I’m curious. Were you once of the faith and walked away?
He has made that abundantly clear.
Yes sir. There was even a time I taught Sunday school
Objective vs subjective. You cats are obviously in the throws of it, in the middle of the hurricane. I’ve spent 25 years approaching it from the perspective of what is historical. While you spent time in Sunday school, I spent time studying Williston Walker and learning about Origen and Ignatius, the evolution of the scriptures both OT and NT, their origins in things like Zoroastrianism and the like.
But, you watched Bible cartoons and went to Sunday school. So, of course, Christians think they’re the experts on Christianity despite 2000 years of fighting each other over every little piece of it and not agreeing to this day on most of it.
I attended seminary.
He’s not. If he didn’t care he wouldn’t keep bringing it up.
Clearly not the same.
They way you think can have an affect on your actions.
P.T. Barnum understood human ;naivete and the capacity of humans to believe what is palpably untrue. For eons humans have wondered why and for what purpose they exist. They sensibly fear the inevitably of the end of their existence, at least most do. Hence they create mythologies about gods and guarantees of immortality. Religions with no promise of afterlife have a short history. In the history of man, many gods worshiped by multitudes are almost forgotten or are supplanted by “better” gods. In fact they are scoffed at as being primitive beliefs. God and religion are IMO no more than inventions of man.
Though I find Warden’s taunting prose objectionable and unkind, I am in general agreement with his stance on religion. Though I think homosexuality is a perversity of natural behavior, I think opinions on the subject are eminently debatable. That religious zeal has attenuated with the passage of time gives me comfort that man is becoming more civilized and appreciative of the concept of individual liberty.
I have enjoyed this thread and the parrying between Warden and GSC who both write with authority, It reminds of the great Baltimore satirist Henry Lewis Mencken. Mencken writes with eloquence and a wry sense of humor. Mencken was severely critical of religion.
I have a measure of respect for the Bible, especially the Ten Commandments which are manifestations of an early legal code, Mencken wrote:
Blockquote “For the Bible, despite all its contradictions and absurdities, its barbarisms and obscenities, remains grand and gaudy stuff, and so it deserves careful study and enlightened exposition. It is not only lovely in phrase; it is also rich in ideas, many of them far from foolish. One somehow gathers the notion that it was written from end to end by honest men—inspired, perhaps, but nevertheless honest. When they had anything to say they said it plainly, whether it was counsel that enemies be slain or counsel that enemies be kissed. They knew how to tell a story, and how to sing a song, and how to swathe a dubious argument in specious and disarming words.”
During Mencken’s times, the subject of Christian Science’s contravention of law with regard to medical treatment became a heated debate. Mark Twain even wrote an entire volume devoted to Christian Science, a religion invented by Mary Baker Eddy. Here’s a snippet by Mencken discussing religion, Christian Science in particular, and the concept of individual liberty.
Blockquote “My argument for them is not altruistic in the least, but purely selfish. I should dislike to see them harassed by the law for two plain and sound reasons. One is that their continued existence soothes my vanity (and hence promotes my happiness) by proving to me that there are even worse fools in the world than I am. The other is that, if they were jailed to-morrow for believing in Christian Science, I should probably be jailed the next day for refusing to believe in something still sillier. Once the law begins to horn into such matters, I am against the law, no matter how virtuous its ostensible intent. No liberty is worth a hoot which doesn’t allow the citizen to be foolish once in a while, and to kick up once in a while, and to hurt himself once in a while.”
Mencken recognized the genius of the Founding Fathers on the subject of religion:
Blockquote
“The Fathers of the Republic, I believe, were far cleverer fellows than they are commonly represented to be, even in the schoolbooks. If it was not divine inspiration that moved them, then they must have drunk better liquor than is now obtainable on earth. For when they made religion a free-for-all, they prepared the way for making it ridiculous; and when they opened the doors of office to the mob, they disposed forever of the delusion that government is a solemn and noble thing, by wisdom out of altruism.”
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Seems fun. It’s been a passion of mine for nearly 30 years, but not scripture itself. The evolution of scripture is what I’ve focused on. Fun stuff. You can spend lifetimes on it and just scratch the surface
Lol…you dorks are like walking bumper stickers. So cliche
Is my statement accurate? Yes or no?
Sure…“can”…lot of things “can” happen in a lot of ways and scenarios.
Doesn’t mean they will, or they do, are they are here.
Just stop man, you sound pathetic.