By the way.
Dionysus? the god of wine, agriculture, fertility of nature?
Are you thinking the borrowing is from the tale that since Zeus impregnated the human Semele and then killed her, Dionysus had to receive a "second birth" from Zeus thigh?
I think any Jew would have been horrified by the cult of Dionysus in particular. The intoxicated orgies, the temple prostitutes etc. Why would they borrow from Dionysus myth?
Other deities I've read Jesus has been based upon have always fallen short of the bullshit detector. Such as Krishna for example. I'm shocked at some websites flagrant disregard for Historical accuracy, and are instead to interested in proving their own fallacious position.
Or how about Osiris? Having the body chopped up and scattered, them reassembled by Isis is the basis for the Jesus Myth as it is called?
My biggest problem with all these claims is their disregard for historical integrety as best as it can be known. I am a HUGE fan of Greek and Roman history and practices, literature and people. So I think many things are bent and reworked to look more favorable upon theories of certain people, and are less than accurate. I'm not very sure about the research that produces these claims.
However, I will say it again, there are similarities in the dying/rebirth. Duh. One difference of course is....Jesus was actually alive at a point in history in a place; Palestine; and not complete imaganation.
So what I'm saying is bullshit is not that they have similarities. It's the charge of incorporation by Orthodox Jews, if you want to look at one guy, just look at Paul, of these stories into the life of Jesus. It just doesn't fly.
smellsgood
JoinedPosts by smellsgood
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27
Christianity - a thoroughly pagan religion
by Norm init is quite amusing to read watchtower publications where they with badly hidden scorn criticizes the catholics for willfully adopting pagan holidays and customs into christianity.. pagan beliefs christianized.
*** w84 4/1 p. 9 insight on the news *** in a.d. 601, pope gregory the first, known as gregory the great, issued an edict to his missionaries concerning the native beliefs and customs of the peoples he hoped to convert, states a recent issue of natural history magazine.
instead of trying to obliterate peoples customs and beliefs, the popes instructions were, use them.
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smellsgood
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Christianity - a thoroughly pagan religion
by Norm init is quite amusing to read watchtower publications where they with badly hidden scorn criticizes the catholics for willfully adopting pagan holidays and customs into christianity.. pagan beliefs christianized.
*** w84 4/1 p. 9 insight on the news *** in a.d. 601, pope gregory the first, known as gregory the great, issued an edict to his missionaries concerning the native beliefs and customs of the peoples he hoped to convert, states a recent issue of natural history magazine.
instead of trying to obliterate peoples customs and beliefs, the popes instructions were, use them.
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smellsgood
Yes, there are elements of Jesus in pagan religions. Show me then where the Jews picked through the texts and which ones to construct their Jesus? What was their motivation?
Why is it "based" on pagan religions. Why can't something be "similar" yet not "borrowed"?
Even the plants demonstrate a dying rebirth pattern. Maybe this was a recognizable feature in nature for a reason. If the creator had this plan as the bible will say from the beginning, wouldn't this be perhaps spiritually recognizable to mankind because it is in the very fabric of nature herself?
Can you point me to the SOURCE material on Dionysus and Mithras? I'm sorry, but the information I've sought out and read is woefully inaccurate and always second hand with NO source material ever sighted.
Jesus is a unique figure. I don't see what the motivation would be for a Jew who fears G-d to base a semi/demi/ or full deity from Greek or Roman or any other mythology into the person of Jesus. It just doesn't work out in my mind. -
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How do you feel about Tatoos?
by Fisherman ini feel very offended and distrurbed when i see people covered with tatoos.
some people have tatoos all over their bodies, even on their faces.
there are also tatoo programs on the tlc channel that children can watch without a forewarning before the show comes on.
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smellsgood
I have no moral opposition to tattoos at all. I think some are in poor taste, excessive, or just plain ugly sometimes though. Oh, and I really don't like "colored" tattoos so much at leas in some of the brighter colors they use. My sister has some great sparkly ink in her fairy tat on her back however.
Abagail, that's interesting. I disagree with the alarmist findings of the author. Of course people get symbols in tattoos they don't know about. Does it make them whirly eyed and brainwashed? I think not.
My brother has 5 or six, and he didn't pick them out from the tatooist catalogue, he got them because they mean something to him. They are all just words, no pictures or symbols. "five or four times" a jazz measure. "here I'm alive" from Radioheads everything in its right place. "the slow blade penetrates the shield" from Dune on his chest. a "METRO" tat. And "i don't know white people's names" on his foot.
The only trouble with the ones on his arms were that he couldn't join the air force with him, so he went in the National Guard instead.
The wickedness that some people think seems to eminate from tattoos is just a very shallow surface way to label people. The simple deed of getting ink poked in your epidermis is not evil in my mind whatsoever. It's a very veneer thing, and if people judge you from that, that's there insanity, not yours :) -
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Nicotine gum?
by Scully ini just had a thought about nicotine gum.. let me preface this by saying that i have never smoked.
and i don't intend to start.
however i am intrigued with the "medicinal" effects of chewing nicotine gum: it's a stimulant, it decreases appetite, it is reputed to temporarily give you a bit of a jump start like caffeine does.. i'm surprised that there is no rule on this in the wt, because someone can buy the gum without a prescription, but because you aren't "smoking" the nicotine into your system, how would anyone know the difference in appearance between seeing someone using regular chewing gum or the same person chewing nicotine gum, unless you saw the packaging?.
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smellsgood
Let me preface this by saying that I have never smoked. Ever. And I don't intend to start. However I am intrigued with the "medicinal" effects of chewing nicotine gum: it's a stimulant, it decreases appetite, it is reputed to temporarily give you a bit of a jump start like caffeine does."
