The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

[burd]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

You can believe differently. At the Final Judgment, I hope we're together in Heaven.

I don't know. Even though it's counterintuitive, there could be Gopher fans there.

 

[Kepler]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

It's up to you to decide from reading the Bible if Heaven or Hell are nothing but empty promises. If you decide to dismiss the entire idea of Heaven and Hell, and you are wrong, that's quite a long term problem you have now. Being a believer is a no risk/no penalty situation.

Pascal's Wager is the last refuge of the cynical.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

If there's nothing after we die, then our time on earth is all the more precious and someone who goes to church every Sunday will have wasted a non-trivial portion of it chasing something that turned out to be false. Does not sound like a no-risk situation to me.

As opposed to spending all day on a message board...

I don't know. Even though it's counterintuitive, there could be Gopher fans there.

Why do you think there are so many references to gold re heaven?

 

[MissThundercat]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

I believe this is where my faith starts to depart from that of others. Timothy, correct me if I'm wrong. What you mention above is certainly a Biblical position. Was it advanced by Paul only...or was it specifically advanced by Jesus at some point? Jesus did say 'faith without works is dead'...and based on my faith, Jesus always trumps.

In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus asked "what have you done in my name? Did you feed the hungry, visit the sick and those in prison, clothe the naked, etc? Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me."

 

[Kepler]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

Why do you think there are so many references to gold re heaven?

And no references to dinosaurs.

 

[joecct]

And no references to dinosaurs.

Because 5,000 years ago nobody could contemplate a dinosaur.

I would also point out that the creation story was done to show that it took somebody REALLY powerful to create everything in just 6 days. If the story had said instead "countless moons" most folks would have said "So what!".

 

[Priceless]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

Because 5,000 years ago nobody could contemplate a dinosaur.

I would also point out that the creation story was done to show that it took somebody REALLY powerful to create everything in just 6 days. If the story had said instead "countless moons" most folks would have said "So what!".

But I thought the dinosaurs were only a few thousand years old, and lived alongside people. Wasn't "The Flintstones" a documentary?

 

[St. Clown]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

But I thought the dinosaurs were only a few thousand years old, and lived alongside people. Wasn't "The Flintstones" a documentary?

There are people strewn about this entire country that believe this. They think that people living with dinosaurs led to the myths surrounding dragons. They tend to be in the Biblical literalists. Also, fossilized sealife found imbedded in mountain rock is proof of the Great Flood, not tectonic plates shifting over millions of years.

 

[Kepler]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

There are people strewn about this entire country that believe this. They think that people living with dinosaurs led to the myths surrounding dragons. They tend to be in the Biblical literalists. Also, fossilized sealife found imbedded in mountain rock is proof of the Great Flood, not tectonic plates shifting over millions of years.

"Strewn about" = 40%

 

[Timothy A]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

I believe this is where my faith starts to depart from that of others. Timothy, correct me if I'm wrong. What you mention above is certainly a Biblical position. Was it advanced by Paul only...or was it specifically advanced by Jesus at some point? Jesus did say 'faith without works is dead'...and based on my faith, Jesus always trumps.

I'll have to do some digging on that, I do not know. What I can say is whether Paul "advanced" it, or Jesus said it and it was recorded in the Gospels, it's all the word of God, so I'm not sure, at least to me, that it matters what earthly being said or recorded it. It's all equal according to the Bible itself.

Faith without works is dead, very much a Biblical truth. I do good works out of thanks to God for all he has given me materially and spiritually. I do not do it to earn my way to the big musky lake in the sky. Jesus paid my debt for me.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

I happen to believe (because I am Roman Catholic) that when I die, I will render an accounting of my life to Christ who will tell me, "Yes", "No" or "Wait a while". It's the "No" part that scares the heck out of me. Therefore I try to keep from doing things that would cause a "No" answer.

You can believe differently. At the Final Judgment, I hope we're together in Heaven.

What is the basis for the "Wait a while"? I grew up Catholic, and as I got older, I started to wonder why I believed in things as a Catholic that were not Biblically based. I'm just curious (I must not have paid attention in grade school I guess).

At Final Judgement, there will be Christians of all denominations there, the core of our beliefs is the same.

 

[LynahFan]

What is the basis for the "Wait a while"? I grew up Catholic, and as I got older, I started to wonder why I believed in things as a Catholic that were not Biblically based. I'm just curious (I must not have paid attention in grade school I guess).

At Final Judgement, there will be Christians of all denominations there, the core of our beliefs is the same.

No room for non-Christians? Ghandi is in hell?

 

[Kepler]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

No room for non-Christians? Ghandi is in hell?

The essential rule of a pre-teen boys club: NO GIRLS ALLOWED!!!!!

 

[joecct]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

What is the basis for the "Wait a while"? I grew up Catholic, and as I got older, I started to wonder why I believed in things as a Catholic that were not Biblically based. I'm just curious (I must not have paid attention in grade school I guess).

At Final Judgement, there will be Christians of all denominations there, the core of our beliefs is the same.

Purgatory -- here's the Catholic position

Of course now a days, who the heck knows what is taught in Catholic schools and from the pulpit.

No room for non-Christians? Ghandi is in hell?

Nope. Though some will think so. I believe Hell is for those who spit in the face of God. Who those folks are do not depend on what religion, or lack thereof, they profess or practice.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

If there's nothing after we die, then our time on earth is all the more precious and someone who goes to church every Sunday will have wasted a non-trivial portion of it chasing something that turned out to be false. Does not sound like a no-risk situation to me.

If you think that situation is risky, then if I were you, I'd be more worried about that bubble bursting that you are living in than you are. I can't understand how singing some songs, doing some reading and listening can be classified as risky in the first place in a country of acceptance that we live in.

 

[WisconsinWildcard]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

I can't understand how singing some songs, doing some reading and listening can be classified as risky in the first place in a country of acceptance that we live in.

I honestly cannot understand how one can think simply singing some songs, doing some reading, and listening can be enough to appease an all knowing, all powerful, and all benevolent being.

To paraphrase Hitch, you strike me as someone who has never read significantly about the opposing view to your opinion.

 

[joecct]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

If you think that situation is risky, then if I were you, I'd be more worried about that bubble bursting that you are living in than you are. I can't understand how singing some songs, doing some reading and listening can be classified as risky in the first place in a country of acceptance that we live in.

The Beatles. Elvis. Rap.

Lawrence Welk for all!! Though I could listen to Big Bands all day.

 

[LynahFan]

If you think that situation is risky, then if I were you, I'd be more worried about that bubble bursting that you are living in than you are. I can't understand how singing some songs, doing some reading and listening can be classified as risky in the first place in a country of acceptance that we live in.

Google "opportunity cost" and then get back to me once you understand that concept.

 

[Foxton]

Re: The Bible: Real, Fiction, or somewhere in between?

I honestly cannot understand how one can think simply singing some songs, doing some reading, and listening can be enough to appease an all knowing, all powerful, and all benevolent being.

To paraphrase Hitch, you strike me as someone who has never read significantly about the opposing view to your opinion.

Everyone has to share their fear of a boogie man hiding in the closet.

 

[Priceless]

If you think that situation is risky, then if I were you, I'd be more worried about that bubble bursting that you are living in than you are. I can't understand how singing some songs, doing some reading and listening can be classified as risky in the first place in a country of acceptance that we live in.

Oh, that's all you have to do? Awesome!! I'm in! I sing in the shower, read books (and magazines, used to read the newspaper) and listen to the TV and radio all the time.