So what's the RIGHT answer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Christianity, Judaism, Islam? Is Jesus the son of god or is Mohammed? What about Joseph Smith? Maybe the Mormons have it right. Is the Bible the true word of God and not the Torah? Do we get to heaven by belief, actions, or martyrdom.

Does anyone else think this is all ridiculous? I respect people but I don't respect silly ideas no matter how old they may be. The way I see it you're all arguing over nothing and wasting what precious time we do have.

OP isn't askng for the "right answer." OP thinks she knows the right answer. She wants to have a little fun here, and in particular she wants to trash herself some Christians. This is obvious from her first post, above. Why are we humoring her?

I think you're being over-sensitive. I'm not OP, but it seems clear to me that s/he is trying to question the legitimacy of any specific religion, when stacked up on the others. Whether Christianity is "right," Judaism, or Islam, or whatever. I come from a Muslim background (atheist now), and didn't see any specific "trashing" of Christianity. You seem too on edge, if that's all you're reading.

[Anonymous]

The name people pray to when the plane is crashing is the way, the truth and the light.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Christianity, Judaism, Islam? Is Jesus the son of god or is Mohammed? What about Joseph Smith? Maybe the Mormons have it right. Is the Bible the true word of God and not the Torah? Do we get to heaven by belief, actions, or martyrdom.

Does anyone else think this is all ridiculous? I respect people but I don't respect silly ideas no matter how old they may be. The way I see it you're all arguing over nothing and wasting what precious time we do have.

OP isn't askng for the "right answer." OP thinks she knows the right answer. She wants to have a little fun here, and in particular she wants to trash herself some Christians. This is obvious from her first post, above. Why are we humoring her?

I think you're being over-sensitive. I'm not OP, but it seems clear to me that s/he is trying to question the legitimacy of any specific religion, when stacked up on the others. Whether Christianity is "right," Judaism, or Islam, or whatever. I come from a Muslim background (atheist now), and didn't see any specific "trashing" of Christianity. You seem too on edge, if that's all you're reading.

It's not about sensitivity, it's about whether this whole thread is a waste of time. OP's very first post claims she knows the answer: it's all ridiculous. OK, fine. But 5 pages? Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Christianity, Judaism, Islam? Is Jesus the son of god or is Mohammed? What about Joseph Smith? Maybe the Mormons have it right. Is the Bible the true word of God and not the Torah? Do we get to heaven by belief, actions, or martyrdom.

Does anyone else think this is all ridiculous? I respect people but I don't respect silly ideas no matter how old they may be. The way I see it you're all arguing over nothing and wasting what precious time we do have.

OP isn't askng for the "right answer." OP thinks she knows the right answer. She wants to have a little fun here, and in particular she wants to trash herself some Christians. This is obvious from her first post, above. Why are we humoring her?

I think you're being over-sensitive. I'm not OP, but it seems clear to me that s/he is trying to question the legitimacy of any specific religion, when stacked up on the others. Whether Christianity is "right," Judaism, or Islam, or whatever. I come from a Muslim background (atheist now), and didn't see any specific "trashing" of Christianity. You seem too on edge, if that's all you're reading.

It's not about sensitivity, it's about whether this whole thread is a waste of time. OP's very first post claims she knows the answer: it's all ridiculous. OK, fine. But 5 pages? Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

Yet, do you keep commenting and replying? If so, that's some bigtime cognitive dissonance. It doesn't make you any different from the OP, if you keep trying to counter people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Christianity, Judaism, Islam? Is Jesus the son of god or is Mohammed? What about Joseph Smith? Maybe the Mormons have it right. Is the Bible the true word of God and not the Torah? Do we get to heaven by belief, actions, or martyrdom.

Does anyone else think this is all ridiculous? I respect people but I don't respect silly ideas no matter how old they may be. The way I see it you're all arguing over nothing and wasting what precious time we do have.

OP isn't askng for the "right answer." OP thinks she knows the right answer. She wants to have a little fun here, and in particular she wants to trash herself some Christians. This is obvious from her first post, above. Why are we humoring her?

I think you're being over-sensitive. I'm not OP, but it seems clear to me that s/he is trying to question the legitimacy of any specific religion, when stacked up on the others. Whether Christianity is "right," Judaism, or Islam, or whatever. I come from a Muslim background (atheist now), and didn't see any specific "trashing" of Christianity. You seem too on edge, if that's all you're reading.

It's not about sensitivity, it's about whether this whole thread is a waste of time. OP's very first post claims she knows the answer: it's all ridiculous. OK, fine. But 5 pages? Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

PS, if OP is actually concerned about "wasting everybody's precious time," then she's guilty of it herself by dint of starting this thread and then trolling about how Jesus existed. My point is, I'm taking my precious time elsewhere, although others can waste time here if they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost no scholar disputes that Jesus existed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus

but some do and even so "existing" isn't being the son of god or even a revered figure in his time. Paul made Jesus and the virgin birth/son of god/ resurrection stories are straight out of earlier mythologies.

