spinning off from another thread, have jesus' teachings been less than universally helpful to mankind?
how do we measure if a particular philosophy is helpful or harmful?.
i am going to use the "universal morals" listed here.
Personally I prefer Zen-Buddhism, the way of the Tao or even Ghandi’s philosophy. Even the philosophy of the Epicureans, when properly examined, has a lot of merit.
Jesus teaching, as paraphrased in various Bible translations, are both helpful and harmful in equal measure. They are also contradictory. Mind you, Jesus’ ability to turn water into wine could sway me!
so is the christian hope in heaven or on earth?.
in acts chapter 1the question was raised: 6 so when they had assembled, they asked him: lord, are you restoring the kingdom to israel at this time?
7 he said to them: it does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the father has placed in his own jurisdiction.. notice jesus never said thered be a change in venue, just that it wasnt up to them to know when..... so what is there from both sides?
I do believe we are singing from the same hymn-sheet.
so is the christian hope in heaven or on earth?.
in acts chapter 1the question was raised: 6 so when they had assembled, they asked him: lord, are you restoring the kingdom to israel at this time?
7 he said to them: it does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the father has placed in his own jurisdiction.. notice jesus never said thered be a change in venue, just that it wasnt up to them to know when..... so what is there from both sides?
Re: The Christian Hope--Is it in Heaven or on Earth?
Personally, I think it is in the mind of the believer - that is why it's called belief.
or should she abdicate for lack of action / leadership?.
Yes, an excellent post from snare&racket
Those of you that enjoyed the post should read the small, easy-to-read paperback by Richard Dawkins - The Magic of Reality.
or should she abdicate for lack of action / leadership?.
Kate - I am not an Atheist, a Deist, a Theist or a Pantheist.
Same here. I don't have an ounce of eist in my body, but because I'm shallow and lacking in personality, I need a lable. Hence The Gladiator, or Glad.
in a recent meeting with elders, an argument was used to the effect that jehovah has always [= throughout history] used, or operated through, an organization; therefore, the wts must be that organization today, since god must be using one.
naturally, i know what arguments i've used to counter that argument.
but i'm interested in hearing yours.
Simon - Why was his organisation never Chinese or Asian where more people are?
The Watchtower Society once pointed out that the top-dog, Jehovah, in his wisdom, chose to establish his organization in an English speaking country, in New York, by the river Hudson because of the shipping and business advantages .
i do not think god is a'morphic.
god is not human, so hence he does not possess human characteristics, to know god better and to understand him better i study science.
there has been a new discovery of strange signals picked up from black holes and distant supernovae suggest there's more to space-time than einstein believed.
KateWildI have been told twice on this thread what label fits me, both Atheist and Theist, I believe I am niether. I simply believe in God,
That makes you a theist Kate.
KateWild Sometimes what cofty says is nonsense and he knows it, he can be inaccurate and disingenious at times...
Kate there are many people on this board that your description would apply to, including me. But Cofty, although aloof at times, is probably the last person that I would accuse of talking nonsense.
By the way, I bother to comment out of respect for the many entertaining and educational posts he has contributed.
yesterday evening my wife and i were invited to friends house for new year's eve.
we met them when i was a christian and we have kept in touch.
they had a few other friends there as well, including the new church pastor and his wife.
Eden, I have engaged you a few times over the last couple of days because I thought you were worth talking to. I was wrong. Your last post sounds like it was written by the Watchtower writers; unadulterated dribble. It illustrate the harm that being a Jehovah's Witness can do to rational thinking.
yesterday evening my wife and i were invited to friends house for new year's eve.
we met them when i was a christian and we have kept in touch.
they had a few other friends there as well, including the new church pastor and his wife.
John McEnroe? Why? - He is famous for saying you cannot be serious to an umpire at Wimbledon tennis finals.
Eden, you have just demonstrated the workings of a closed mind.
A closed mind can never know truth because truth, being reality, is impartial.
in a recent meeting with elders, an argument was used to the effect that jehovah has always [= throughout history] used, or operated through, an organization; therefore, the wts must be that organization today, since god must be using one.
naturally, i know what arguments i've used to counter that argument.
but i'm interested in hearing yours.
Who is this Jehovah that you talk so knowledgeably about?
The Hebrew desert god is only one amoung many hundreds of worthier gods that have been invented.
