What's wrong with this world?

Professor S · 06-17-2005, 03:24 PM

And purposefully so. The Bible is a collection of parables that most Christian religions translate into the parlence of their times. Would you rather these Christian religions start beating on every aspect of the Bible and excuse immoral, cruel and violent behavior on the passages that you selected?

If so, you would have fanatical Islam.

Interpretation is a GOOD thing. Interpretation has allowed Christianisty to grow and relate to the here and now, and not what might have been seen as necessary 2,000 years ago. Afterall, Christianity has been the one unifying forced behind Western civilization, and I'll take Western civilization over any other brand in the world :-)

Xantar · 06-17-2005, 07:49 PM

I think the point is that some religious people (note here that I used the word "some") use the Bible to support their political positions by quoting single passages out of context. Just because some atheists or non-Christians don't understand how to interpret the religion doesn't mean that many actual Christians know that any better. Take your point about interpretation being a good thing and how the Bible is something meant to be interpreted. Plenty of Christians in the world (and right here in the United States) would reject that point of view utterly.

But the thing is if you use the Bible quoted out of context to try to prove to people that Christianity is against affirmative action (for example), then it must also be valid to quote Psalms to exhort everyone to dash their babies on the rocks. Obviously, both positions are absurd, but one of them is actually taken seriously by some people.

By the way, what do I hate? Let's see now...

I hate people who don't read or can't be bothered to read carefully (come to think of it, that applies to a lot of people in this thread).

I hate people who can't ever think of any way to contribute to the public discourse except by shouting at the other side, calling them stupid and telling them to shut up (hey...ditto!).

Really now, this is pretty sad. Whenever people complain about arguments on this forum, my reaction is usually to say, "Oh no! People are disagreeing!!! Get over it." But if this is a typical political discussion, I think they have a point. You just keep running around in circles, never getting anywhere. I wonder how you expect anyone to respect your positions this way.

Let me just put out a thought for you: The Strangler and I agree on pretty much nothing. Gun control, taxes, the war in Iraq, Bush or Kerry, Xbox or GameCube, Swarthmore or Ursinus....we take pretty much opposite sides on it all. But you'll never find either of us calling each other stupid or saying that the other needs to shut up now before making a greater fool of himself. And I think that if we ever met, we'd get along pretty well.

I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that we're both over 20...

Ginkasa · 06-17-2005, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xantar

I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that we're both over 20...

I resent that generalization of people under 20 years of age. I suggest you shut up, stupid, before somethin' bad happens to you.

/me tries to lighten the mood and walks away

Professor S · 06-17-2005, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Link1130

I resent that generalization of people under 20 years of age. I suggest you shut up, stupid, before somethin' bad happens to you.

* Link1130 tries to lighten the mood and walks away

LMAO!!!

Damn, thats one of the funniest posts I've read this year.

Neo · 06-17-2005, 09:28 PM

I don't recall telling anyone they were stupid or telling them to shut up. And nothing is being quoted out of context. The bible says what it says. The quotes are not opinions to be misinterpreted, they are statements and orders with clear meanings.

Dylflon · 06-17-2005, 10:14 PM

I thought of something else that is wrong with the world.

The amount of fighting and divison that is caused by religion.

Professor S · 06-19-2005, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylflon

I thought of something else that is wrong with the world.

The amount of fighting and divison that is caused by religion.

Just a thought, Dyflon:

How much fighting and division do you think there would be if religion never existed?

Typhoid · 06-19-2005, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Strangler

Just a thought, Dyflon:

How much fighting and division do you think there would be if religion never existed?

Probably about the same amount as now.

Dylflon · 06-19-2005, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Strangler

Just a thought, Dyflon:

How much fighting and division do you think there would be if religion never existed?

That's a good question.

But I don't think I can properly answer it. I doubt anyone really can. Something to think about nonetheless.

Vampyr · 06-19-2005, 08:30 PM

Humans are self destructive my nature so if we didn't fight over one thing we would fight over another.

I'm not a Christian either, for most of the same reason's that Neo listed. It contradicts itself far too many times, and just confuses me. I've discussed it with Christians before, and I know it's basically impossible to turn someone against their beliefs so I'm not even going to argue the subject, but what I've learned is that for every contradiction or inhumane thing in the bible, there is a loophole somewhere, somehow. And if there is no loophole, then the responce "Well the bible was recorded by many people so some parts could have been inferred and written down differently" seems to be the general responce. I see that as playing a fool for God.