Jesus's existence is close to indisputable--you can feel free to cling to your view that ,maybe he was completely legendary, but the weight of evidence is strongly against you. History can say nothing about whether he was the don of God or not. Was he a revered figure in his time? Probably a bit of love-hate. He had passionate followers, who ardently spread his message following his death. He was hailed as he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. But a mere few days later the crowds were crying for hm to be crucified. So clear a lot of people even outside the Sanhedrin did not revere him--quite the opposite.

Yes--virgin birth was a theme present at that time. In Mithraism, for example. Virgin birth emphasized the importance of the matrilineal line, a much more ancient arrangement than a patrilineal arrangement. In the New Testament the matrilineal line links Jesus to the House of David.

Yes, there was a theme of resurrection--Osiris for one, Or look at Achilles in the Iliad who disappears from the scene of battle for a prolonged period, only to come back in a blaze of glory, which may have primeval reference to the disappearance of Sirius from human view in the northern hemisphere for a period of time many millenia ago. Tamuz for another, which may have been the inspiration for Persephone, or perhaps that latter arose separately. Both are rooted in the resurrection of the earth every year in spring after it dies during winter.

So the story of Jesus embeds primal ways of thinking reflective of humans' earliest consciousness--so what?

So that's no reason to "believe" in him; no reason to teach children that he's the one true god and the one path to salvation, under pain of hell; no reason to state there is firm evidence for him as God when there is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Christianity, Judaism, Islam? Is Jesus the son of god or is Mohammed? What about Joseph Smith? Maybe the Mormons have it right. Is the Bible the true word of God and not the Torah? Do we get to heaven by belief, actions, or martyrdom.

Does anyone else think this is all ridiculous? I respect people but I don't respect silly ideas no matter how old they may be. The way I see it you're all arguing over nothing and wasting what precious time we do have.

OP isn't askng for the "right answer." OP thinks she knows the right answer. She wants to have a little fun here, and in particular she wants to trash herself some Christians. This is obvious from her first post, above. Why are we humoring her?

I think you're being over-sensitive. I'm not OP, but it seems clear to me that s/he is trying to question the legitimacy of any specific religion, when stacked up on the others. Whether Christianity is "right," Judaism, or Islam, or whatever. I come from a Muslim background (atheist now), and didn't see any specific "trashing" of Christianity. You seem too on edge, if that's all you're reading.

It's not about sensitivity, it's about whether this whole thread is a waste of time. OP's very first post claims she knows the answer: it's all ridiculous. OK, fine. But 5 pages? Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

There's plenty to see here -- but you don't like it, so have spent a lot of time trying to discredit it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Christianity, Judaism, Islam? Is Jesus the son of god or is Mohammed? What about Joseph Smith? Maybe the Mormons have it right. Is the Bible the true word of God and not the Torah? Do we get to heaven by belief, actions, or martyrdom.

Does anyone else think this is all ridiculous? I respect people but I don't respect silly ideas no matter how old they may be. The way I see it you're all arguing over nothing and wasting what precious time we do have.

OP isn't askng for the "right answer." OP thinks she knows the right answer. She wants to have a little fun here, and in particular she wants to trash herself some Christians. This is obvious from her first post, above. Why are we humoring her?

I think you're being over-sensitive. I'm not OP, but it seems clear to me that s/he is trying to question the legitimacy of any specific religion, when stacked up on the others. Whether Christianity is "right," Judaism, or Islam, or whatever. I come from a Muslim background (atheist now), and didn't see any specific "trashing" of Christianity. You seem too on edge, if that's all you're reading.

It's not about sensitivity, it's about whether this whole thread is a waste of time. OP's very first post claims she knows the answer: it's all ridiculous. OK, fine. But 5 pages? Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

Yet, do you keep commenting and replying? If so, that's some bigtime cognitive dissonance. It doesn't make you any different from the OP, if you keep trying to counter people.

Dear OP: cognitive dissonance = you pretending not to understand when someone side-steps your non-substance and instead points out what a waste of space your thread is. You're welcome!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Christianity, Judaism, Islam? Is Jesus the son of god or is Mohammed? What about Joseph Smith? Maybe the Mormons have it right. Is the Bible the true word of God and not the Torah? Do we get to heaven by belief, actions, or martyrdom.

Does anyone else think this is all ridiculous? I respect people but I don't respect silly ideas no matter how old they may be. The way I see it you're all arguing over nothing and wasting what precious time we do have.

OP isn't askng for the "right answer." OP thinks she knows the right answer. She wants to have a little fun here, and in particular she wants to trash herself some Christians. This is obvious from her first post, above. Why are we humoring her?

I think you're being over-sensitive. I'm not OP, but it seems clear to me that s/he is trying to question the legitimacy of any specific religion, when stacked up on the others. Whether Christianity is "right," Judaism, or Islam, or whatever. I come from a Muslim background (atheist now), and didn't see any specific "trashing" of Christianity. You seem too on edge, if that's all you're reading.

