Post #291,652
8/27/07 12:28:07 PM
|
Not all Christians are Fundies
Many Christians can reconcile the story of Creation with the Big Bang because there was no science in existence to explain the beginning of the universe when the Bible was written. As man became more sophisticated, better ways of explaining the birth of the universe were made known. I have no problem with that.
Scholars of the Bible can attest that the Virgin Birth is a matter of semantics. I won't go into detail because I know you don't care. The bottom line is that regardless of the way Jesus was conceived, he was an extraordinary human being.
With regards to the Crucifixion, yes, it is gruesome and horrifying in the sense that a father would sacrifice his only son. But you are also only telling half of the story. Jesus had a choice and he chose to be crucified. The symbolism of dying for our sins is a matter of faith and unconditional love. The power of that is something that many people need in their lives.
Finally, "anyone not believing this particular fairy tale will burn in Hell forever"...I believe God is merciful and universal. Heaven and Hell are distinctly personal, just as your relationship with God is personal. Either you believe or you don't. So, if you believe you are going to burn in hell, you will. Or you can believe otherwise...
I know I'm not going to change your mind, but I do hope to give you some insight that not all Christians are the same.
Smile,
Amy
|
Post #291,663
8/27/07 12:49:44 PM
|
It's the fundamental premise I dismiss.
That God would take human form. I couldn't believe that when I was taught it in Sunday school at the ripe old age of six. I don't believe anyone really believes that God would (1) need a human son, (2) had bloodlust so strong that by damn, some one had to die a tortuous death for all the bad things God's creations did and (3) was so inconceivably unjust, ruthless and bloodthirsty that He didn't care if the bad people were the ones killed, but some one had to suffer and die. Some one dying a miserable death was the most important thing to God. All for doing things, presumably, that He knew they'd do when He created them. Talk about your non sequiturs.
As a tot, I decided that the Xian God is just too vicious and unjust to be real. And the whole "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son..." nonsense. "Only begotten Son"? Please. I still don't believe that anyone honestly thinks that's true. And if you discount that, you can't really call yourself a Christian. Can you?
bcnu,
Mikem
Microsoft Vista. The best reason ever to buy a Mac.
|
Post #291,667
8/27/07 12:56:00 PM
|
Yes, I do
Where did you go to church?
Smile,
Amy
|
Post #291,674
8/27/07 3:18:06 PM
|
So are there bits of the Bible you disregard?
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
[link|http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?pwhysall|A better terminal emulator]
[image|http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h262/pwhysall/Misc/saveus.png|0|Darwinia||]
|
Post #291,675
8/27/07 3:39:06 PM
|
Yes.
I regard the Bible as a book about truths written in the vernacular of its time. I am not a biblical scholar, although I have read some scholarly works and find them fascinating.
There are some parts of the Old Testament that condemn homosexuality that I find offensive in light of my belief in a loving, merciful God. In the New Testament, there isn't really any mention, AFAIK. I don't think it makes me a hypocrite.
Smile,
Amy
|
Post #291,677
8/27/07 3:41:56 PM
|
How do you have the authority to choose?
It's the word of God, right?
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
[link|http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?pwhysall|A better terminal emulator]
[image|http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h262/pwhysall/Misc/saveus.png|0|Darwinia||]
|
Post #291,679
8/27/07 3:43:33 PM
|
Free will, Baby!
Smile,
Amy
|
Post #291,683
8/27/07 3:48:15 PM
|
So what's the point of God, then?
You've just written him out of your equation.
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
[link|http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?pwhysall|A better terminal emulator]
[image|http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h262/pwhysall/Misc/saveus.png|0|Darwinia||]
|
Post #291,684
8/27/07 3:55:39 PM
|
Not exactly.
I am free to believe what I want. That is the beauty of faith. Knowing without doubt or fear that my soul is at peace with my maker.
You don't have to agree with it. I don't have to convince you otherwise.
Smile,
Amy
|
Post #291,685
8/27/07 4:03:36 PM
|
Er, yes you do.
Matthew 28:19
Mark 16:20
That's a direct set of instructions to go spread the word.
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
[link|http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?pwhysall|A better terminal emulator]
[image|http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h262/pwhysall/Misc/saveus.png|0|Darwinia||]
|
Post #291,691
8/27/07 4:49:33 PM
|
We are all called
to spread the Word in our own way.
Smile,
Amy
|
Post #291,699
8/27/07 5:27:36 PM
|
w o r d consider me done
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 51 years. meep
reach me at [link|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net]
|
Post #291,703
8/27/07 6:00:48 PM
|
nicely s p r e a d
Smile,
Amy
|
Post #291,687
8/27/07 4:05:23 PM
|
It's not a boolean. Or maybe it is and some get it wrong.
Beats me. I am not, personally, a believer in deities. I believe in stuff though. Gravity really seems to work whether I want it to or not. Inertia is another one that seems here to stay. I just kicked a big fucking rock (accidentally) while barefooted and I think I now have a broken toe.
If one is to believe in deities, one might consider that the written work on them is compiled by humans and the believer can accept which bits and pieces they think the author(s) got right. In some times and places, people were burned alive for that, but what the hell, as long as you get to keep the marshmallows...
I know a fair number of people whose minds I highly respect, in spite of them being religionists. I can't get my brain to accept that they are substandard because they have a different outlook on things. I also can't get myself to believe that I'm the only one who's figured this stuff out. YMMV
|
Post #291,700
8/27/07 5:28:40 PM
|
sure it was an accident and not a bad rock with attitude?
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 51 years. meep
reach me at [link|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net|mailto:bill.oxley@cox.net]
|
Post #291,701
8/27/07 5:29:43 PM
|
Can't speak for the attitude, but it was particularly sneaky
|
Post #291,686
8/27/07 4:04:43 PM
|
There are intolerant parts of the NT too.
Please don't think I'm piling on; this is just an FYI. E.g. [link|http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=52&chapter=1&version=31|Romans Chapter 1]: 18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities\ufffdhis eternal power and divine nature\ufffdhave been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator\ufffdwho is forever praised. Amen.
26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. Paul didn't like homosexuality - at all. He lumps it in with lots of the "deadly sins". But he also says, "God gave them over to shameful lusts" - does that mean it's God's fault? ;-) IMHO, one has to be selective in reading the Bible. Even those who take it as the divine word of God can't really believe [link|http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/donald_morgan/inconsistencies.html|every word] even if they profess otherwise. Hang in there. :-) Cheers, Scott.
|
Post #291,692
8/27/07 4:53:05 PM
|
as I said
IANABS :-)
Smile,
Amy
I am not a biblical scholar
|
Post #291,693
8/27/07 4:54:17 PM
|
Me neither. :-)
|
Post #291,694
8/27/07 4:55:42 PM
|
Not to be confused with...
IANABs
(I am not a banana split)
:-D
Smile,
Amy
|
