Butch Jones embraces team chaplain Tim Miller

[bray2milton]

To you, that is.

Correct.

 

[jakez4ut]

Lol. So typical.

No less than what I see elsewhere in this thread

 

[bray2milton]

No less than what I see elsewhere in this thread

How so?

 

[jakez4ut]

How so?

Read any post by armchair

 

[sjt18]

To me the Bible in any form is simply a book. Point blank.

What do you mean by "simply a book"? Impact on the world? Historical significance? Antiquity? Textual accuracy?

The Bible even if it isn't what it and Christians say it is... is an astounding book.

 

[Behr]

It's a fascinating "book". Even as a "fairytale" as some call it.

 

[sjt18]

People who kill, rape, cheat, lie, steal that say "god is my judge" or "god has forgiven me". Are people who lack the intestinal fortitude to take responsibility for their actions. Hence my crutch statement at the beginning of this thread. Sad really.

Which people specifically are you referring to and how are they representative of Christianity?

 

[sjt18]

None of that does a thing for me. No offense but in my opinion the Bible is a book written and thought up by a man.

How did you come to that conclusion?

If anything, I don't think many here would accuse me of underanalyzing things or not being critical. I've taken that approach to the Bible's text.

As for doing nothing for you... I can't help you there. All I can do is present the gospel to you when an opportunity like this arises then let you and God work it out.

Like you and me.

How much do you know about the human penmen of the Bible?

No different than a fairytale.

... how did you come to this conclusion? Maybe you've studied the textual evidence for the Bible but most people haven't.

I'm going to spoil it for you a little... but it was a book written by a number of authors over a 1400 period... that is consistent in theme and message. Meaning it can be systematized as if authored by a single person or small, intimate group.

I sleep well knowing that I live my life in a beneficial way for my friends, family and myself. I don't need a book to tell me how to do that.

By beneficial you mean "good", right? Define good.

What does tell you how to do that?

 

[volfannbama]

People who kill, rape, cheat, lie, steal that say "god is my judge" or "god has forgiven me". Are people who lack the intestinal fortitude to take responsibility for their actions. Hence my crutch statement at the beginning of this thread. Sad really.

I dont think thats how it really works.

 

[sjt18]

Atheism isn't a religion we don't worship anything nor do we attend any services to worship.

It is a religious point of view protected by the 1st Amendment as it should be.

Where the abuse by YOUR side comes in is that you try to portray it as an absence of an opinion about religion. The 1st Amendment has an establishment clause that prevents me from forcing you to subject to my church... and a free exercise clause that should prevent you from using gov't power to in any way inhibit my free practice of religion... to include indoctrinating school children against it.

But more to your point, some even on your side acknowledge that atheism is a "religion" of sorts. It explains to you where we came from and has the power to tell you the purpose of life (nothing really except to survive and reproduce), what is "moral" (a lot of convoluted attempts but basically whatever is good for one's ability to survive and reproduce), and then our destiny... nothing but a cold grave.

Atheism in that respect answers or at least attempts to answer all of the questions that qualify something as a religious faith once systematized... and atheists have spent a lot of time trying to do that.

 

[JacketVol]

To me the Bible in any form is simply a book. Point blank.

Historians, some who do not believe in God, do not dispute the historical accuracy of the book you call a fairy tale. I understand you don't believe in God but the book has historical significance and it sounds to a degree, ignorant, to dismiss it entirely regardless if you don't have faith in it. It actually showed the world was not flat before Columbus took his little jaunt. It was part of why he felt it was not a flat earth.

https://answersingenesis.org/answers/books/taking-back-astronomy/the-universe-confirms-the-bible/

 

[sjt18]

It's a fascinating "book". Even as a "fairytale" as some call it.

Remarkable fairytale. Archeology keeps confirming its historical claims... often in contradiction to what earlier researchers proudly claimed were proofs against the Bible.

An ancient book with over 5500 original language manuscripts and partials... 12000+ ancient handcopied translations... over 12000 citations in other ancient books and letters. The science of textual criticism says that this book of "fairytales" can be recreated to within 1% of the original text with no doctrine of Christianity at stake within that 1%.

A fairytale book that has reshaped the world... by redeeming individuals and changing them profoundly.

How it did that is more important than doing it... The NT religion NEVER allows for use of force to convert anyone. It commands believers to die for their faith if necessary but to NEVER kill to impose it on anyone else.

It never ceases to astound me when people take offense to Christians trying to share the gospel with them and persuade them to believe.... somehow that's deemed worse than violence.

 

[JacketVol]

People who kill, rape, cheat, lie, steal that say "god is my judge" or "god has forgiven me". Are people who lack the intestinal fortitude to take responsibility for their actions. Hence my crutch statement at the beginning of this thread. Sad really.

This was why my response was the Bible doesn't teach that. I agree some use it and why Paul said don't sin just so grace will abound. It's a heart issue. Is there forgiveness? Yes there is. But if you continually sin and have no remorse and do it and say it is ok because God will forgive me. Do not think the motivation of your heart is to live for Christ at that point.

 

[sjt18]

People who kill, rape, cheat, lie, steal that say "god is my judge" or "god has forgiven me". Are people who lack the intestinal fortitude to take responsibility for their actions. Hence my crutch statement at the beginning of this thread. Sad really.

Are these things "evil"?

 

[bray2milton]

Wow. So many responses so little time. To sum it all up I do not believe in God. The Bible is just a book or books in MY opinion. It all sounds like magic to ME. You fellas believe what YOU like. People give Muslims hell for their hardline religion as followed in say the Middle East. Those that don't comply over there are subject to terrible things. Why? Because they don't believe or have other religious interests. That's why I am glad I wake up in America everyday and know I can have a opinion on things and not get beheaded. Unless I am on Volnation saying anything other than praise Jesus or amen.

