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Arguable, about Christianity, you do know that this is a battle taking place over turf and other religion see it as a live or die situation? My point is that organized religion allows people to be fragmented, not that it is the only reason, it is just a major one because it crosses international borders thus more people are involved. Fragmentation into groups or tribes makes it easier for individuals to harm others as it becomes an us versus them.
It also makes it easier for fanatics to rally to a cause such as jihad, I believe it would be much more difficult to get people to commit suicide in such dramatic and destructive ways if the religious element was taken out of the equation?
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Yeah, no doubt. we look for ways to be different, we are a tribal people. (I agree with whoever said that earlier) Religion is one of those ways we divide, but we are pretty good at dividing along any and every line.
I guess, there is a way people are, and a way the Bible calls them to be. loving. I intentionally play ball and talk to muslims weekly. Caring. I am serving at a children's home on Saturday. Patient. I suck at this, but try. In community I meet with a group to discuss life struggles issues on Wednesdays and a close friend monday morning. speaking the truth (or at least what I have been convinced is the truth in love). One reason I am on here. I know that I came across as condemning, but did try to demonstrate how there can be differences in why I do something and how you may recieve it. I failed at this. Probably due to the patience thing.
The point is the Bible calls us to be what we naturally are not, and because we aren't perfect we screw that up, too. but I'd rather people follow something that demands they try to have Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, and self control.
Rather than something that says we are all part of the machine. You are the way you are, embrace it. (I think this is a more modern ideaology that gets rolled into all viewpoints, including many Christians)
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I do not want to go into the whole argument why your creator decided to make an imperfect being and then is surprised when it is imperfect...etc, etc. Suffice to say that it makes no sense to me, thus this statement makes no sense to me.
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I know there are so many things to argue so little time!
For another day, my friend. (I'd be surprised if he was surprised)
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I am not talking about a literal translation, I am talking about a culture one, words, as you should know, have had different meanings at different times during history, not to mention the canonization by a different culture, it would be a real shame if Christianity had really lost the path and all those people were lost...
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Okay, thanks for clarifying. We do a lot of work in the field to understand the culture and the sources. We use other texts that share the time frame to help us understand the words, even using the authors general meaning to provide further insight into how this author understands these words. There is more study and more books/articles/papers on the Bible than any other subject. If we can have any idea of what DID happen it should be about the time of Jesus.
Of course with so many articles there are a lot of differing ideas out there. Especially with the nature of Academia today (If you want to make a name for yourself, you have to be more controversial, if you just want a PHD you are still supposed to introduce something "new" That makes for a lot of things to wade through to find truth, and even consensus)
I guess after all that I have to agree it is really hard to be sure. I know I have some wrong beliefs, just don't know which...
You are even more right when you say it would be a real shame if Christianity lost the path...Paul shares your sentiment
1 Cor 15 17-19 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.