religulous

I'm not waiting until the end of time to have 'the truth' suddenly bestowed upon me. I'm going to use my brain while it still works to learn what I can.

'Intelligent design' has been around forever, hasn't it? I've read the bible, and I don't remember it ever being mentioned. Was it on the dead sea scrolls and got left out, or is it a relatively new idea? Hmm.

The 'two sides' in this argument are those who accept reality and those who don't.

Even the catholic church has said not to expect total accuracy from the bible, and warned of the dangers of fundamentalist interpretations. And that's saying something, given that it took them centuries to acknowledge that Earth revolves around the sun.

 

Ah, but there has been proof to the opposite. Like I mentioned in my post, of which you ignored, the Apocrypha was in the first King James Bible, published in 1611. I have a copy, not a real one. Then, by the year 1726, the KJV of the Bible no longer has the Apocrypha. Why is that? Did God call down a re-write? If the Bible is perfect, then why leave out what used to be in the New Testament, the Gospel of Mary? The Gospel of Thomas? The Gospel of Peter? Why are those books left out? For that matter, why in one of the accepted Gospels, no mention of how Jesus was born?

That is but the 20 second course on some basic changes, omissions, found in the Bible. I could go on, but why bother?
You just want to close your mind, the mind that was made in the image of God, filled with curiosity, and accept what is told you blindly.

How sad, really.

I believe in Christ, and so what does that make me? I said I was a reformed Preacher, not that I have given up on my belief in Christ.

So do you honor that? Curious.

 

I really appreciate the Republican Texan's TJandGenesis posts. I can see a his lifetime of work trying to explore truth and not afraid to ask tough questions.

 

Thanks for the kind words, but I am not a Republican. I was once a Republican, in Florida, but mostly I was a Teddy Roosevelt Republican. I was a Republican in name only, as I was trying to upset the party line.

I voted in the Democratic primaries here in Texas, and voted Democratic for president already.

I have, in the past, voted for both parties. I am not one or the other so much as I am an independent most of the time.

I am a Texan, though. However, even that can be challenged: I am also a Washington Redskins fan (since I grew up in D.C.), so...I guess I really am my own man, when you get down to it. Which makes me a Maverick.

Hmm.

And yes, I do believe in seeking the Truth. If the Bible is as strong as people say it is, then it should hold up to questions. If it can not, then it but another ancient text, that holds some truths, some lies, and some out and out fantasy. Which is not to say that you can't gain something from it. I have. And I suspect I will continue to do so.

The one thing I will say about the Bible is that in 2000 + years, it has caused more trouble then any other book has. That is saying something.

 

Excuse me, I am going to need a scorecard with you. Your ultimate grace is not being a Texas Rangers fan hoping for World Series. George W.'s imprint is all over that team like the country....and please keep up the posts!

 

Hey! That was MY point!

Science thrives on being questioned. The bible suffers terribly from the same.

 

I have often wondered just what this "truth" is that so many seek. It honestly has me confused. And is seeking the Truth different from seeking just the truth? I don't ask to be snide. I ask because I am curious. What is being sought here? Is truth the same as Truth the same as reality?

 

In my case, the Truth I am seeking is God.

Let me explain. I have often said, and I still hold this to be 100% true, the more you read the Bible, the closer you get to the Truth, and the Truth is God. And that is holding true to me, because I am closer then I was last year, and the year before that, to getting to what that is:

I have come to think of God as, well, the beginning of everything. Not some magic dude, person, thing, but the beginning of everything. Somehow, the universe got a start. Agreed? But from what, now that is the $64,000 question. I suspect it was God, for a lack of better word. I do think something had to be the trigger, or should I say, pull the trigger, and started it all.

A collision of subatomic atoms at the core of it, that coalesced into the big bang, and thus, the universe was started.

And simply put, I think something had to push those atoms together, and well, again, for a lack of better word, that something may have been God.
Not some dude with a white beard up on high; just something. And I do believe we need to name things, like we do pets and stars, so I name this something God, since it fits to a large extent.

So you know: I don't think God is what he is painted to be in the Bible, at all. I think God is just a name for what we can't quite put our collective finger on. I don't think we need to worship God, pray to God, or expect God to do anything at all. I just think that God is what we don't know, can't explain, and until we can, God fills the bill.

The Truth to me, the Pursuit of this Truth, has lead me to this point in time, where I think I am now more comfortable then ever with the idea that no one knows it all, won't know it all, and in fact, can't know it all. We are stuck at a cross roads in time, where we are closer to the end then the beginning, and that time can be measured in cosmic months.

I think what we have done to the planet is irreversible, and I think the folks that are in charge, they know it. Have known it for some time, but don't want to have us in a panic. I think in what is left of my lifetime, we will run out of oil, and we will have some parts of the world uninhabitable because of the pollution. NONE of this has to do with some sort of plan that some sort of God put forth, none of it. I just think it is what it is, and I for one am at a certain level of peace about it.

I think that the planet has a long time to go, man notwithstanding, and I think that those who want this to be some sort of 'end times' are lunatics.

God to me was always there, but it took years for me to understand that God is not this cosmic being that exists in any sort of corporal way.

God is just the space that fills up the empty space in our knowledge. It's complicated, and yet, simple at the same time. We can't possibly know it all, know exactly how this universe got started, because, well, we just can't wrap our minds around what is not there.

My pursuit of the Truth will lead me to a place, that ultimately will mean my death, and in that regard, I look forward to it. Because when I die, and am gone, none of this crap will have mattered, and whatever lies ahead, even if it's nothing, will be something I have yet to experience here. The surprise of whatever is on the other side of death is tantamount to awaking on Christmas Morning not knowing what 'Santa' left for you. The joy of that moment, lost so many years ago for so many of us, will once again be there at the moment of death. My gawd, I don't mean to sound maudlin, but it's something that we all share, no matter what our race or gender: We share death in the same way. We don't know what happens.