 

[UT IE 95]

The sassy is strong with this one. Nut cakes? You mean a person who doesn't share your opinion?

"In a post to the university's website, Pride Center Director Donna Braquet encouraged instructors to ask students to provide their name and preferred pronoun at the beginning of the semester.

Braquet advised UT professors and students to look beyond the traditional pronouns, such as she, her, hers and he, him and his, in favor of gender-neutral pronouns such as ze, hir, hirs, and xe, xem, xyr."

If that doesn't qualify as nut cakes, then sorry I offended hir.

That has nothing to do with opinion. It's just plain stupidity.

 

[sjt18]

That's why I am glad I wake up in America everyday and know I can have a opinion on things and not get beheaded. Unless I am on Volnation saying anything other than praise Jesus or amen.

By and large, you can thank people who believe like us or perhaps even more strictly for the fact that you cannot have religion imposed on you. The religion clause of the first amendment has its genesis with oppressed religious sects like the Baptists. They were routinely imprisoned for preaching without a license issued by the Church of England.

Biblical Christians then had no fear of how their faith would fare in a truly "free marketplace of ideals". We still don't... we just want that free marketplace again.

 

[Kristy*]

Remarkable fairytale. Archeology keeps confirming its historical claims... often in contradiction to what earlier researchers proudly claimed were proofs against the Bible.

An ancient book with over 5500 original language manuscripts and partials... 12000+ ancient handcopied translations... over 12000 citations in other ancient books and letters. The science of textual criticism says that this book of "fairytales" can be recreated to within 1% of the original text with no doctrine of Christianity at stake within that 1%.

A fairytale book that has reshaped the world... by redeeming individuals and changing them profoundly.

How it did that is more important than doing it... The NT religion NEVER allows for use of force to convert anyone. It commands believers to die for their faith if necessary but to NEVER kill to impose it on anyone else.

It never ceases to astound me when people take offense to Christians trying to share the gospel with them and persuade them to believe.... somehow that's deemed worse than violence.

Good discussion Sjt.

 

[o3marine52]

Read any post by armchair

Try not to. One of the worst on here.

 

[Behr]

Remarkable fairytale. Archeology keeps confirming its historical claims... often in contradiction to what earlier researchers proudly claimed were proofs against the Bible.

An ancient book with over 5500 original language manuscripts and partials... 12000+ ancient handcopied translations... over 12000 citations in other ancient books and letters. The science of textual criticism says that this book of "fairytales" can be recreated to within 1% of the original text with no doctrine of Christianity at stake within that 1%.

A fairytale book that has reshaped the world... by redeeming individuals and changing them profoundly.

How it did that is more important than doing it... The NT religion NEVER allows for use of force to convert anyone. It commands believers to die for their faith if necessary but to NEVER kill to impose it on anyone else.

It never ceases to astound me when people take offense to Christians trying to share the gospel with them and persuade them to believe.... somehow that's deemed worse than violence.

Well said, and I couldn't agree more.

Gotta say I've enjoyed getting to "know" a few of you guys better by reading this thread. It really has been a pleasure.

 

[bray2milton]

By and large, you can thank people who believe like us or perhaps even more strictly for the fact that you cannot have religion imposed on you. The religion clause of the first amendment has its genesis with oppressed religious sects like the Baptists. They were routinely imprisoned for preaching without a license issued by the Church of England.

Biblical Christians then had no fear of how their faith would fare in a truly "free marketplace of ideals". We still don't... we just want that free marketplace again.

The thing is I do not care what the christians do. I have found that those who are christians have a hard time keeping that to themselves. They want you to know it and you to believe too. I don't jive with religion in schools. I don't jive with the the phrase "have a blessed day". I see it as weakness. But if you get by everyday on it and it makes you feel better then good for you. To me its the greatest lie in human history.

 

[bray2milton]

Good discussion Sjt.

Have you tried walking on water lately? Give it a shot and let me know how it goes.

 

[bray2milton]

Try not to. One of the worst on here.

Because he stated a opinion he holds about religion. Amirite? And it is not your shared opinion. Amirite?

 

[sjt18]

Good discussion Sjt.

:hi:

Forgot to mention how the evidence for the NT compares to other ancient books. As I noted earlier, there are over 5500 original language manuscripts of the NT. The earliest is a fragment of the Gospel of John dated to about 40 years after John wrote the book. The earliest complete copy of the NT dates to around 250 AD... about 150 years after John penned Revelation.

The next best attested text from antiquity is The Illiad. There are less than 1800 mss existing. The original text iirc is about 80% confident. The earliest mss dates to 400 years after the original writing.

Plays by Sophocles has the next smallest gap between the original and first existing mss... about 100 years. There are only 193 known mss of that work.

This is just the Greek. Some of the best early evidence for the text of the NT comes from Latin and Syriac translations. One of the things these early translations did was assure that the text of the NT could not be changed by some grand conspiracy as popularized by Dan Brown and others.

 

[bray2milton]

"In a post to the university's website, Pride Center Director Donna Braquet encouraged instructors to ask students to provide their name and preferred pronoun at the beginning of the semester.

Braquet advised UT professors and students to look beyond the traditional pronouns, such as she, her, hers and he, him and his, in favor of gender-neutral pronouns such as ze, hir, hirs, and xe, xem, xyr."

If that doesn't qualify as nut cakes, then sorry I offended hir.

That has nothing to do with opinion. It's just plain stupidity.

Nut cakes. Maybe. But that is your opinion.