Finally give up Nehemiah? I didn't think I'd ever get there, think I might go out and celebrate.. hell, drinks are on me!
What's that you say? Oh yeah, "LOL"; I've blown your cover; you couldn't/can't answer the questions I pose for phonies; you've acknowledged "god"; your credibility as an atheist/agnostic is shot all to heck; my work with you is completed.
Oh yeah? You've been exposed as a troll. I'm willing to give you a second shot however, cause i'm not a bad guy. Respond to my points intelligently or withdraw in a respectful manner as I, myself, once did.
Now if you just repeat that once per second for an entire 24-hour period of time, you might be able to convince yourself that you're telling the truth.
Why is it important for you to convince people of your interpretation of spirituality, God, and the afterlife? It seems like you're investing more time in trying to convince people that you're right than making a contribution to society. Do you think that pointing fingers and quoting bible verses is going to get you anywhere? It probably does give you a sense of pseudo-righteousness that you're successfully admonising the lowly heathens and sinners in this forum, but to me you look like a Pharisee in Jesus's time that was so wrapped up in his own religion he didn't even know that his actions were causing more harm than good.
Maybe for the same reason that it was "important for you to" confront me and ask that question. If all you know is what, "look like a Pharisee in Jesus's time", then you don't really know Jack, do you? BTW, that should be "Jesus'". Tell me something, since you're a self-professed confront-er of what "look like a Pharisee in Jesus's time", What was JESUS' final Command to HIS Disciples?
Brother, nothing personal, we all have interpretations and views, I'm not saying your view is wrong, I'm just expressing my views and my intrepretation. In Christianity it is believed that all human beings are flawed and born into sin, I agree, and I also agree that the Bible was interpreted by flawed human beings who were trying hard to communicate their beliefs to their peers at that time and that era. The virgin birth was very popular with Greek and Roman gods, way before Jesus' time and the story of wise men bringing gifts were also a very popular story in Greek and Roman pagan religions, the apostles were writing text to appeal to the gentiles, and even though the Bible has great insight on "morality" and how a human being should live his life, it is also text that was topical for that time. Judaism and Christianity is unique in one aspect, the belief in one God or Monotheism which was very unique in ancient cultures that were accustomed to praying to different gods for different aspects of life. The Bible has been taken literally by political groups to further their agenda and I think if Jesus lived today he would not care if it's "right or wrong" that Steve and Jimmy get married, but would be very angry at the injustice of young boys and girls getting their limbs chopped off in Darfur. So stop debating "morality", and what's wrong or right, but focus on how to get a community involved to help others.
Blind Guides "Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!" (Matthew 23:16) The 23rd chapter of Matthew contains some harsh denunciations as Jesus delivers the eight "woe's." Even the Greek word is a bit eerie; it is pronounced "oo-ah-ee!" Can you imagine this series of stern admonitions delivered to the faces of these self-righteous manipulators of truth? "Oo-ah-ee you scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees, hypocrites!" It must have given chills to everyone there. The blindness that Jesus was condemning has both a practical and spiritual impact. Obviously, if one does not understand simple truth, the result is going to be either embarrassing or painful. "They be blind leaders of the blind," Jesus said. "And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" (Matthew 15:14). The great Creator of the universe knows best how to guide His creation. If we, the stewards (Genesis 1:28), do not know or understand the Creator's instructions, we are bound to get into trouble. That "truth blindness" often results in "blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel" (Matthew 23:24). But the greater blindness is spiritual. Peter listed attributes on how to grow in faith and gain assurance. Then he advised, "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins" (2 Peter 1:9). In His messages to the seven churches, Jesus warned Laodicea, "Because thou says, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:17). His counsel: "Buy of me gold . . . and white raiment . . . and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou may see" (Revelation 3:18).