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Well, no, it doesn't contradict itself, nor do you attempt to explain why it "seems" that way to you.
As many scientists are beginning to speculate, I suspect our reality is akin to a virtual or idealistic one. I don't speculate as to exactly what that may look like or how it may work from God's perspective. My studies - and for that matter - my experiences suggest to me that God being omniscient and omnipresent at literally a quantum level is not the least bit far-fetched. Those who envision a fundamentally materialistic universe with God as an external observer would obviously have problems with the notions of omniscience and omnipresence. I believe the materialistic paradigm is not merely flawed but 180 degrees from the truth.
You pretty clearly are speaking from a position of ignorance on this subject. Modern anthropological studies have demonstrated that societies that rely on oral transmission can be fantastically accurate. They rely on very specific techniques to ensure that accuracy is preserved, even across generations. The biblical pericopes fit the pattern exactly and reflect that they arose out of such an oral tradition, as scholars know they did.
My statement has precisely nothing to do with my ego or what the OP believes or should believe. His statements simply reflect a lack of understanding of what Christianity is and teaches. It's irrelevant to me what the OP believes. If I made a series of statements about aviation hat reflected a fundamental misunderstanding of the subject, I wouldn't think an experienced pilot who pointed this out was operating from a basis of ego or telling me what to believe.
This statement is just silly. Statements such as this add precisely nothing to any discussion. Talk about operating from a position of ego ...
You think the OP's point was that not everyone sees things as Christians do? Not exactly breaking news if that was his point. His post is directed specifically at Christianity and his disagreements with the Christian point of view. I pointed out that he is fundamentally misguided as to what Christians believe and why. I further pointed out that virtually all of his statements are false if Christianity is True - as Christians believe it is, and as it may well be.
Insofar as belief systems are concerned, Truth is the central issue for any rational individual. Everything else flows from what we have concluded is True. When it comes to metaphysical belief systems, including atheism, we cannot objectively know the Truth. We can only reach a level of conviction. I pointed out that everything the OP says is incorrect if Christianity is True, as Christians believe it is. He is certainly welcome to his own understanding of Truth - but if he is going to inaccurately describe what Christians believe and why, he is going to get called on it when Christians respond.
The issue for a Christian is indeed whether an individual is saved. It is not, as the OP erroneously suggested, whether non-Christians should adopt Christian morality, follow Christian rules, be good people or be killed. His post, and frankly your response, is just a mishmash of muddled thinking.
"As many scientists are beginning to speculate..." ... what a vague, meaningless, self-serving statement. Who are these "many scientists". What percentage of scientists are speculating that?
Do a simple Google search for articles about the accuracy of "oral transmission", and you'll see the opinions about it are -- at best -- very mixed. Of course, you don't see that because you want it to be true.
Oh, what the OP believes is not at all irrelevant to you, or you wouldn't posting about it multiple times.
It isn't that we care what christians believe in their fantasies, it's that we care that people -- like you -- like to keep stating it as fact.
The only mishmash here is that mix of mistaken imaginings and your ego.
My beliefs are very simple if I may interject? I don't care who you are, where you came from or where You're going in life. The fact that we met is all that matters to me. I love you unconditionally because you are special, have a right to be here and have the potential to do amazing things, to not only change your life for the better, but to help other people live better lives too. All it takes is a simple smile, a hug, a gentle touch to acknowledge your beautiful humanity. That is the religion I follow and those are the beliefs I hold so dear! Thanks my love and wish to bless you with all the happiness in your life that you deserve!
Breaking belief rules will be difficult because I find that some people will look for definitive outcomes for behavior especially if the behavior breaks the rule. If they do the right thing, perhaps the benefit is to not be an outcast so they don't make waves. What may happen instead is a lack of belief in the source of the rules or a lack of confidence in those who promote it such as church leaders or followers. This will happen if the rules are not being enforced equally. Dropping the rules altogether is less likely especially if they were developed from some logical reasoning.
The Hebrew and Christian Bibles are a composite of work, some books were discarded. Not even the Ten Commandments are the same for Jews, Protestants and Catholics. Then there is the issue of translation. Then there is the issue of changing meanings of words.
As for who is saved, that's an interesting question. Is a murderer saved? Is someone who is Jewish saved? And then there is the Mormon practice of baptizing the dead.
Paul was dead less than 50 years after Jesus. Most of his letters are much earlier.
True, but Paul is not all of the OT. No one claimed ALL of the NT was written after 80 AD.
Quote:
Originally Posted by O'Darby
More to the point, there was a rich oral tradition that began immediately after the death of Jesus, and anthropological studies have shown that oral traditions can be astoundingly accurate.
You must be old to remember an oral tradition. And if you are not that old, how do you know there was an oral tradition? You can not.
