[Weltschmerz]

Originally Posted by Ginnungagap

That wasn't a slant against Christianity as a whole, but the empty, traditionless modern varient which values a literal understanding of scripture over a genuine search for knowledge employing the values and traditions of the past. I am talking about how Christianity has chosen moralism, theology, and dogma over virtues, myth, and philosophy.

I agree to some extent. A quite common Christian attitude I've met is more concerned with being on the safe side, than with Christ as a mystery. There is a general reluctance and commonly a downright refusal to even speak about faith, except in stereotypical terms.

I'm sure there's a lot in say Traditional Catholicism, or Orthodox Christianity to admire, but I personally just never connected with Christianity, seemed alien to me. I have found my beliefs and gathered knowledge to be much more in line with German Idealism along with the ancient Indo-European traditions which inspired it, and created the cultures of my ancestors.

The German idealists were Christians, weren't they? In my view of Christianity, there is a division between two different currents. On the one hand, there is a dogmatic interpretation that often stresses intellectual righteousness on what I called "the safe side", in stereotypical and shallow representations, practices and ethics. On the other hand, there is a current of spirituality that is much more in line with what you mentioned - of union of matter and spirit, of reconciliation and mystical piety, combined with dynamic notions of virtue; in the words of Friedrich von Schelling (1775–1854): Spirit is invisible nature, nature is visible spirit.

I don't mean to insult any Christians, I just think in a historical and cultural context it led our cultures away from our indigenous spirituality which majorly shaped the culture of our people. I also have a problem with modern Christianity's rejection of science, while I myself am far from any type of cultural or scientific materialist, I do see value in our physical and chemical understanding of the universe, which despite what you may think, does fit into religion, just not so well with Christianity.

I think it can fit. But I dislike another approach that is common among scientists and intellectuals who are also Christians. I'm speaking of a tendency to water down Christianity to make it more in line with science on a shallow plane. That's actually a variant of the dogmatic current of Christianity already discussed. The idea is to focus on anything that is impossible to refute or hard to criticise, or to reduce Christianity to such conclusions. For example, something that liberal theologians have clinged to: "Christianity is about love." One branch of intellectualism that is a little bit more complicated is a kind humanism, a pragmatic view entailing that religious beliefs should be subject to scrutiny by reason. William James (1842–1910) was a proponent of such a position.