Jesus on a licence plate

Woot, I was hoping you'd bite on that. :D

Incidentally, allow me to clarify something: I don't take these sorts of debates all that seriously. I just enjoy them when they happen, because I happen to enjoy debating over the "big topics". It's fun. Had I been born in a different time, I think I might have enjoyed being a theologian.

But anyway.

There is a difference between the parables, which use a hypothetical or sometimes real situation to illustrate a moral lesson, and the myths, which use the supernatural to explain something that the author does not understand.

God created the Earth in seven days is an example of a myth. It explains the origin of the earth (something anybody really has to be curious about) with a supernatural power (God did it).

The Prodigal Son is a parable, and the difference between the two is fairly obvious.

For those who decline to believe the Bible word for word, which is pretty much most of what is arguably considered Christianity these days, I might add, the question becomes how much of the Bible they're willing to disregard.

Creationists are considered somewhat unusual because they actually believe the creation myth, after all.

But really, the concept of God creating the Earth in 7 days is no more unbelievable than Moses parting the Red Sea, or Jesus walking on water.
 
I was going to mention the Red Sea actually, it was between that, Lot and a senior citizen making an Arc and gathering 2 of every animal.

Some scholars of the New Testament apply the term "parable" only to the parables of Jesus,[1] though that is not a common restriction of the term. Parables such as "The Prodigal Son" are central to Jesus' teaching method in both the canonical narratives and the apocrypha.
Click to expand...

Parable is narrative because people of the time didn't/couldn't read. Yes, it can be seen as fable, depending on who you're talking to.

I have never said "You are unreasonable" to an Athiest who is trying to prove religion wrong, to each his/her own. My boyfriend is an Athiest. I just don't get why people can't just leave it alone when I say "I believe in God". Am I forcing you to? Am I insulting your beliefs, or lack thereof? No I am not. This type of conversation may be "fun" to you, but imo mocking someone's beliefs is not a laughing matter, it's just rude.
 
Mirewen said:
The dragon is a symbol for something/someone. It's not an ACTUAL dragon. The Bible has a lot of symbolism.
Click to expand...

I believe in the dragon, but mainly because I think it'd be cool to see "a dragon" -- not necessarily *that* dragon, but *a* dragon, nonetheless.
 
Fair enough.

I at times forget that not everyone who participates in these discussions views them the same way that I do. My sincere apologies if I have hurt you in some fashion.

The debate on faith and religion is an important one, however, if for no other reason than that by debating and discussing the issue, we arguably bring ourselves closer to the truth.
 
Raesvelg said:
Fair enough.

I at times forget that not everyone who participates in these discussions views them the same way that I do. My sincere apologies if I have hurt you in some fashion.

The debate on faith and religion is an important one, however, if for no other reason than that by debating and discussing the issue, we arguably bring ourselves closer to the truth.
Click to expand...

I don't think that there will ever be a "truth" that either side comes to that will make the other side completely switch what they believe.

And yes TG, a dragon would be hella cool.
 
There are better sources to draw useful parables which make you feel warm and fuzzy from. Take... the entire gamut of modern literature or philosophy, for example. In my opinion as a humble Lit post-grad, the bible is not a terribly imaginative text and poorly written. I guess that's understandable, considering the um... target audience.

I mean have any of you people read the Old Testament? That thing is just ghastly, whether you apply a literal reading or not. Death here, pestilence and plague there. The only kind of insight you can really extract from it is: do as I say or the sky-god will be angry. Oh and that you shouldn't eat shellfish because they are an abomination. The New Testament has a few applicable mores, but really nothing of pivotal importance that you can't "learn" elsewhere (if you subscribe to the belief humans are void of morals until they are taught, rather than them being natural extensions of survival instincts and societal discourse). Anyway, I'm drifting of track here. My point is: yes the Bible has cute little stories which we can read and absorb into our lives in order to become "better people", but in my opinion it is not the best text for this purpose and it most certainly is not the only one.

The fact that the Bible needs to be revised and shunned deeper and deeper into the realm of colourful allegory in order to remain relevant or stomachable is quite telling.
 
Last edited:
Lukas said:
In my opinion as a humble Lit post-grad, the bible is not a terribly imaginative text and poorly written. I guess that's understandable, considering the um... target audience.
Click to expand...

See, right there. Mockery yet again. Maybe if you were so intelligent you could see both sides to a story, but instead you spout your pompous one sided "arguement". The fact that you're post grad means nothing btw, only that you think it will make you sound smarter.
 
Mirewen said:
See, right there. Mockery yet again. Maybe if you were so intelligent you could see both sides to a story, but instead you spout your pompous one sided "arguement". The fact that you're post grad means nothing btw, only that you think it will make you sound smarter.
Click to expand...

Oh relax, it was a little joke. And I mentioned I was a post-grad just to give perspective on how I personally analysed the Bible. I know full well that means shit to you or anyone else and it most certainly doesn't give me any authority.
 
Mirewen said:
See, right there. Mockery yet again. Maybe if you were so intelligent you could see both sides to a story, but instead you spout your pompous one sided "arguement". The fact that you're post grad means nothing btw, only that you think it will make you sound smarter.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't necessarily call it mockery, arguably one of the problems the bible has is that its target audience is every human on the planet - no matter how intelligent or brain damaged - so it needs to be "dumb" so everyone can understand it.
 
Tagrineth said:
I wouldn't necessarily call it mockery, arguably one of the problems the bible has is that its target audience is every human on the planet - no matter how intelligent or brain damaged - so it needs to be "dumb" so everyone can understand it.
Click to expand...

Was going to give a response, but I wont bother. I'll just shake my head and sigh instead.
 
What, you disagree that the Bible is meant to be accessible to everyone?
 
The Constitution can be understood by anyone, yet we still have a Supreme Court.
 
Tagrineth said:
What, you disagree that the Bible is meant to be accessible to everyone?
Click to expand...

No that's obviously not what I disagree with in your statement. However, it isn't accessible to everyone whether or not it's meant to be.

And Hali, that's why I don't believe in organized religion. People can make up their own minds, well "reasonable" people can.
 
Mirewen said:
No that's obviously not what I disagree with in your statement. However, it isn't accessible to everyone whether or not it's meant to be.
Click to expand...

So what're you disagreeing with that I said?
 
Raesvelg said:
The Constitution can be understood by anyone, yet we still have a Supreme Court.
Click to expand...

Thats because thousands of people make a living coming up with methods to circumvent the constitution rather than just do the easy thing and follow it.
 
Dejavu said:
Thats because thousands of people make a living coming up with methods to circumvent the constitution rather than just do the easy thing and follow it.
Click to expand...

And thousands of people come up with methods to circumvent the "rules" in the Bible...

Of course, most of them have historically been associated with the Church directly, but that's beside the point.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top