Mockingbird

Well Paj, I listened to the four-minute version. Tho' I heartily agree with what I heard him say, I can't say I'm real comfortable with it, if you know what I mean. I'm fixin' to listen to the whole thing now. Thanks for the link. Could be the subject of a separate thread... Are you REALLY a Christian? or, You say you're a Christian, but are you following Christ? Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Did not need a response, nor do I need some yahoo telling me if I am a good person or not and I suspect that most others do not either. Are you calling God a yahoo? It's His 10 Commandments that are used to see if you measure up. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

I don't know what you're referring to in this reply. (You referenced no post of mine.) My "fear of research"?? Again, I don't know what you might be referring to. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

I agree. The scientific method, when it can be used and used properly, is a valuable tool (tho' not perfect). No quarrel with you there. Whether there has been or will be enough empirical evidence for the supernatural to suit everybody, I don't know. (For many at the time, an empty tomb was sufficient). But what I asked was whether you would agree that you could be mistaken in your presupposition about the non-existence of God and/or the supernatural. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

I applaud James' eagerness for an accurate translation. There had been in English the translations/versions of Tyndale, Wyclif, Coverdale, Geneva (in which chapter and verse divisions were first made--- hooray), etc. The English language was still developing. A reading of the Canterbury Tales or Shakespeare's stuff will illustrate that. English has changed since James' time, too. Yes, but what actual changes were made? What "errors" were corrected? None of any consequence. The message was preserved throughout the various translations/versions. As more manuscripts were found and compared, the message only got clearer, not fuzzier. Now that thousands of manuscripts (most only portions, but in some instances practically complete NTs) have been logged, we've discovered what we'd always known... Every time something is found, the message from centuries of translation is confirmed. Authorities on ancient texts estimate the variations among copies (Gk. manuscripts) to be trivial-- less than 1%. No other text or document is as accurately preserved as the New Testament. So, yes Jesus DID keep His promise to those disciples in the Upper Room that night. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

I agree with what you're saying except for this: "Additionally, you've not ever read one literal word of Jesus. Ever. What you have read are books written by others after his death, all of which are recounts of oral histories." Obviously I have more faith in the providence of God in the preservation of Christ's words. I believe the Bible to be, in a sense, a supernatural book in that I believe that the spirit of God superintended the recording of Christ's claims and His works so that Christ's followers (the authors of the NT) put it down right. (In fact, Christ, on his last night with the disciples before He died, promised them that the Holy Spirit would cause them to remember His words and teachings so they could record them accurately.) And since its original composition, it has been supernaturally preserved, even through all the hand-copying it's undergone. I'm sleepy; gotta' go to bed. Talk to y'all tomorrow. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

The Bible is probably the most misused book in history then. Taking phrases, verses, passages out of context in order to justify any injustice or any violence is a misuse of it. People who genuinely have a respect and love for God and who believe He is responsible for the bible's existence and preservation will bend over backwards NOT to misuse it for any reason, but to responsibly interpret it and properly apply its teachings to one's personal life and relationships, primarily one's relationship to God. For instance, here is what it (Christ and His apostles/disciples) taught about the disciples' relationships with non-Christians: "Be wise as serpents and as harmless as doves." And, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody." And, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." He never gave orders to go out and kill people. Christ said that the highest commandment of God is to first, love God with all your heart, and second, to love others as you love yourself. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Good grief. I, being a Christian myself, would sure like to know: 1. Where Urban got the idea that Christ was "commanding" the destruction of any people or race? He certainly didn't get it from the words of Christ recorded in scripture. 2. What right he had to give a blanket pronouncement of the "remission of sins" to all...? 3. Where he got the idea that Christians have the right to be persecutors? Sorry, but attitudes like his aren't at all like the Christ I read of in the Bible. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

According to my homeowner's policy, natural disasters are still considered to be "acts of God"!!! Why don't you enlighten them? Anyway, I assume from your response that you agree that you don't "know it all." However, I understand your reasoning behind this admission: that science is still discovering, still learning (thank God--- oops!). I'm curious to know tho' if you would agree that you could be mistaken in your presupposition about the non-existence of God and/or the supernatural. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

So Christians are under a spell cast by the Pope, or whomever. That's interesting. How do you account for protestant Christianity? As much as you'd like to think that you have it and us all figured out, you don't. There is much you don't understand and actually can't understand for one reason or another. Do you accept that? Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Jack, you said this to Speedracer: And you said this to Pajarito: Somewhere along the way you decided to accept the idea that Time began with the big bang and that before the big bang there was nothing, not even time. All I'm pointing out is that you already "blindly accept" some things. No one doesn't blindly accept certain things. It's not a fault; it's just something we all do after pondering whatever evidence exists and adopting a philosophical framework to fit it into. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

I can readily agree with this statement. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Things don't "defy logic" just because you can't accept them. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Did you know that Chuck Norris is an outspoken Christian? I just thought you'd find that interesting. Such a tough dude--- self-sufficient, empowered, man's man, etc. But can he skydive?????!!!! Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

He's done that before. And everyone believed in His existence, but some preferred not to let Him be God in their lives. They did the "all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned to our own way" thing. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Which far from normal group of "Christians" is he lumping in with the majority of normal ones in order so they all look bad? Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

To glorify God. AMEN !! never stop doing what you are doing brother I agree. God is glorified when His kids love people enough to tell them what they need to hear, regardless of the criticism they might invoke. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Physical death is only the beginning of a whole new phase of life. Biology has no way of investigating that aspect of it, obviously. Based on the teaching of Christ, I believe that every person who ever lived will be resurrected in the future. Not for a second chance at anything, but in order to account for their lives in front of the judge. Here are some examples of that teaching. There are more, but I have a hard time narrowing them down. •Mark 8:31 [ Jesus Predicts His Death ] He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. •John 11:23-25 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies. •Matthew 27:53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. •Luke 14:11-14 "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. •Acts 1:21-23 21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection." 23 So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. •Acts 17:32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." •Acts 24:15 and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. •Romans 2:1-5 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. •2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. •Hebrews 9:26-28 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Go skydiving! or start a new Christmas tradition with friends who make you actually feel glad to be alive, or, if you're feeling especially benevolent, I've heard that doing or giving something to someone who can't return the favor gives a nice high. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

The more they know, the better they are able to do. And the higher we set the bar, the better quality they'll be. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

'S OK. Like I said, I can't defend Rome's actions or dogma because I'm not Catholic. Half the time I don't even know what's going on in those circles. What I did say was that it would be just as bad or worse to tell people that condoms are foolproof and can be counted on 100%. That would lead to rampant reserve deployments. And then it's too late to cut away if the reserve fails. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"

Agreed. But being wired to enjoy sex doesn't mean that we HAVE no control. Sex in the right context IS a good thing... and yes, extreeeeemely enjoyable. Blue skies & happy jitters ~Mockingbird "Why is there something rather than nothing?"