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I can easily believe that. Tom Send a noteboard - 13/04/2011 06:14:51 AM
The problems that I have begin when I am asked to believe every word of a collection of books written by various people at various times. To err is human, even if one is divinely inspired to write. Not only that, but essentially the Roman Empire determined what books would be included in canon and what books wouldn't. Sure, Athanasius of Alexandria came up with the list originally, but it was given an imprimatur by the Empire.

I won't go as far as Nietzsche and say that there was only one Christian, and he died on a cross, but I do think that the concept of vicarious salvation is a very incomplete doctrine and a distortion of the original Christianity.

Ultimately, then, I am drawn to religious writings as signposts and attempts to work out the grand mystery of Being, and I do my best not to denigrate anything that was written by someone who genuinely felt they were in communion with the divine (this of course to my mind excepts the Book of Mormon, which was a conscious fraud). However, to actually just accept the writings at face value...well, I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale, and PT Barnum seems to think I can sell it.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.

ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius

Ummaka qinnassa nīk!

*MySmiley*
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Questions about souls... Antigone - 12/04/2011 03:06:54 AM 2229 Views
Re: Questions about souls... @my - 12/04/2011 03:23:00 AM 1205 Views
All right. Vivien - 12/04/2011 05:50:08 AM 1177 Views
Re: Questions about souls... temeraire - 12/04/2011 06:27:14 AM 1158 Views
It would really depend on the mechanism Isaac - 12/04/2011 06:28:24 AM 1039 Views
You assume we all know, and agree on, what "soul" means. Tim - 12/04/2011 08:42:47 AM 1080 Views
It is what hope, which is a thing with feathers, perches on. Vivien - 12/04/2011 07:32:07 PM 1141 Views
But seriously, what does it do? Aeryn - 12/04/2011 11:01:58 PM 1138 Views
It makes poems pretty. Vivien - 13/04/2011 07:00:03 PM 1160 Views
Re: Yeah, exactly. Gaps - 15/04/2011 02:43:24 AM 1126 Views
Just going off the 'reborn' thing.. MightyYT - 12/04/2011 08:53:28 AM 1060 Views
Hm. nossy - 12/04/2011 03:22:01 PM 1183 Views
Agreed. Joel - 12/04/2011 05:49:11 PM 1025 Views
it wouldn't change much for me, but I'm pretty flexible in my spiritual beliefs LadyLorraine - 12/04/2011 04:23:34 PM 1171 Views
This. *NM* Avendesora - 13/04/2011 04:15:11 PM 618 Views
Re: Questions about souls... Joel - 12/04/2011 05:44:53 PM 1232 Views
What a fantasy. Vivien - 12/04/2011 07:57:38 PM 1089 Views
What happened to two? *NM* Ghavrel - 12/04/2011 08:20:41 PM 622 Views
Thanks, I fixed it. *NM* Vivien - 12/04/2011 08:29:20 PM 633 Views
Your comments, or mine? Joel - 13/04/2011 01:24:53 AM 1564 Views
You get one guess. Vivien - 13/04/2011 07:09:01 PM 1287 Views
One dismissive answer deserves another. Joel - 24/04/2011 12:54:44 AM 1182 Views
I'm a Christian who is partial to reincarnation, so I do not think much would change. Ghavrel - 12/04/2011 06:21:36 PM 1131 Views
*is disappointed* *NM* Vivien - 12/04/2011 08:01:05 PM 558 Views
You'd be surprised how frequently I get that from both sides. Ghavrel - 12/04/2011 08:22:24 PM 1111 Views
I bet you do! Vivien - 12/04/2011 08:47:59 PM 1075 Views
Re: I bet you do! Ghavrel - 13/04/2011 04:02:07 AM 1090 Views
Does it really? Joel - 24/04/2011 01:09:34 AM 1012 Views
OMG! Vivien - 14/04/2011 06:19:50 PM 1102 Views
