Objection 7: Church History is Littered with Oppression and Violence

Of all the objections Strobel examined, this one is the second most illogical (after "it's offensive to claim there is one way to God"). Church history has nothing to do with the historic basis of Christian faith, the resurrection; those who bring up such things as the Spanish Inquisition are looking for grievances, not truth.

Strobel interviews John D. Woodbridge, and they discuss several such historical objections. Jacobsen himself acknowledges that he found this "one the most difficult [objections] to respond to," for he acknowledges that "some of the warmest, kindest people I know are Christians" and he is not anxious to broad-brush all Christians. This is an admirable stance that I appreciate. He also freely acknowledges good done by Christians.

Woodbridge, he says, "like most apologists, doesn't want to blame Christianity for the evils done by misguided Christians. But on the other hand, he wants to give Christianity full credit for any good done by Christians." I frankly do not see this latter point at all in the interview. I see nowhere where Woodbridge speaks of "full credit" though really, one way or the other, the only way to blame or credit is to show that the system (Christian belief) leads to the action. I also do not see where Woodbridge is "all for blaming atheism for bad things done by atheists" and Jacobsen does not so much as quote a place where Woodbridge says this. I wonder if this is another busted "seems" by Jacobsen or if his copy of CAF is somehow annotated in a way mine isn't.

Woodbridge's answer as a whole is that true Christianity, the system, would not perpetrate such deeds as the Inquisition. Jacobsen at first throws a little hay in the air, claiming there is a "problem" in that "who decides what 'true Christianity' is?" Only in a politically correct age would someone suggest that "I'm sure the people involved in the Crusades, Inquisition, etc., all believed they were representing 'true Christianity.' Who decides?" Who decides? The historical data and the facts decide. The core documents decide. Objection? One of course could join a beneficient club like the Kiwanis, then go out and murder 100 people and claim, "I represent true Kiwanis. Who are you to decide what a true Kiwani would do?" Now what would Jacobsen's answer be to that sort of lunatic? (Of late, see more here; and on the "No True Scotsman" fallacy, see here.)

That said, Jacobsen allows that "true Christianity" at least "requires compassion and peaceful, loving behavior." In response he quotes Matthew 10:34, "do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword," -- apparently unaware that Jesus describes behavior by non-believers against believers, that is, non-believers who wield the sword (a more figurative one here, actually) against believers. Jacobsen wants to know who is to say what the right interpretation is -- well, that's where homework and contextual study come in. Tell us that that loony Kiwani has the "right" to decide that the Kiwanis charter proscribes murder. It is this sort of contextual study that would allow us to reply to Jacobsen's hypothetical person claiming that the OT extermination of the Canaanites serves as a model for today: When that person starts doing miracles; when that person delivers a new covenant; when that person mediates for God giving orders -- then maybe we can think about a parallel.

I am disappointed somewhat that Jacobsen does not choose to specifically discuss any of the 5 "sins" of the church other than the witch trials, though this is likely because he would admit he has no expertise in these historical issues; likewise, neither do I in 2 out of 5 of them, and one of those 2 happens to be the witch trials. Jacobsen does asks, what of laws in the OT teaching death to witches, and wonders how Woodbridge could oppose the trials in that light. I will put this two ways. First, this is where contextual study and the application of the text comes in: see here, which is where Jacobsen will find his answer of why the rules still apply but the punishments do not. Second, IF indeed there had been real witches -- casting spells on people, destroying crops, or otherwise threatening others -- then the only difference between themselves and someone who sticks a knife in your gut is the means by which they kill you. (Later, he also seems to have added some canards about allegedly poor OT laws; eg: Consider Deuteronomy 22, which presumes that a woman who is raped but does not cry out "really" consents to sex and consequently should be stoned to death. Was there ever a time when that rule could have been reasonable? Of course not! Why "of course not" is not explained save by assumption that emotional exclamation will do the job.)

In reply to Woodbridge's note that "many good things [are] done by Christians", he generally agrees, but comments "...I wonder if there wouldn't have been equally good art, music, etc., had the Christians been followers of some other religion." I presume here Jacobsen means, not that they would not have been as talented at what they do, but whether they would have produced as much, or as ideologically great or useful a work (i.e., they may have produced religious works to inspire people, but if not Christians, may have produced pornography). If he means talent then that is a non-issue. If he means the other, it may be granted that as a Buddhist, the person may have produced some equitably inspiring work, but for a different purpose. Nevertheless this is not a foundational argument for the faith and Woodbridge does not use it as such; he is merely replying to charges of evil done by the church.

Next up is a side question about the influence of the Holy Spirit:

I've always had a great deal of problems with this type of reasoning. Do we have free will or not? If we do, how can there be any restraining power of the Holy Spirit at all? The very word "restraining" means to contain, to interfere. If the Holy Spirit is allowed to "restrain" evil at all, they why can't the Holy Spirit restrain it all? Can the Holy Spirit restrain or prevent evil, yes or no?

The answer is "yes, but not in the way you think." Does someone who admonishes another i.e., to stop smoking, offer any "restraint"? Yes they do -- they do not take a fire hose to them, a higher degree of restraint, but they do attempt to restrain through "manipulation" (if we may say) of the target's conscience ("think of your family") or self-preservation instinct ("those things will kill you"). The latter form of restraint works within the paradigm of free will, and Jacobsen has merely forgotten the gray shades between the black and white of total dictatorial control and complete license.

Jacobsen next repeats some points on morality from chapter 4; we move to the next unique portion, within our purview, in close:

I also think it important to note that various cultures in history have had very different moral codes. Here is an example. Some Native American cultures believed homosexuality to be a blessing, a gift from God. If Christians, who generally believe that God finds homosexuality abhorrent are correct, is it logical that He would have forgotten to tell a lot of peoples and cultures throughout history?

To answer this question is probably not historically possible; one needs to ask, HOW did these cultures (I know of perhaps one, the Nez Perce) come to arrive at such a belief? If they did it by arbitrary "baptism" -- i.e., if they simply declared previous understandings of homosexuality wrong in the name of "tolerance" or for mere pleasure, then it is hardly a point to note that they arrived at the conclusion that it was a "blessing". This no more anoints homosexuality as moral than a thief declaring that he saw his career as a "blessing from God" validates his moral code. Whether God "forgot" or not is not really an issue -- any behavior can be baptized thusly whether God said a word or not, and if Jacobsen doubts it, let him explain why making the rules clear apparently didn't stop the Israelites from having their way.