GIVE ME MY DAILY BREAD

[Maggot]

The history went word of mouth after and that's when it all went to hell. The dead sea scrolls may be a remnant of it and I bet some things are still buried. The librarians were savages back then. And were grabbing as many scrolls as they could carry.

[Blindgreed1]

The history went word of mouth after and that's when it all went to hell. The dead sea scrolls may be a remnant of it and I bet some things are still buried. The librarians were savages back then. And were grabbing as many scrolls as they could carry.

I remember playing a game in grade school where one person would whisper a "secret" into someones ear and that person whispered in the next persons ear and so on until everyone had heard the "secret." by the time the last person heard the "secret" it was a completely different story. I mean like so different it blew our little minds. It's inherent of "word of mouth" story telling. I'm sure much of the bible is like this.

[Blindgreed1]

I understand what you’re saying.

Why this particular regional story instead of another?

For me, this one hasn’t gone away after a couple of generations.

It’s strengthened as the millennia have gone by.

At some point it just comes down to believing or not believing.

I often struggle with all of it, essentially believing that there’s more to this whole thing than just evolution.

But even I have seen signs where my doubts are answered with evidence.

I feel that if a person wishes to truly seek God, to see a sign, they will.

I go back to my Dad, who I feel is the smartest, most perceptive person I know, and he absolutely, unequivocally KNOWS that there is life beyond this, and that Jesus is our Lord and Savior.

He’s not a BSer, he never has been, and to see him state his convictions so confidently really makes my soul soar.

I think that is probably my biggest issue on this topic. In any other conversation, that would go over like a lead balloon. Everything else in this world (at least in my world) is based on evidence, facts and reproducible results. When it comes to religion, it's just believe or not. Depending on the religion, belief can be rewarded (like being one of the predetermined number of people who will ascend to "heaven"). Disbelief can carry punitive consequences (like burning in a lake of fire). What really rings true with me is that in the early ages of mankind, there were no consequences for bad behavior. Religion gave us law. In nearly every religion, there are consequences in the afterlife for poor behavior on this earth. Regardless of the validity of the claims it served/serves a purpose. For that I am thankful.

[Blindgreed1]

Interesting dialog. I'm enjoying the civility of it given the topic.

[Donovan]

Religion is and has always been a way for a very select few to maintain control over the multitudes. The name and details are unimportant. Humans are tribal by nature and inclined to cooperation but among our earliest instincts is the need to be the alpha male/female for various purposes generally related to wealth acquisition and procreation. So all our earliest hierarchies, from religion to government, revolved around people claiming divine right to be the boss. Little has changed in that regard. Whenever the populace of a given society figures out how much they outnumber the ruling class, things generally go badly for the leaders. So the claims of divine right get ever more complex, ever more intricate, to insure that those in power stay there.

[Blindgreed1]

And just like that, Dono killed the thread.

[Midwest Spy]

And just like that, Dono killed the thread.

I hope you’re not giving up that easily just cuz Dono came along to opine?

[Blindgreed1]

And just like that, Dono killed the thread.

I hope you’re not giving up that easily just cuz Dono came along to opine?

Giving up on what? I have a pretty full schedule today so I won't be around much, and today is my Friday so I will likely drop in some time on Monday.

[Donovan]

I added a different take and was prepared to back it up in open discussion. It is my contention that if Xtianity's so-called defenders are unable or unwilling to debate its relative merits and origins, maybe they lack the courage of their convictions.

As for "opining": if a statement is backed by overwhelming historical data, is it still "opinion"? Notice in my original statement I did not single out Xtianity or the Xtian God for ridicule. The precepts of religion are far older than that particular sect. Organized Religion is about obedience to authority and acquisition of wealth for those few who want to retain power. Always has been.

[Midwest Spy]

There’s a ‘religious arguing’ thread somewhere.

This isn’t that thread.

You and HotD sound just like my mother.

Smarter than everybody.

Good for you.

You believe what you want and I’ll believe what I want.

It’s a simple as that.

[Jimbone]

You believe what you want and I’ll believe what I want.

It’s a simple as that.

I immediately thought of this:

[Maggot]

There is only one God but he has many names.

[sally]

I'm a little sick of MS bossing people around in here like it's his way or the highway.

[Duchess]

I will never argue about religion.

[Midwest Spy]

I'm a little sick of MS bossing people around in here like it's his way or the highway.

Not exactly bossing people around.

As I pointed out, there’s a ‘religious arguing’ thread tucked away somewhere.

Those that would like to go on and on about how they don’t believe that Jesus is our Savior and Lord are welcome to go there and ramble on.

And on.

And on.

[sally]

Yeah and we can do it in here too. Actually it's more entertaining to do it in here.

[Midwest Spy]

Yeah and we can do it in here too. Actually it's more entertaining to do it in here.

Right.

If you consider Missionary more fun.

Cuz that’s what we’re offering.

[Donovan]

1. His name wasn't Jesus.
2. He didn't call himself our savior, that shit was invented much later.
3. Most of what is considered Canon was heavily edited and rewritten by, you guessed it, church leaders and rulers trying to justify their own continued rule. Also to marginalize females, but thats a whole other thread.
4. Jesus may have actually existed as a minor prophet but the mythical Jesus was most likely an apocryphal tale stolen almost word for word from earlier tales like the epic of Gilgamesh. Like most of the Christian religion was cobbled together from earlier religions. Symbols and all.

But hey, your dad seems like a straight shooter MS so he's probably right about religion.

[Midwest Spy]

I’m happy.

Are you, Dono?

[sally]

Yeah and we can do it in here too. Actually it's more entertaining to do it in here.

Right.

If you consider Missionary more fun.

Cuz that’s what we’re offering.

And we have the right and freedom in the United States Of America to criticize your bible quotes and love for televangelists.

You can post your daily gospels, but you can't get all pissy when someone interjects occasionally.