Let me ask you, if all the bibles and every shred of text containing the biblical texts disappeared tomorrow, could there be converts to Christianity?

Now, wait a minute, B.  Cause this is misleading. The Christian theology and worldview existed way before the book. Now, the printing press was not available before the mid 14th century and bibles for another near hundred years after that.

And, in fact bibles in one's own language would be a few more hundred years, in the making.  They did not want them in the home language. We spoke English and had Latin bibles.  It was illegal to have a Greek or English bible.  The first few who tried to bring them to us, in the home language, were either run out of Europe, or killed and burned as a heretic. I wonder why. LOL!

Now, I have said all that to say -- that Christianity was alive and well - first only as an oral tradition and only a very few had biblical texts at all. Still, through the oral tradition alone, the religion flourished. 

Now, the difference is with an oral tradition -- we have a much more flexible way of changing things when they no longer fit, with an oral tradition.  So, the problem becomes less that something is in a book -- then that that particular book is to be unquestioned. 

So, with science, psychology, philosophy, etc. books are queried, ideas throug inquiry made more accurate.  When, through print you crystallize thoughts and as you say, idolize the book, as God himself...making it hands off to scrutiny..it is a bad, bad, bad, thing. And, that is what has happened to that book. Because it stifles and stagnates process and progress.  Myth becomes science.

How many times has science or society been stagnated or halted, because the bible said something? Folks speak to us, from 3000 years ago and we pretend to know nothing of all that we have learned since.  Galileo, Darwin, Drew Jarvis, abortion, invitro, medical breakthroughs, family, stem research, etc. all postphoned and tharted cause some cave man said something a gabillion years ago, that is no longer even valid or relevant for our times. Oh the earth can not revole around the sun, becasue some character stopped the sun.  Some insect has 6 or 8 legs because the book says so. Muslims should behead their wives and enemies because Muhammed said so.  Kill gays cause the book says so. They shoulda been able to make themselves straight - the book says so. 

It's as you said --the whole baby/bathwater thing.........when is enough enough? When do we tell zealots -- look, you can not pretend we live 3 or 4 thousand years ago, just because you are petrified of the world we live in. U live it-- just stop trying to dictate the rest of the world reside in those dark ages with you. Given what I have read - that world was pretty scary too. In theory, the book is dangerous, not in and of itself, but because people really believe it all literally. Are forced to.

We are all sleepwalking and I don't know that we can wake up, before out march to WW II, and annihilation of the human race, trying to help God, with the mythology of Armaggedon and the mythical showdown between good and evil.  People really believe this, and as with any cult -  Koresh, Jones, the Moonies, Heaven's Gate, Hitler --- a book is not necessary.  The rapidity of conversion is.  Conversion is faster, and more orthodox, with the book.  So yeah, unfortunately, there would still be Christianity, or some derivative thereof.  Many of us are simply wired for God/religion. unquestioned authority. Born sub~missives. Be well.

Greetings,

Look guys -- can we just talk about the content? I never thought it was B's stuff.  I saw your name on it clearly.  It just seemed like a good topic to explore. So, let's explore, shall we? In fact, I did meander over to that site and found it worth the effort.  I adore freethinkers, as demonized as folks make them out to be. Top of the morning. 

Be well.