Hey Tablers! If you’re inclined to turning complex questions into either/or, barroom-brawl inducing posers, then this one should really light your fire. There’s been a fairly visible public intellectual debate around this question for some time, with a kind of fresh resurgence the past few years. Maybe it’s because there’s so much egregious evil being done in the name of religion these days, or maybe it’s because our contemporary communications tools have given atrocity, about which there is nothing truly unique, a whole new global platform.Whatever the case, the question of why religion (and Christianity is definitely on this list!) can provide a motivating force for deplorable acts is worth exploring. We didn’t make a point of it, but we did start down this path last week. This Sunday I’ll be continuing that exploration a bit further. Don’t come expecting a definitive answer to the question in the subject line, at least not from me. I don’t believe there is one. I do believe there is a lot to be gained by looking at the question, not least of all so we can get ourselves out of the land of either/or, and consider the implications of our own belief systems and practices.