This is nothing new. People have worshipped Ishtar, Anu, Enlil, Enki, Allah, Osiris, Amon-Re, Amon, Yahweh, Shiva, Zeus, Tlaloc, Isis, Ra, Poseidon, Rama, Odin
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Still no answer to my question, Sstashmoo:
If God directed the writing of the Bible and intended it for our clear instruction, why didn't He ensure that inconsistencies and contradictions weren't introduced by later editors, revisionists, translators, and copyists?
When you can answer that in a rational and believable manner, you will have a leg to stand on. Until then, it's just myth masquerading as Truth.
Quote: "Still no answer to my question, Sstashmoo:"
Quite a superiority complex you have there. I asked you a question, "What do you believe in? It's your turn, shoot.
Quote: "If God directed the writing of the Bible and intended it for our clear instruction, why didn't He ensure that inconsistencies and contradictions weren't introduced by later editors, revisionists, translators, and copyists?"
You obviously cannot read as well. I answered this already "I don't know". I think it's a very tangential query, considering all other things.
You really are lost, and fail to see the point of this growingly arcane discussion.
What? Barack isn't your president too? He can believe in whatever superstition he wants to. What you fail to realize, is I'm not attacking religion like you seem to think I am- I speak for myself when I say that intelligent people [[in this context I was referring to youth who are indoctrinated at a young age) when faced with this shouldn't touch it with a barge pole- does that render the individual unintelligent and non-thinking? In my view, yes.
You use Barack Obama as a sledgehammer to attack me, as if I worship the ground he walks on. Have I ever expressed this point of view? No. Did I vote for him, yes- that doesn't mean I rubber-stamp his entire life view.
I don't subscribe to his policies as a whole either- but as the saying goes, he's better than a crass Republican politicain like the elitist fascist, John McCain.
You problem is critical thinking.
If you think megachurches make this country great, you're delusional. It only reinforces the "us" against "them" mentality of the ingorant followers of the charlatans who run them.
You say "Get over it"- get over what? I'm not lamenting anything here, but as a member of a secular society known as the United States, I have the secular laws of the land to protect me from the theocrats who would turn this nation into a Christian Fascist State.
For your information, there is an active Christian church on every block in Detroit, and look how much it's helped.
And my lack of belief has set me up with regard to those who bring their petty personal beliefs into their secular jobs.
I keep my lack of belief to myself, much as those who try and spread theirs around, should keep it to themselves, but rarely do.
If a co-worker comes in, or a boss, who acknowledges "Jesus" at every turn of phrase, and uses people's "personal relationship with Jesus" as a litmus test to judge others, or offer promotions, then we have a problem.
I have never accused posters on this site of discrimination based on my lack of belief. Where did you get that from?
Probably from your position of assuming too much. You show your lack of critical thinking when you assume based on your own blanket bigotry.
You wrote: "You don't have mega-churches in other nations like you do here. It's a big business run by charlatans, and is about selling phony salvation to ignorant people."
Then you wrote: "I'm not attacking religion like you seem to think I am"
Talk about lack of thinking skills. I think it's more your inability to recognize the obvious.
What a change. Usually it's me delivering a literary smack down to sstashmoo. It's kind of nice seeing other people doing it. The guy must enjoy the punishment.
Quote: "Usually it's me delivering a literary smack down to sstashmoo."
You wish kid. I've owned you on this forum so many times it's not even funny anymore. Punishment? I'm enjoying myself. Care to join in? :)
Uh-huh, right. I wouldn't even bother asking you to provide a single example of that happening because like always, you won't do it. Kind of like when you accused me of "Turtling" and then I asked you to provide a single instance of it, but you would not do it. So, while we waited for you to never respond I posted about 10 instances of you doing it. Remember that? This is kind of like that, huh?
Also, getting advice from sstashmoo about marriage and infidelity is like asking a priest for advice about sex, asking a vegetarian about cuts of meat, or asking ccbatson about computer advice. Did you ever find yourself a woman sstashmoo, or are you still "happily single"?
SStashmoo thinks he's some sort of stealthy Rethuglican, working behind the scenes, sniffing out conspiracies. I think Cheddar Bob and I could care less.
Hey, Stash, did you know how childish and mocking it is to pull out quotes from other people's posts and throw it back in our faces as if it has some weight of credibility?
Anyone notice how it's only the Rethuglicans who do this? Check out Batboy and others for using the same tactic.
Sorry, it ain't workin'.
Let's see if you can resist the temptation of pulling out the quotes. Learn to use the quote feature like the rest of us.
G-d forbid liberals should be consistent, and even worse that they should have their own hypocrisies thrown back in their faces constantly.
