Poll: If you are a Trump supporter, do you consider him to be a “good Christian?”

[creekdipper]

That's why you have to remain creative in the sack.

Absolutely. Within limits.

"Erotic" is using a feather; "kinky" is using the entire chicken.

 

[BigO95]

You have yet to provide enough evidence to reach your conclusion. If it's just faith, that's fine. But it ain't history, bigO.

It's as much history as anything you are reading. Why would it not be?

 

[creekdipper]

I've heard stories, I'm not convinced. I'm not saying it's not true but there are lots of coincidences in life.

Coincidence to one person is Providence to another.

(Some would use "fate" or other terms).

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Absolutely. Within limits.

"Erotic" is using a feather; "kinky" is using the entire chicken.

LULZ

 

[creekdipper]

It's a fact that those who maintain that they require empirical physical evidence for belief also rely upon faith in a supernatural explanation for creation.

 

[creekdipper]

Just how old of fella are you?

"Wal, it ain't nothing for me to whup a man's ***."

 

[MercyPercy]

It's a fact that those who maintain that they require empirical physical evidence for belief also rely upon faith in a supernatural explanation for creation.

Huh

Just because we don't understand something doesn't mean we are relying on a supernatural explanation. What was before the big bang, how exactly did it happen, where exactly is this universe going in next few billion years.. these are things we either barely have theories about or no good science at all on. And we may never.

It's really okay to say 'I don't know' and it's not a 'gotcha'.

 

[LouderVol]

Couple of questions on this subject I’m trying to stay out of.

-who were those guys who just appeared in the gospels bringing gifts to the messiah?
-what religion were they following?
-what prophecy did they have that brought them there?
-would fishermen have known anything about Zoroastrian religion and randomly decide to include them in the story?
-why would there be a prophecy about a Jewish king in an Iranian religion.

Ok that’s more than a couple. But like I said to louder. This one is probably too complex for a message board

considering the gift bringers aren't named, or even numbered, its pure supposition about who they were. If you believe it was Gold, frankensince, and myrrh, it would make sense to be Yemen, but really from anywhere along the arabian coast would have provided those materials. also considering they at least studied astrology they would have been of some import they very easily could have acquired whatever gifts via trade. either back in the homelands or on the way to find Christ. unless you can show who they were or where they are from there is no way to know what prophecy they were following.

the Jews were scattered to regions of modern day Iran by Babylon and the Persians. they also spread on their own. Cultures tend to influence each other. They had a lot of influence down in Yemen at the birth of Christ. not difficult to see why they would influence other cultures. just like the Canaanites and Judaism share a lot of things back and forth.

 

[BigO95]

"Wal, it ain't nothing for me to whup a man's ***."

I've heard that before... That's been a long while...

 

[BigO95]

Ready to break down how Rome is a successor of Alexanders empire? Explain who their ten kings are?

Well it started with his four generals so I'll just leave it there for now.

 

[LouderVol]

Well it started with his four generals so I'll just leave it there for now.

lol. Alexander had far more than 4 generals receive territory after he died. There were dozens of Diadochi. Antipater, Perdiccas, Ptolemy, Seleucus, Antigonus, Lysimachus, Craterus, Laomedon are just the ones that took territory most people would recognize today. about a dozen others further split up the land. including several family members getting territory too.

you might want to go read up on the matter.

 

[BigO95]

lol. Alexander had far more than 4 generals receive territory after he died. There were dozens of Diadochi. Antipater, Perdiccas, Ptolemy, Seleucus, Antigonus, Lysimachus, Craterus, Laomedon are just the ones that took territory most people would recognize today. about a dozen others further split up the land. including several family members getting territory too.

you might want to go read up on the matter.

I certainly will do that..

 

[Septic]

Coincidence to one person is Providence to another.

(Some would use "fate" or other terms).

I'm especially amused by the people claiming providence after a tornado or something that leaves them unscathed while it went on to kill an entire family down the road while ravaging entire communities.

 

[Orangeslice13]

Absolutely. Within limits.

"Erotic" is using a feather; "kinky" is using the entire chicken.

