for christians, it's all about baptism. for muslims it's 'there is only one god and muhammad is his messenger'. oh, and prayer. and ask forgiveness every day 5 times at least.
I plead innocent to the charge of inhabiting a "dogmatic belief system." I arrived at these beliefs independently through reason, and seek to convince people they are true based on reason and evidence, not dogma. Also, I agree with you that thinking about scriptural narratives as "myths" (sacred stories whose importance is the meaning they convey, not whether or not they are literally/historically true) is the best place to start. For example, whether and when Adam and Eve physically existed in space-time isn't the main issue; what really matters is whether we view human beings as sinful or deeply flawed by their very nature, or born innocent and only later potentially corrupted. Ideas have consequences, and everyone, regardless of their personal views, should be interested in the history of these kinds of ideas and how they have produced the world we inhabit.
Funny thing, I'm starting to believe Adam took the first bite of the apple, not Eve. I'm working on a short story with this as the theme, and how this guilt has allowed the Christian patriarchal system to rule over women. Women should be priests and priests should not be forced to pretend to practice Celibacy.
EMJ - Quiet apart from the miracle of an unlettered illiterate randomly blurting out profound verse in magnificient arabic (ie Quran revelations) the current unfolding of his "gharqad" prophecy should convince you that was no velcro camel jockey. Welcome to Islam, there are many levels of entry and practice but just a 5 time daily rememberence of "Maaliki Yawmid-Deen" (Lord of the Day of Judgement) may be the only way to shake off any addiction to weinsteins caliporn!! Ahhh, dem curvy white shiksa, enough to make any Bilal forget about the Hereafter.
Many aspects of Christianity have never made sense to you because they are ludicrous fabrications. Like dunking a person in water saves them from "hell". Abrahamic religions are all fairy tales. I always wonder why smart people believe them like Santa Claus. If you don't believe in an anthropomorphic god why do you call it "he" and refer to god as an outside entity rather than within? I'll leave it alone now because religion is irrational and the more irrational the more it proves your "faith".
As a non-practicing Catholic, my Grandmother always said once baptized a Catholic always a Catholic.
But I do have a problem with papal infallibility. This Pope clearly has something wrong with him, defending a Cardinal accused of child abuse. Makes me think, like our politicians and judges, they're all guilty of abusing kids. That's probably why they can stand bye and see thousands of children being murdered in Gaza, and do nothing.
You're welcome, and thank you for the perceptive comments.
I originally studied "miracles" from a secular perspective in the 1970s and found the scientific evidence for psi, precognition, telepathy, miraculous healing, and so on fully convincing. Experiencing some of it myself helped convince me. But even without that, there is more genuinely scientific evidence supporting the existence of psi than there is supporting the reality of anything else in human experience. (The reason for that is that the scientific community is so skeptical of psi claims that psi researchers have to endlessly repeat and refine their experiments, whereas in other fields hardly anything is ever repeated.)
Then in 2000-2003 I researched and wrote a Ph.D. dissertation on accounts of miracles in Morocco.
So the upshot is: "Miracles? Don't get me started!"
Untermeyer of the sos who financed the ghost written zio slanted notes to a standard Bible, that is now referred to as a Scofield Bible also came up with yer 72 virgin nonsense. In fact its one of the notes appended to the arabic language meinkampf that the Israeli President says was found in an MRI Tunnel under the al-Shifa Hospital!! When will you dumb goyim ever get past hagaris big ears, bwahahaha!!
for christians, it's all about baptism. for muslims it's 'there is only one god and muhammad is his messenger'. oh, and prayer. and ask forgiveness every day 5 times at least.
Hi
Myths should be taught as myths.
Even though this will not be, is not, acceptable. As per dear old Socrates.
Love ya work guys. Heroic stuff.
When you move into your respective dogmatic belief systems, I think most of your audience simply rolls their eyes politely.
Interesting you are going nut to nut on this.
Maybe following Leo Strauss et al your audience thinks that myths can’t be taught as myths as it will destroy the city.
Maybe the deceitful city.
The unsustainable city.
The imperial city.
Best wishes
Michael Crighton
I plead innocent to the charge of inhabiting a "dogmatic belief system." I arrived at these beliefs independently through reason, and seek to convince people they are true based on reason and evidence, not dogma. Also, I agree with you that thinking about scriptural narratives as "myths" (sacred stories whose importance is the meaning they convey, not whether or not they are literally/historically true) is the best place to start. For example, whether and when Adam and Eve physically existed in space-time isn't the main issue; what really matters is whether we view human beings as sinful or deeply flawed by their very nature, or born innocent and only later potentially corrupted. Ideas have consequences, and everyone, regardless of their personal views, should be interested in the history of these kinds of ideas and how they have produced the world we inhabit.
Funny thing, I'm starting to believe Adam took the first bite of the apple, not Eve. I'm working on a short story with this as the theme, and how this guilt has allowed the Christian patriarchal system to rule over women. Women should be priests and priests should not be forced to pretend to practice Celibacy.
No offense to Dr. Jones, but they fool nobody.
EMJ - Quiet apart from the miracle of an unlettered illiterate randomly blurting out profound verse in magnificient arabic (ie Quran revelations) the current unfolding of his "gharqad" prophecy should convince you that was no velcro camel jockey. Welcome to Islam, there are many levels of entry and practice but just a 5 time daily rememberence of "Maaliki Yawmid-Deen" (Lord of the Day of Judgement) may be the only way to shake off any addiction to weinsteins caliporn!! Ahhh, dem curvy white shiksa, enough to make any Bilal forget about the Hereafter.
Kevin,
Many aspects of Christianity have never made sense to you because they are ludicrous fabrications. Like dunking a person in water saves them from "hell". Abrahamic religions are all fairy tales. I always wonder why smart people believe them like Santa Claus. If you don't believe in an anthropomorphic god why do you call it "he" and refer to god as an outside entity rather than within? I'll leave it alone now because religion is irrational and the more irrational the more it proves your "faith".
As a non-practicing Catholic, my Grandmother always said once baptized a Catholic always a Catholic.
But I do have a problem with papal infallibility. This Pope clearly has something wrong with him, defending a Cardinal accused of child abuse. Makes me think, like our politicians and judges, they're all guilty of abusing kids. That's probably why they can stand bye and see thousands of children being murdered in Gaza, and do nothing.
Thank you for your reply.
In regard to reason I do recall you and Michael agreeing you both believed in miracles.
Or the suspension of the laws of nature.
The dead coming back to life or flying to the moon after death on a creature are two examples held to be fact.
Thank you both again for all your fabulous work.
You're welcome, and thank you for the perceptive comments.
I originally studied "miracles" from a secular perspective in the 1970s and found the scientific evidence for psi, precognition, telepathy, miraculous healing, and so on fully convincing. Experiencing some of it myself helped convince me. But even without that, there is more genuinely scientific evidence supporting the existence of psi than there is supporting the reality of anything else in human experience. (The reason for that is that the scientific community is so skeptical of psi claims that psi researchers have to endlessly repeat and refine their experiments, whereas in other fields hardly anything is ever repeated.)
Then in 2000-2003 I researched and wrote a Ph.D. dissertation on accounts of miracles in Morocco.
So the upshot is: "Miracles? Don't get me started!"
Untermeyer of the sos who financed the ghost written zio slanted notes to a standard Bible, that is now referred to as a Scofield Bible also came up with yer 72 virgin nonsense. In fact its one of the notes appended to the arabic language meinkampf that the Israeli President says was found in an MRI Tunnel under the al-Shifa Hospital!! When will you dumb goyim ever get past hagaris big ears, bwahahaha!!