Mike Parsons
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Fear in Religious Contexts
Religion often resorts to fear to prevent people from embracing ideas or practices it doesn’t understand or that do not align with its doctrinal beliefs. This is not, in my view, inconsistent with the truth of who God is, nor with Jesus being the embodiment of truth and the core message of the Bible. The presence of fear arises largely from a lack of understanding, particularly when something is discovered or embraced by those outside the Christian community—it’s immediately seen as suspect or wrong, which creates unnecessary problems. However, God is not the author of fear; perfect love casts out fear, so there is no reason to be afraid of scientific discovery.
Historical Opposition to Progress
Throughout history, Christians and the wider religious institution have regularly resisted developments in understanding and technology. This opposition was seldom about genuine scriptural concerns and more often about maintaining control. Consider the printing press: the church burned William Wycliffe at the stake for translating the Bible into English, which meant ordinary people could read scripture for themselves. Previously, only scribes translated and copied the Bible, usually in Latin, ensuring that the common person had to rely on religious authority for interpretation.
Power and Influence in Religious Systems
The fear surrounding change and innovation has been more about preserving power and influence than defending truth. If people could access the Bible directly, they no longer needed leaders to interpret it on their behalf, and so the authority and power of those leaders was undermined. Religious authorities have opposed technology and scientific advancement for this reason. For instance, those who claimed the earth revolved around the sun—such as Galileo—were persecuted and nearly burned at the stake for challenging conventional thinking. Looking back, it’s clear that these actions stemmed from narrow-mindedness and an unwillingness to embrace progress.
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Sons of Issachar 