 

[Orangeslice13]

considering the gift bringers aren't named, or even numbered, its pure supposition about who they were. If you believe it was Gold, frankensince, and myrrh, it would make sense to be Yemen, but really from anywhere along the arabian coast would have provided those materials. also considering they at least studied astrology they would have been of some import they very easily could have acquired whatever gifts via trade. either back in the homelands or on the way to find Christ. unless you can show who they were or where they are from there is no way to know what prophecy they were following.

the Jews were scattered to regions of modern day Iran by Babylon and the Persians. they also spread on their own. Cultures tend to influence each other. They had a lot of influence down in Yemen at the birth of Christ. not difficult to see why they would influence other cultures. just like the Canaanites and Judaism share a lot of things back and forth.

The gifts tell us who brought them.
Whose tradition inspired the gifts.
That’s just one small piece of the puzzle that tells us who they were

 

[LouderVol]

I'm especially amused by the people claiming providence after a tornado or something that leaves them unscathed while it went on to kill an entire family down the road while ravaging entire communities.

because the only option was only one family dying, and their prayers moved the tornado to kill someone else?

 

[LouderVol]

The gifts tell us who brought them.
Whose tradition inspired the gifts.
That’s just one small piece of the puzzle that tells us who they were

so you are going with some guys from modern day Yemen/Oman? That gets into some interesting discussion our local historian may not appreciate either.

didn't realize birthday gifts, or gifts (sacrifice) to a prophesized being, is purely a Judaic. the gifts were of extremely high worth back then no matter what your cultural beliefs were.

 

[Septic]

because the only option was only one family dying, and their prayers moved the tornado to kill someone else?

Sounds reasonable.

 

[Orangeslice13]

so you are going with some guys from modern day Yemen/Oman? That gets into some interesting discussion our local historian may not appreciate either.

didn't realize birthday gifts, or gifts (sacrifice) to a prophesized being, is purely a Judaic. the gifts were of extremely high worth back then no matter what your cultural beliefs were.

No, I’m saying I went deep into this and there’s a crapload of evidence from a different religion’s point of view. When it stacks up it becomes overwhelming. I’ve said from the beginning that this is too big for a message board so I should have left it at that.
You seem emotionally attached to this and it’s not worth the fuss. Some things are. This isn’t.

 

[Hunerwadel]

A Visual Representation of Biblical Contradictions

Today, most Christian theologians will say that the Bible should not be interpreted literally as many fundamentalists do, but allegorically, with emphasis on morals and parables. That’s fine …

sciencebasedlife.wordpress.com

 

[turbovol]

It's a fact that those who maintain that they require empirical physical evidence for belief also rely upon faith in a supernatural explanation for creation.

What? Creation is a biological process--period. There is nothing "supernatural" about it.

 

[Orangeburst]

What? Creation is a biological process--period. There is nothing "supernatural" about it.

how did everthing come from nothing?

 

[creekdipper]

Huh

Just because we don't understand something doesn't mean we are relying on a supernatural explanation. What was before the big bang, how exactly did it happen, where exactly is this universe going in next few billion years.. these are things we either barely have theories about or no good science at all on. And we may never.

It's really okay to say 'I don't know' and it's not a 'gotcha'.

Well, no human observed the creation of the universe and no one can duplicate the fear in a laboratory and no one can offer any possible explanation using our known systems of physics...

That's the epitome of "supernatural."

 

[creekdipper]

I'm especially amused by the people claiming providence after a tornado or something that leaves them unscathed while it went on to kill an entire family down the road while ravaging entire communities.

"Amusing" is an odd term to use in that instance. j/k

Anyway, perhaps we just have different definitions for "Providence." A central tenet of the Bible is that "all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.". It doesn't say, "Only good things will happen to believers.". That false latter doctrine is part of the "prosperity gospel," which is not consistent with biblical teachings.

For those who understand Providence to mean "God's will," there's so no contradiction in using the term in all circumstances. Paul himself talked about learning to be "content" regardless of circumstances...poverty, wealth, sickness, health, freedom, prison...the whole gamut. That view is reflected in many people's wedding vows in which they pledge love, faithfulness, loyalty, care, etc. in good times and bad.

Job is the classic example of someone who endured horrible Providence yet never abandoned his faith even while not understanding why God allowed him to suffer.

 

[creekdipper]

how did everthing come from nothing?

We don't really have a clue, but we know the answer can't be "God."

In debates, some interesting premises come up. For instance, I frequently hear that the purpose of existence is to exist. (0f course, we know that the correct answer is 42). Also, I hear that "morality" is simply an evolutionary response in pragmatic terms. Any value judgments are just mechanisms to aid the survival of the species (for the aforementioned purpose of "survival" as the end goal...the ends justifying the means).