Wondering why liberals are the common victims Lorax? Hmmm...common perpetrators perhaps.
Quote: "Did you ever find yourself a woman"
Yes, Now you go get yourself a personality.
Quote: "I think Cheddar Bob and I could care less."
Oh please. Yeah you two act like it.
Quote: "Hey, Stash, did you know how childish and mocking it is to pull out quotes from other people's posts and throw it back in our faces as if it has some weight of credibility?"
Why don't you ask your side-kick Cheddar Boob that. He spends hours amassing posts with the quotes in question and even adding the quotes of others. Lying about who actually said what. I've caught him red-handed in that bit more than once.
Lorax's thought process:
Anyone who disgrees with me = Rethuglican
The woes of the economy = Tush and his Reich
People smarter than me = Religious Zealot, Charlatan, Christian etc.
Oh, please. I missed a quote bracket one time and it had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact of the matter. Also, you didn't catch it, Pam did so who's the real liar? The fact of the matter is that since you can't seem to figure out a simple quote function, I had to manually put them in so my post would look like shit like yours and I forgot one. Again, it didn't change my argument one bit.
I thought there was an "Absolutely No name Calling Rule"?
Not a superiority complex, I just am looking for a rational answer and haven't seen one yet. For something as important as the basis of Universal Truth, "I don't know" isn't sufficient.
An anthropologist spent some time among the !Kung people of Eritrea years ago. He noticed that every household had metal pots for cooking, yet they did not produce the pots but traded for them with neighboring tribes. So he asked one of the elders what the people did before they had metal pots. The elder thought for a moment, then answered, "Well, since it is well-known that people cannot live without metal pots, I suppose we died."
This is the kind of answer you offer me, one which on its face is absurd, but one which you still believe in implicitly despite its internal contradiction.
As for what do I believe? I believe God is rational and reasonable. Whatever isn't rational isn't from God. I believe that the Bible was written by men to make a point, and what is written by men is open to rigorous scrutiny and debate. I believe that if God wanted to give a message to mankind, He could very well make it clear, concise, and unequivacal. Since the Bible is none of these, it was not inspired by God.
"Unless you see signs and wonders, you do not believe" describes me perfectly. Show me a sign, and I will believe. Until then, I will remain a skeptic.
Quote: "This is the kind of answer you offer me,"
"I don't know" is a legitimate answer. I don't know everything and neither do you. Show me in any religious teaching that states or etched in stone as you like it, where it says you or any other human will know everything, or should at least expect to.
Jesus is the Messiah, get over it. Prophecy is being fulfilled even as we speak, nothing you can do about that. Or do you have a reasonable explanation for why everything is happening just as the New Testament said it would? Just look at the middle east, how many more signs do you need?
Succinctly put, cheddar bob. I concur.
It is not a legitimate answer when you categorically state that something is true. For that, you need more. You need evidence. And the evidence you present must be internally consistent. Yours is not.My knowledge base is not at issue, nor is yours. Once again you seek to shift the discussion into an area where you can answer questions I didn't ask or refute statements I didn't make.Quote:
I don't know everything and neither do you. Show me in any religious teaching that states or etched in stone as you like it, where it says you or any other human will know everything, or should at least expect to.
Depends on who you ask.Quote:
Jesus is the Messiah, get over it.
So is Nostradamus. Are you saying he was a prophet of God?Quote:
Prophecy is being fulfilled even as we speak, nothing you can do about that.
People have been pointing to these events or those events for centuries and saying, "See! This is the fulfillment of prophecy!" when in fact the further passage of time shows that it was not. There was a great movement across the face of Europe in the year 1000 that said that the end times were at hand, and all sorts of "fulfillments" were pointed to as evidence. I think we can all agree that the end times didn't happen in 1000, and I doubt very much that what is going on in the middle east is a sign of them, either. Seems like just the usual politics of hate to me. Nothing prophetic or miraculous about it.Quote:
Or do you have a reasonable explanation for why everything is happening just as the New Testament said it would? Just look at the middle east, how many more signs do you need?
Quote: "No, he's not."
Yes He is
Quote: "No it's not."
Yes it is.
Quote: "It's not."
It is
An equally intellectual reply.
LOL!!!
Looks like the Reich has their collective panties in a bunch. SStashmoo has it about right, though, with his assertions of what I'm all about- with the exception of Christofascists being "smarter" than me. Do we still use "smarter" as adults? Why use a 50 cent word when you can use a 5 dollar one?
The only "prophecy" being fulfilled here is my prediction that the Reich is wearing the Emperor's New Clothes- keep believing in fairy tales.
I see you couldn't resist mocking my post, I had money on that one, thanks! :D
Now, that's just mean. And uncalled for.