I dunno. I have a commit lozenge in my mouth right now, as I'm quitting smoking. If you aren't accustomed to the effects of nicotine, you can really feel screwed up, I think even a 2 mg would make you feel strange. As that's how much nicotine roughly in two cigarettes. The first time I used commit I was surprised how strong I felt it on my tongue having smoked and not really noticed the "buzzy" feeling smoking gives you in your mouth.
Personally, I've never found smoking to suppress my appetite even in the slightest. More to the contrary. And also to the contrary of giving me a boost, I've found it makes me tired. Of course nothing really suppresses my appetite. I don't know if this is directly related to nicotine in cigarettes, but cigarettes actually cause you to put on the most dangerous weight there is, interabdominal fat.
Nicotine is a powerful drug, if I could go back I would never have started. I think its a good thing to avoid. Caffeines effects are completely different in my experience. And I consume alot. I would say if you were to chew nicotine gum, the most you could chew safely would be one. It'd be interesting to see how a non-smoker felt after chewing nicotine gum... it might be something interesting to try anyways. Trouble is I don't think they come in singles...
It's Nov. 16 the great American smokeout. -
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What Do People Hate Most About JWs???
by minimus ini think most "worldly" people consider jws a nusiance---especially on a saturday morning!
they hate being bothered by peddlers at their door.
some people can't stand the witnesses' smugness and self righteous attitude.
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smellsgood
"I think most "worldly" people consider JWs a nusiance---especially on a Saturday morning! They HATE being bothered by peddlers at their door.
Some people can't stand the Witnesses' smugness and self righteous attitude. There are lots of reasons people strongly dislike Jehovah's Witnesses. Can you think of some reasons????"
From my perspective as never having been one, You all WERE considered ANNOYING, strange, bothersome, wacky, just everything that the WT IS. Nobody really gave much thought to it as far as I could tell, most don't know details about the Witnesses, they just know enough that they wish to avoid being bothered by one. Any non-witness who sees their literature has got to be bemused/amused/weirded out. The way the word their sentences is in a class of its own.
The members of the worldwide brotherhood are so happified!
I personally am bothered most by the CLOTHES THEY WEAR! Oh my gosh. I saw some recently, and it was optically terrorizing. -
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--- A Question for ALL Atheistic ex-Dubs----
by gordon d inwhich child is wiser?
while starting a hunt for easter eggs one child runs to a big tree and finds nothing then that childs brother says, go look under that rock i promise youll find one there!
the child throws down their basket and says, i give up!
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smellsgood
"Is there anything beautiful in all of the universe that appears without some time, heat, pressure, discomfort, or explosive transformation?"
Ice Cream! -
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What does one do at a concert?
by Dune inmaybe i was just an uber-witness loser (i took the religion very seriously when i was in it).. a friend is trying to get me to go triple dating with some of her friends and this chick i'm diggin.
the setting is this dashboard confessional's concert.. but i've never been to a concert, so i was wondering what the hell are you supposed to do?
just stand around and jump up and down?.
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smellsgood
Enjoy it.
Try and not get behind a person who's taller than you.
See portions of it on youtube 4 years down the road!
I always dance, but that's just me, you don't have to DO anything, you're there to be entertained :) -
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Maybe There's a Heaven...
by LittleToe ini don't often open up discussions on my beliefs or experiences in life, but i feel a need, so please excuse me if you feel it untoward.
neither is this a poxy swan-song, i'm just opening up my heart a little.. today i had cause to reflect on a conversation i had with my [now ex-]wife shortly after my epithany.
everything was so new and unknown.
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smellsgood
Proplog, you do sound insane last post, tis true.
Little Toe: Yes, THAT is one of the things that I would found so disturbing w/ JW description of paradise earth. It seemed like, they were all down on earth, still fending for themselves, going about day to day chores. And where was He? Still sort of "up in the clouds" not PRESENT with them. So, I thought, why bother? What's the point of this "reward" when you are not "reunited" with the Object of your devotion.
It's always who you're with not where you are, right? -
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SEATTLE / TACOMA advice needed please
by new light inmy wife and i are moving to the area, preferably between seattle and tacoma, and would like to narrow our apartment search to the nicer neighborhoods.
we both are total newbies to washington and are hoping for some voices of experience to help us avoid the old "trial and error" method.
also, i'll be working in the construction trade and my job is much improved when working in the high-end homes, so if anyone knows where the wealthier people live, that would narrow down some areas for my job search.
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smellsgood
The only area "between Seattle and Tacoma" that I have personally been too is Federal Way, it is a nice area. I like Bellevue alot, it is very close and accessible to Seattle. I wouldn't want to live IN the city, like on Capitol Hill for instance. Though, there are great Restaurants on Capitol Hill, like Broadway Grill, can I hear it from the Seattle people? Pagliaccis pizza?
There's people who live in Seattle who could probably be more helpful, I've only been a visitor. My brother lived there for a number of years til just recently, he lived in the U-District (University (of WA) district). I really liked that location, near a really nice shopping center. Also, I have relatives who live in Bellevue.
I believe the figure of millionaires in Bellevue alone is something like 68,000. At least from what I heard :)
good luck, I hope you don't mind the more rainy weather being from Arizona :) -
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The One Thing You Could Never Give Up.
by lowden inwell.........here i am, a few pints of guinness further on and it got me thinking.. i luuurve guinness with a passion but what could i never give up in a month of sundays?.
hmmmmmm...well it's definitely not alcohol....i don't think .
for me, it's my music, my george lowden guitar (damn i've blown my cover) and all the amazing vibes that playing, singing and songwriting gives me.. what could you not give up...........in a month of sundays.. peace.
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smellsgood
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