spindrift Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 We're all individuals! We're all different! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plekhanov Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 This crap does honestly bother me. Homosexuality is so obviously not a choice, so how in the heck can all of these supposedly Christian leaders be so filled with hate? I thought Jesus was all about love? Didn’t he wash the feet of prostitutes? The bible has him washing the feet of his disciples, by prostitute I assume you are referring to Mary Magdalene, there's no scriptural basis for the claim she was a prostitute this was an invention of the rather misogynistic Church. I don't recall if her feet were washed. Didn’t he say something about throwing the first stone? So even if you do believe that it’s a sin, shouldn’t you show forgiveness, respect and love? I fully respect the right of a free and open life empty of persecution for fig trees, too. The bible does have Jesus saving a woman from a stoning with the whole 'let he who is without sin...' speech, just as it has him praising Old Testament massacres and threatening all who disagree with him with eternal torture. The bible is not a well thought out or internally consistent book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 The bible does have Jesus saving a woman from a stoning with the whole 'let he who is without sin...' speech, just as it has him praising Old Testament massacres and threatening all who disagree with him with eternal torture. Well, now, that's not EXACTLY what he said, is it? He said they won't be forgiven, which is rather less bloodthirsty. Jesus said, I think correctly, that we shouldn't judge other people and Pope Benny is very poorly placed to moralise to people about sexuality. Presumably, Michaelangelo would not have been employed at the Vatican... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 The fig tree was a parable to encourage us to bear good fruit rather than none at all for such people are spiritually dead. People who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit are in effect cursing God. It is a message of love to encourage us to bear good fruit and to honour God and in so doing be better people. . I know God works in mysterious ways, but do you not think the parable would work better if Jesus had said some encouraging words to the fig tree or maybe fed it some ancient equivalent of baby bio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahame Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 The bible has him washing the feet of his disciples, by prostitute I assume you are referring to Mary Magdalene, there's no scriptural basis for the claim she was a prostitute this was an invention of the rather misogynistic Church. I don't recall if her feet were washed. The bible does have Jesus saving a woman from a stoning with the whole 'let he who is without sin...' speech, just as it has him praising Old Testament massacres and threatening all who disagree with him with eternal torture. The bible is not a well thought out or internally consistent book. The commandments are so well thought out that if followed no harm will come to anyone and we will all live peacefully together. Only a good God would encourage us to live a life free from sin and wickedness and it grieved him when the people heeded them not. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahame Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 I know God works in mysterious ways, but do you not think the parable would work better if Jesus had said some encouraging words to the fig tree or maybe fed it some ancient equivalent of baby bio? The fig tree was us and he gave us lots of encouragement and a few words of warning in love. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Only a good God would encourage us to live a life free from sin and wickedness. This is palpably false. Many people who have no God at all will happily encourage us to do so. As for the Commandments, they were first encoded by Hammurabi some centuries before ever the Jews reached Babylon; it's hardly surprising that, by the time the priests adopted them for their holy work, they had been fairly well designed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 This is palpably false. Many people who have no God at all will happily encourage us to do so. And they are welcome in God's house. they just don't know it yet. Here's my summation of the New Testament: Love each Other. You can't really go wrong if you follow that maxim, and it's an unlikely edict for a manipulative or self-serving deity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 The commandments are so well thought out that if followed no harm will come to anyone and we will all live peacefully together. Only a good God would encourage us to live a life free from sin and wickedness and it grieved him when the people heeded them not. . Christians don't honour the Sabbath day, they shifted it to another day of the week. And not doing any work is rarely observed and not particularly helpful... what of doctors/nurses should they leave their patients for a day unattended? Honouring father and mother is not universally good guidance when they do you wrong. The ban on murder in general is a good idea, but there are generally considered to be exceptions, similarly theft. The ones about no idols and just worshiping god are vain and cause religious conflict. Do unto others ..... is a worthy rule, but one shared by all religions and most cultures. It is nice that it is included, but it would be remarkable by its omission rather than inclusion. The ten commandments then aren't a particularly good set of principles to run your life by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 The fig tree was us and he gave us lots of encouragement and a few words of warning in love. . None of that is in the text though is it? He came upon the tree, found it had no figs, he cursed it. There is nothing in the text about giving it encouragement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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