There are those who think they know, hope they know, but in that blink of an eye, when we die, we just don't know.

And that is what the Truth to me is: God is what is out there, that we don't know what is. God is a name, like Fred, to put it bluntly, to what I don't know. I think that being Christ like is great, and frankly, is what I still try to emulate, because Christ believed in peace and love and understanding.

Not to be confused with this 'Christ' that others have invented that walks on water and takes a handful of bread and fishes and does impossible things with. Nor was Christ a man who healed the sick or brought people back to life. Christ was a prophet, that had a message that we all should try to follow, but somehow, man made him to be some sort of god, that never asked for it.

I will be called a heretic, and I have already got more death threats in the last few weeks (then ever before) by people who have read these forums, believe I am some sort of anti Christ, and taken it upon themselves to act accordingly to their take on The Bible and God. Since I know that they are as strong as a wet tissue, it does not bother me. But it does say that I must be striking a chord, because why else would these people be so afraid?

I think mankind in general has become so used to the idea of a wish fulfilling god, that they are genuinely scarred of the idea that it's all a pile of bunk. They are scarred that they may have to go it alone in this universe, and to accept the unknown for what it is: Unknown.

How awesome is that.


And that is my short answer to what I call my Pursuit of the Truth. I hope it helped.

 

CATHOLIC SHAMPOO

While shopping in a food store, two nuns happened to pass by the beer, wine, and liquor section. One asked the other if she would like a beer.

The second nun answered that, indeed, it would be very nice to have one, but that she would feel uncomfortable about purchasing it.

The first nun replied that she would handle that without a problem. She picked up a six-pack and took it to the cashier.

The cashier had a surprised look, so the nun said,

'This is for washing our hair.'

Without blinking an eye, the cashier reached under the counter and put a package of pretzel sticks in the bag with the beer.

'The curlers are on me.'

I guess there is a place for religion in my life. I've always loved the jokes.

 

Wow. Thanks for taking all that time to spell it out. (And don't worry so much about the death threads. Eventually you get used to them).

God as the concept of the beginning of everything. That's one that'll blow my mind. In theory everything must begin somewhere. But what brought about the beginning? Is the beginning "god" or is whatever brought about the beginning "god?" What if the universe never did begin? What if it has been going along forever?

I started the day with a headache, and this isn't helping! But again, I thank you for putting that into words. In general when people talk about seeking the Truth (cap), I can assume that is equivalent to figuring out what god is? What is odd is that I get the idea that some folks think that this Truth will be universal. That it'll be the same for all of us. But me... I don't think so. My Truth is going to be different from yours. And if my luck holds, will be different from everybody else's. I don't believe that Truth is universal, and I don't believe it can be found from reading the bible. In that, we differ already. Yay!

And THANK YOU for putting the Jesus thing into perspective. Sure I believe he was a man who lived long ago and did great things. Just like lots of other great people. But I sure don't for a moment think that he came back for the Easter Egg hunt. Growing up, I was always confused (still am!) about why people were worshiping Jesus AND god (and the third thing to make the trinity?). I thought maybe they were the same? Related somehow? Completely different?

Anyway, before my head explodes, I'm going to bed since the trick-or-treaters have finally left us.

 

Can we all agree on real abuse, religious and otherwise?
No one can argue religion's impact on people but when did it dominate american politics like today? Can we at least agree on who are the the heretics?
As I was googling past political leaders speeches I was surprised with the absence of certain jargon we have now become accostume to:
Liberalism: I track it down to the great communicator, Ronald Reagan. He interpreted certain words and political views as war, like Liberalism. Rush Limbaugh took it to another dimension
He had his run for over a few decades.
Corporate America: We use to expect corporations to serve us, the country that protected their interests, and please don't underestimate that importance.
Christian Right: Majority, ok, but who says they represent americans?
I was trying to find the nugget of truth about Christian right beliefs representing anything other than their own beliefs.
Why does the american public allow our politicians to denigrate themselves and the voters to kneel at the alter of major US corporations? It is not historical, it is fairly recent. Most importantly, it is demonstrates the sheer power of corporations dictating its mandates. Have corporations trickled down their wealth as the great communicator said it would back in the 1980's?
Corporations unabashedly left Detroit in shambles years ago...Was it because of the the democrats or republicans? I think there were lots of smiles and handshakes happening from both party leaders. .Politicians benefitted but not the country. US Corporations leave the country in droves while continuing to receive US tax breaks.
Many US corporations bankrupted the spirited of americans by manipulating the economy (Enron) while providing golden parachutes for its CEO's that set the standard for future companies who willingly sold out recently; Lehman, Wachovia and many others. These companies and their CEO's are today's demigods. And we must beg them to provide opportunities to make their company successful?
Corporations placed the american and world economy at peril by misreporting and sacrificing long term corporate stability for short term gain.
Drill, drill drill.... The oil companies have harpooned the Republican party while the passive democrats sat back or collected their share of the bounty.
We all hate the dependency of America on middle eastern oil yet here we are, slaves to the oil industry's production schedule.
If Obama wins the election, and he should unless we see a major coupe at the voting sites, he must address the the Lobbyist issue. He has the ethics background to do so. If he doesn't he is just another good talker who made it in the White House.
Liberalism...may always be a dirty word to some Thomas Jefferson would differ, as I would.
The Christian Right.. if they understand that their tax free status like other religions would be eliminated if they continued to attack non-believers, including minorities of every kind, everyone would recognize them as a positive force as opposed to the evil cabal.

 

The real threat is that the "Christian Right" will lose that status anyway if they don't stand up and the wrong party gets in has their say about it.