Go expand his worldview. *NM* Ghavrel - 14/04/2011 06:56:03 PM 585 Views
I think we are similar in some respects philosophically. everynametaken - 13/04/2011 05:59:38 AM 1064 Views
That's pretty much how I feel. Being a universalist helps in that respect. *NM* Ghavrel - 13/04/2011 06:25:34 AM 628 Views
Who says.... Jeordam - 13/04/2011 07:11:24 PM 1021 Views
So then my question is.... Jeordam - 13/04/2011 07:08:42 PM 1019 Views
Because I believe that Jesus was an incarnation of the λόγος. Ghavrel - 14/04/2011 12:36:36 AM 1046 Views
*heh* Jeordam - 14/04/2011 04:12:32 PM 1165 Views
I think I answered it pretty clearly in my post title. *NM* Ghavrel - 14/04/2011 06:59:47 PM 639 Views
Actually, you didn't. Jeordam - 15/04/2011 12:12:42 AM 1121 Views
Re: Actually, you didn't. Ghavrel - 24/04/2011 09:04:04 AM 1098 Views
I think that, like a lot of other people responding, I would want and need more information. Tom - 12/04/2011 07:13:14 PM 1052 Views
Speaking of the agnostic/atheist thing Vivien - 12/04/2011 07:40:04 PM 1110 Views
99% that there is no God... LadyLorraine - 12/04/2011 08:08:42 PM 1157 Views
Technically, no, atheists simply lack belief in a God. Ghavrel - 12/04/2011 08:19:15 PM 1090 Views
Whoah there, Stephen - 12/04/2011 08:26:43 PM 1077 Views
Okay, I have to admit I wasn't expecting to get called out on that. Ghavrel - 13/04/2011 04:03:08 AM 1183 Views
no I think that's just the literal definition... LadyLorraine - 12/04/2011 11:19:18 PM 1012 Views
Isn't that what "technically" would imply? Ghavrel - 13/04/2011 04:04:42 AM 1209 Views
And that's why I don't quibble with %'s, I just say I'm an atheist *NM* Vivien - 12/04/2011 09:45:31 PM 674 Views
It certainly doesn't mean you can't make conclusions. Tom - 12/04/2011 08:09:41 PM 1174 Views
Re: Campbell: Gaps - 12/04/2011 08:42:09 PM 1163 Views
Self-identification is an interesting point here. Tom - 12/04/2011 09:00:46 PM 1094 Views
Re: Agree Gaps - 12/04/2011 09:22:22 PM 1107 Views
Sadly enough, one of my favorite explanations of religion came from someone discussing a video game. Ghavrel - 13/04/2011 04:12:23 AM 1108 Views
Re: I'm basically a Magi. I'm going to travel to Brazil and then take over the world. *NM* Gaps - 13/04/2011 04:18:25 AM 674 Views
Either you meant "Magus" or you are a schizophrenic wizard. Both are acceptably awesome. Ghavrel - 13/04/2011 05:37:34 AM 1104 Views
Re: I think it was Jarod Diamond... Gaps - 14/04/2011 03:39:32 AM 1089 Views
You didn't understand the comment. Tom - 14/04/2011 05:22:46 AM 960 Views
Re: Ah, gotcha. I'm not always that bright. *NM* Gaps - 14/04/2011 02:08:03 PM 464 Views
Answers. Vivien - 12/04/2011 09:05:38 PM 1067 Views
That's not a compelling counter-argument for me. Tom - 12/04/2011 11:22:21 PM 1238 Views
Never mind. Aeryn - 12/04/2011 11:34:46 PM 1034 Views
be sure to post if it does happen *NM* random thoughts - 12/04/2011 11:56:17 PM 574 Views
Have you had any vivid dreams that came true? Tom - 13/04/2011 01:16:59 AM 1009 Views
My mom used to have dreams like that, usually about relatives. Joel - 13/04/2011 02:25:45 AM 1195 Views
I can easily believe that. Tom - 13/04/2011 06:14:51 AM 1010 Views
Taking things at face value is usually unwise, but the face value can still be correct. Joel - 24/04/2011 12:11:51 AM 953 Views
Minivans can fit lots of useful stuffs, like furniture. *NM* Aeryn - 13/04/2011 03:47:04 PM 638 Views
So can gas-guzzling SUVs, and full trucks. *NM* Tom - 13/04/2011 05:13:20 PM 589 Views
for that matter, you can fit a surprising amount even in a baby truck! *NM* LadyLorraine - 13/04/2011 06:36:58 PM 569 Views