We also know from the Dead Sea scrolls that people were happy to change religious texts, something we also see in early Christian manuscripts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by O'Darby
Likewise, scholars believe that lost compositions of Jesus' sayings, such as the famous Q (but not only Q), date to the very early days.
Many scholars reject Q, as Q is explained very easily by pointing that what is in Luke and Matthew could derive from Matthew, so Q would be Matthew.
Also, we know the gospels are NOT independent Mark is an allegory of Paul's teachings, Matthew is a rewrite of Mark, Luke used both while inventing even more things, and John is a composite work that used all three.
Quote:
Originally Posted by O'Darby
Scholar Richard Bauckham, for one, has written extensively on the extent to which the Gospels reflect eyewitness testimony and the early oral tradition.
Other scholars can show damning evidence the gospels are not eyewitness accounts, which is why a trigram analysis of them shows a large amount of copying between them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by O'Darby
The late scholar Larry Hurtado wrote extensively about how soon after the Crucifixion the early Christians began to worship Jesus as divine.
A divine being from the very beginning. It is not until the gospels that we get a 'historical' Jesus, some time after 70 AD.
Quote:
Originally Posted by O'Darby
The reality is, the New Testament almost stands alone among ancient documents as a reliable record of the events it describes.
Reliable? It contradicts itself so many times, with gospel writers 'correcting' earlier gospels, Acts contradicts Paul's letters because he is inventing a history by rewriting the history according to Paul, it even contradicts known historical events.
The New Testament even has Jesus being born twice, with him not visiting Judea until he was 12 and going to Jerusalem in Judea every year until he was 12.
Quote:
Originally Posted by O'Darby
The critical issue is Truth. If Christianity is True, substantially identical moral codes of other belief systems have not been decreed by God and thus are not "just as good."
Try living by that Christian moral code, and prepare to spend many years in jail.
Quote:
Originally Posted by O'Darby
The issues are (1) whether Christianity is True and, if so (2) whether one is saved. The Bible repeatedly says the Gospel is foolishness to the unsaved. Until one is convicted to turn to God through Christ, it will remain a puzzle and seem foolish.
Think in context though. During that time period less than 2% of the population could read/write.
Oral was their way of communication. We have lost that ability to memorize and recant vast amounts of information today. Their memories must have been quite good seeing they could not read or write.
Except the people who wrote the NT could write, they were part of the educated elite. Yet Paul wrote nothing about a historical Jesus, with only a few texts that could be historical.
The Hebrew and Christian Bibles are a composite of work, some books were discarded. Not even the Ten Commandments are the same for Jews, Protestants and Catholics. Then there is the issue of translation. Then there is the issue of changing meanings of words.
As for who is saved, that's an interesting question. Is a murderer saved? Is someone who is Jewish saved? And then there is the Mormon practice of baptizing the dead.
Remember David Frye decades ago...the impressionist? One of his albums had Nelson Rockefeller in heaven. And Rockefeller says that Hitler is in heaven. Completely changed. Wears cardigan sweaters and penny loafers. Loves Moms Mabley. Hates Bjorn Borg.
My beliefs are very simple if I may interject? I don't care who you are, where you came from or where You're going in life. The fact that we met is all that matters to me. I love you unconditionally because you are special, have a right to be here and have the potential to do amazing things, to not only change your life for the better, but to help other people live better lives too. All it takes is a simple smile, a hug, a gentle touch to acknowledge your beautiful humanity. That is the religion I follow and those are the beliefs I hold so dear! Thanks my love and wish to bless you with all the happiness in your life that you deserve!
You are Truly A Child of God in the Kingdom of Heaven.
3. God’s Universal Knowledge
3:3.1 (48.8) “God knows all things.” The divine mind is conscious of, and conversant with, the thought of all creation. His knowledge of events is universal and perfect. The divine entities going out from him are a part of him; he who “balances the clouds” is also “perfect in knowledge.” “The eyes of the Lord are in every place.” Said your great teacher of the insignificant sparrow, “One of them shall not fall to the ground without my Father’s knowledge,” and also, “The very hairs of your head are numbered.” “He tells the number of the stars; he calls them all by their names.”
3. God’s Universal Knowledge
3:3.1 (48.8) “God knows all things.” The divine mind is conscious of, and conversant with, the thought of all creation. His knowledge of events is universal and perfect. The divine entities going out from him are a part of him; he who “balances the clouds” is also “perfect in knowledge.” “The eyes of the Lord are in every place.” Said your great teacher of the insignificant sparrow, “One of them shall not fall to the ground without my Father’s knowledge,” and also, “The very hairs of your head are numbered.” “He tells the number of the stars; he calls them all by their names.”
And all those things that he sees -- murders, starvations, kidnappings for sex slavery, child abuse, and on and on...and all he does is watch? Shame, shame, shame.
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