"Crisis Initiation"

[questionmark]

The only part of Christianity I respect is the actual words of Jesus - and I think even these have been heavily doctored in the New Testament. So the answer would be - definitely not.

Paul is where christianity went terribly wrong.

Br Cornelius

Well, looks like according to the Testament of St. Thomas Peter had his fingers in it too...

[+and-then]

The only part of Christianity I respect is the actual words of Jesus - and I think even these have been heavily doctored in the New Testament. So the answer would be - definitely not.

Paul is where christianity went terribly wrong.

Br Cornelius

That's interesting. I have never thought of the Holy scriptures as being some sort of cafeteria plan where one could pick and choose what to believe. That explains much about your opinions on issues, I guess. No offense intended btw, just seems odd to me.

[Guest]

That's interesting. I have never thought of the Holy scriptures as being some sort of cafeteria plan where one could pick and choose what to believe. That explains much about your opinions on issues, I guess. No offense intended btw, just seems odd to me.

The choice of the Gospels and other books that went into the New Testament were made over the first 300yrs after Christ, by groups of Bishops who decided what would be politically best for the developing church. Do you actually believe that their debates were directly inspired by God. I personally think your a comedian if you do.

Br Cornelius

Edited October 6, 2012 by Guest

[Professor T]

That's interesting. I have never thought of the Holy scriptures as being some sort of cafeteria plan where one could pick and choose what to believe. That explains much about your opinions on issues, I guess. No offense intended btw, just seems odd to me.

Interesting too and throws here, a tad off topic, but interesting nun-the less.

imo holy scriptures ARE something one can pick and choose from. To be told what to believe defeats the idea free will.

[+and-then]

Interesting too and throws here, a tad off topic, but interesting nun-the less.

imo holy scriptures ARE something one can pick and choose from. To be told what to believe defeats the idea free will.

Being told about a way to live that is for a person's benefit isn't the same as being forced into anything. It's simply a choice that has to be made or rejected. But the instructions (I've always thought) come as a package deal. Christ came to fulfill the law so trying to keep the ordinances of the OT is not something Christians have to do. But the Law is for all time...i.e. the Ten..... If one does not believe the good news of Christ that was relayed to His disciple Paul, then he cannot be said to be a Christian in the fullest sense. Christ's words were for all times but were specifically meant for the Jew first, then the Gentile. Paul's message was for everyone but especially for Christ's church...mostly Gentiles.

[Professor T]

Being told about a way to live that is for a person's benefit isn't the same as being forced into anything. It's simply a choice that has to be made or rejected. But the instructions (I've always thought) come as a package deal.

Quite contradictory..

Being told about a way to live.. yes, is not being forced..

It's simply a choice that has to be made or rejected... correct.. We are the masters of these choices..

But the instructions (I've always thought) come as a package deal.. wrong imo...

If one chooses to live by a certain scripture or policical offiliation or anything at all as far as belief goes, it is up to that idividual to find is own way towards that goal, and not a set of instructions.. Life, religion, politics, ways of being, these are fluid concepts that change and transform from generation to generation and as such a written set of instuctions serves only to dam and obstruct the flow.. instructions on how to live, in any way or form, are counter productive.. Sure there are aspects of it that should we written in stone, but it's up to an idividual to choose to accept these aspects.. But should not accept instruction..

Edited October 7, 2012 by Professor T

[Yamato]

Though you make perfectly good points, to deny the malign influence of religious fanatics is disingenuous. People like "and then" would not be rabid zionists without religious fanaticism. Iran has a strong influence of apocalyptic fanaticism at the highest levels of Government. To deny the religious influence within the Taliban and Hamas is to deny reality. These people maybe bolstered by short sighted foreign interventions - but their innate brutality to others not of their faith is entirely derived from the religious aspects of their beliefs.

The overwhelmingly negative aspect to all this is that these people do not see the death of millions as anything but inevitable and something to look forward to. That is a dangerous addition to an already dangerous demographic.

Br Cornelius

Religion doesn't drag its unwilling government kicking and screaming to war. It's government that uses religion as an excuse to raise the ire of the people so they're willing to accept war to solve problems.

The world wouldn't cease being greedy, evil, corrupt, violent, terrorist, or self-interested at someone else's expense if God is dead. God doesn't provide real reasons to be any of these things; it's just a dirty excuse people use to kill one another for the real reasons people kill each other - land, resources, and power.