God as the ultimate child abuser

[SpencerH]

Lets not forget the warm up to the cruxifiction known as "the sacrifice of Isaac". One glance at that beauty of a tale is enough to freeze the cockles of any politically correct liberal mama's boy heart.

[Wiglaf]

You're so boring. Use wikipedia, or are you so full of your own ass that you think you own the isaac story.

One understanding of the text is that God inspired Abraham in this episode in order to teach him a lesson, in order to stop human sacrifices from happening.

Readers note that Abraham was put by God into a dilemma with no clear solution.

* If Abraham had said "No God, I cannot comply! Even for You I could never do such a thing", then Abraham would be shown as disobedient to God, which is normally a bad thing. However, he also would have been shown to be a moral person; in this possibility, he could realize that if he couldn't sacrifice his own child, then no one else should do so.
* If Abraham had said "I don't want to, but I trust you and will do so" then Abraham would be shown as being obedient to God, which is normally a good thing. In this case (which occurs in the text), God prevents Abraham from following the initial order. The reader may ask why God has done this, perhaps God in effect says "Ah-Ha! You assumed that this was what I wanted. But I now give you a revelation: This is not the way to serve me. Human sacrifice is not allowed".

Whatever the original intent (which may never be totally elucidated) of the text, the episode has quite an effect on Abraham and Isaac; it is clear to them both that human sacrifice is not acceptable.

Many readers have noted Abraham's prophetic "Freudian slip": He says "I and the boy will go there, bow down, and we will return to you". Many classical rabbinic commentators hold that Abraham knew that Isaac wouldn't die, although, since he was addressing his servants, it is possible he was trying to mislead them (or Isaac) about what he intended to do.

[SpencerH]

Or instead of using Wikipedia, which is clearly a modern version of "Cliffs Notes" used by the mentally challenged, one could actually read the original work.

[b etor]

today was a holy day of obligation so i had to go to church.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by b etor
today was a holy day of obligation so i had to go to church.

What is that? I suppose it's just an extra day that you have to go to church besides Sunday?

[Dr Strangelove]

Bishop Spong's faith crumbled after suffering with a wife afflicted by paranoid psychosis for more than 20 years. His early ministry was marked by repeated conflicts with southern racists, first in North Carolina, where a mob burned a cross on his front lawn right in front of his wife, then here in Lynchburg where he frequently came into conflict with 'ministers' of other denominations, some of whose names many of you would recognize. The strain eventually began to tell, and his wife began having paranoid delusions. The Protestant Episcopal Church moved him to a bishop's seat in New Jersey. Though removed from the vindictiveness of racial strife in the south, his wife's condition did not improve. Despite the turmoil at home Spong found time to take up a new cause, the rights of gay people to worship as they saw fit and he gradually got his way. During this time he began to modify his vision of Christianity, basically reducing it to nothing more than a club for social progress. I've read his works and autobiography, it's apparent to me that his loss of faith was largely the result of his suffering as he dealt with his increasingly psychotic wife. It's a pity that a man who out of faith did so much to help others suffered so much in his personal life and eventually lost his faith. It's also tragic that his example, as basically an atheist liberal, will be upheld by conservative theologians as a reason to resist the granting of rights within the church to gay people.

[Japher]

Jesus is The Answer.

[Kidlicious]

No Jesus, no peace

[Japher]

Know Jesus, Know Peace



bumper sticker

[Kidlicious]

That's the California version.

[b etor]

Originally posted by Kidicious


What is that? I suppose it's just an extra day that you have to go to church besides Sunday?

there are a lot of them.

[Wiglaf]

Originally posted by SpencerH
Or instead of using Wikipedia, which is clearly a modern version of "Cliffs Notes" used by the mentally challenged, one could actually read the original work.

One does not have a bible but indeed has an internet connection. Ow!

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
one point which I think makes the redemption story rather implausible but atheists hardly ever bring up is, was this the only planet in the whole universe where the sentient beings needed to be redeemed?

If not, did Jesus have to die multiple times around the universe in redemptive acts?

Y'know. One wishes for a time machine in order to journey back to Roman Palestine to try to find this Jesus guy, if he really existed (and the evidence for that is pretty thin).

I'd love to roll up to him and tell him what's being going on.

I'm sure he'd be absolutely horrified at what people believed about him, and probably horrified that non-Jews had adopted him as a divine being. He certainly wouldn't be able to understand the debased Platonism to which his followers had attached his alleged "doctrines", and not only do they think he is a divine being, but that he suffers from multiple personality disorder.

All the major religions suffer from problems with common sense, but Christianity is by far the worst offender, as its fundamental tenets make absolutely no sense at all.

[Wiglaf]

Anyone who thinks the evidence for Jesus existing is "pretty thin" has no understanding of history. Just because you own a mac does not been you can make crap up.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
Anyone who thinks the evidence for Jesus existing is "pretty thin" has no understanding of history. Just because you own a mac does not been you can make crap up.

Well, my job consists of poking through ancient texts written in dead languages, many of which mention people whose existence is dubious, and many of which have been continuously vandalized throughout history by people attempting to make them more favourable to their own point of view. I have a healthy scepticism born of much experience.

That's my job.

From what I can gather from your posts, you are some kind of janitor, possibly on furlough from prison.

Now be quiet.