I couldn't help but recall the absurdity that was the "Cadaver Synod" in 897 A.D. where Pope Stephen VI put his predecessor and rival, Pope Formosus, on trial. (https://daily.jstor.org/the-cadaver-synod-putting-a-dead-pope-on-trial/)
Pope Formosus had been dead for some time (hence, not as "formosus" or "Curvy" as he once was, I suppose), but he was exhumed, dressed in the appropriate regalia, afforded some kind of legal right, found guilty and then tossed into the Tiber river (a bunch of other shenanigans took place, but I am too tired to write a whole article about this absurdity).
Of course, this is an episode I know well because I was born less than a mile from when all this took place. I was even baptized in St. Peter in Rome. It's something we bring up often when we want to remind somebody of how absurd religion can be.
What is the matter with these people?
I don't belong to any of these churches, not even the one I was born into.
However, one of my main hobbies is Bible Scholarship and especially early Christianity.
Ironically, we know so much about the very early century of Christianity not because they left behind precious manuscripts and profound revelations, nope.
We know so much because the so-called "Orthodox" church fathers were obsessed with chasing and revealing heretics wherever they could find them. In the process writing rivers of ink about them and their beliefs.
More recently I was following a Creationist event organized by some very conservative church.
Suddenly, the even exploded not because they found evidence for creationism. That's not going to happen, but because among the creationist they invited to explain creationism to their attendees there were members of a different church.
Let me clarify: both groups agreed completely that creationism is the bees knees. No problem there, but half their congregation was up in arms and everyone involved with the conference had to releaser multiple apologies for inviting the wrong kind of creationist.
Not only that, but he had LONG HAIR! Like a hippie or something.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-apologizes-for-allowing-male-speaker-with-long-hair.html
In one of the videos I watched on the topic (let's face it, this is comedy gold) one of the people interviewed was standing not too far from a painting of a long haired, bearded Jesus.
I often wonder how The Onion (the satirical magazine) is still in business.
Christians, please answer a simple question: are you really puzzled by the negative church attendance trends among young people? Don't these stories give you a bit of an inkling of what may be going on?
PS: Despite being a life-long atheist, I often donate to this church: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=centre+place+lecture
Among other things, I don't recall them wanting to exhume former members to put them on trial. Their lectures are excellent and their declaration of faith is one I can get behind, despite not seeing eye to eye on a few things.
