seems that ever since the 1960s especially, they have only replied with defensive strategies. I feel as though Christianity will get nowhere until it can open up a new front of offensive argument. I feel as though it has the potential to successfully argue its benefits, because from my own explorations of society’s current condition, I have come to sense that its benefits would be quite strikingly enormous.

It would be great if action groups such as Lay Forum put their main focus on the positives and benefits. This would give them a firm handle on the situation, a foundation of which they could set out from to open an offensive front. Of course defensive argument IS important, but then every soccer team has both an offensive and defensive portion, and it is of course the offensive part which scores the goals.

                                                                                                            Posted by Tim Horgan