I'd find it quite comforting ßelals Girl - 12/04/2011 07:40:09 PM 1035 Views
Well, as I said in my census form on Sunday Stephen - 12/04/2011 08:36:05 PM 1198 Views
Pythagoras was a total nut. Vivien - 12/04/2011 10:05:42 PM 1154 Views
True Stephen - 12/04/2011 10:13:43 PM 1050 Views
It would upset my belief in science random thoughts - 12/04/2011 09:39:39 PM 1202 Views
There's so much wrong with that statement. Vivien - 12/04/2011 09:55:45 PM 1179 Views
If science proved there really was an Easter Bunny would it affect your believe in science? *NM* random thoughts - 12/04/2011 10:30:09 PM 679 Views
*is both bored and annoyed* Vivien - 12/04/2011 11:03:10 PM 1069 Views
right. Aeryn - 12/04/2011 11:18:31 PM 1268 Views
and what if science proved that science was false? random thoughts - 12/04/2011 11:48:32 PM 1141 Views
I think that's kind of the point; it can't. Joel - 13/04/2011 01:33:44 AM 1014 Views
Did you read my original post? random thoughts - 13/04/2011 03:13:34 AM 983 Views
I did, yes. Joel - 13/04/2011 03:32:18 AM 1028 Views
Yes it would upset my belief in science, why is that so hard to accept random thoughts - 13/04/2011 01:56:59 PM 1136 Views
Well, if that's all it is, we know that a lot of that broad base is wrong. Joel - 24/04/2011 01:18:05 AM 1264 Views
What's a soul? Aeryn - 12/04/2011 10:51:39 PM 1053 Views
I can only give you my personal take. Joel - 13/04/2011 01:47:39 AM 1181 Views
Actually the reason you don't revive people denied oxygen half an hour is due to chemical processes. Ghavrel - 13/04/2011 04:08:37 AM 1111 Views
True, but even well preserved brains require more than a jump start to resume life. Joel - 23/04/2011 09:20:42 PM 963 Views
so did this guy took a railroad spike through the head random thoughts - 13/04/2011 01:58:52 PM 1198 Views
Nah, he just got someone else's added to him. But now Ruin can influence him. *NM* Ghavrel - 13/04/2011 06:38:31 PM 641 Views
Thanks a lot random thoughts - 13/04/2011 07:02:29 PM 1058 Views
I'm really happy you've read them and got the reference. Phineas Gage, Steel Inquisitor. *NM* Ghavrel - 14/04/2011 12:29:01 AM 565 Views
No. Joel - 23/04/2011 09:15:16 PM 1076 Views
but we know personality can be draticaly altered by physical means random thoughts - 24/04/2011 03:28:36 AM 1388 Views
"We" don't know that; that's the problem. Joel - 24/04/2011 07:02:49 AM 1216 Views
Can one have an identity without memory? *NM* Aeryn - 13/04/2011 03:46:16 PM 606 Views
Sure. Joel - 23/04/2011 08:53:51 PM 907 Views
I assume you're implying time travel between past-life or future-life experiences. Burr - 12/04/2011 11:26:19 PM 1098 Views
Re: My question about souls: who will save your souuuuls? *NM* Gaps - 13/04/2011 04:04:21 AM 607 Views
I would becoming interested in tracing people's souls across time/space Helene - 13/04/2011 04:00:51 PM 1055 Views
Re: I would becoming interested in tracing people's souls across time/space Antigone - 14/04/2011 03:29:55 AM 1132 Views
Sorry :-) Helene - 14/04/2011 10:15:30 AM 1145 Views
Interesting concept.... Jeordam - 13/04/2011 07:28:42 PM 1034 Views
Heh. Loose faith. LadyLorraine - 14/04/2011 02:32:27 AM 1035 Views
It kinda still works though....doesn't it? Jeordam - 14/04/2011 04:14:19 PM 1053 Views
it does work. well in fact! *NM* LadyLorraine - 24/04/2011 03:24:25 AM 585 Views
Oooh... Burr - 14/04/2011 04:31:30 AM 1116 Views
Who says..... Jeordam - 14/04/2011 04:26:31 PM 1172 Views
Wow, thanks for all the responses!! Antigone - 14/04/2011 03:42:38 AM 1180 Views
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