It's not about sensitivity, it's about whether this whole thread is a waste of time. OP's very first post claims she knows the answer: it's all ridiculous. OK, fine. But 5 pages? Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

Yet, do you keep commenting and replying? If so, that's some bigtime cognitive dissonance. It doesn't make you any different from the OP, if you keep trying to counter people.

Dear OP: cognitive dissonance = you pretending not to understand when someone side-steps your non-substance and instead points out what a waste of space your thread is. You're welcome!

Ask Jeff - I'm not OP. Go for it. Knock yourself out.

But please go on claiming you're somehow different in motivation than OP, by responding and cajoling these ideas, when you know no one's mind is going to be changed - you just want to have the last word (yet complain why these threads go on and on).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, appeared again to many and then ascended into Heaven? Diety there is rather convincing to me.

yes, and the Mormons say Jesus appeared in Ohio in 1850. So that's rather convincing to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The name people pray to when the plane is crashing is the way, the truth and the light.

Bingo. I have to agree with you on this one. I've done it myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Christianity, Judaism, Islam? Is Jesus the son of god or is Mohammed? What about Joseph Smith? Maybe the Mormons have it right. Is the Bible the true word of God and not the Torah? Do we get to heaven by belief, actions, or martyrdom.

Does anyone else think this is all ridiculous? I respect people but I don't respect silly ideas no matter how old they may be. The way I see it you're all arguing over nothing and wasting what precious time we do have.

OP isn't askng for the "right answer." OP thinks she knows the right answer. She wants to have a little fun here, and in particular she wants to trash herself some Christians. This is obvious from her first post, above. Why are we humoring her?

Have you heard of Christian humanism? It's taking the good parts of Christianity - kindness, love, compassion, etc as a basis for living, without the supernatural/mythical elements. Jews do it too -- in fact they are more organized at this point -- they have humanistic congregations around the country - one in DC.

I agree with you completely about the Christian humanists. OP isn't a Christian humanist, though--she claimed Jesus "never existed" and then she moved on to "ok, well, um, maybe he existed but he wasn't divine, and wanna talk about the Romans forcing people to be Christian, huh, huh?" only after several posters provided links about his existence. OP has her own reasons for thinking this is amusing, but OP's little game seems like a pointless waste of time for anybody besides OP.

Why don't we talk with actual Christian humanists, instead? At least we'd get past "Jesus never existed, nyah, nyah!" Maybe we could get into some points on what Jesus actually said. I'm all for looking into the historical, pre-350AD Jesus. I just think we're all wasting our time on OP's childish games.

It's you, not OP who used the childish "Jesus never existed, nyah, nyah" - perhaps reflecting your reaction to disturbing info about evidence for Jesus claims of his divinity. There are scholars in the Jesus seminar who have been working for years to flesh out the human Jesus from the mythical, divine one. Even so, the modern question becomes what to do about Christian belief with a non-supernatural Jesus. Why worship such a person? or any person?

[Anonymous]

OP, do really think you're talking to a single person? You kinda suck at this trolling thing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it Christianity, Judaism, Islam? Is Jesus the son of god or is Mohammed? What about Joseph Smith? Maybe the Mormons have it right. Is the Bible the true word of God and not the Torah? Do we get to heaven by belief, actions, or martyrdom.

Does anyone else think this is all ridiculous? I respect people but I don't respect silly ideas no matter how old they may be. The way I see it you're all arguing over nothing and wasting what precious time we do have.

OP isn't askng for the "right answer." OP thinks she knows the right answer. She wants to have a little fun here, and in particular she wants to trash herself some Christians. This is obvious from her first post, above. Why are we humoring her?

I think you're being over-sensitive. I'm not OP, but it seems clear to me that s/he is trying to question the legitimacy of any specific religion, when stacked up on the others. Whether Christianity is "right," Judaism, or Islam, or whatever. I come from a Muslim background (atheist now), and didn't see any specific "trashing" of Christianity. You seem too on edge, if that's all you're reading.

It's not about sensitivity, it's about whether this whole thread is a waste of time. OP's very first post claims she knows the answer: it's all ridiculous. OK, fine. But 5 pages? Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

Yet, do you keep commenting and replying? If so, that's some bigtime cognitive dissonance. It doesn't make you any different from the OP, if you keep trying to counter people.

Dear OP: cognitive dissonance = you pretending not to understand when someone side-steps your non-substance and instead points out what a waste of space your thread is. You're welcome!

Ask Jeff - I'm not OP. Go for it. Knock yourself out.

But please go on claiming you're somehow different in motivation than OP, by responding and cajoling these ideas, when you know no one's mind is going to be changed - you just want to have the last word (yet complain why these threads go on and on).

Ask Jeff what? Why this appeal to authority and what kind of authority does a webmaster have over religious discussions?

As for minds being changed -- this is exactly how it happens -- with increased discussion and exposure to new information and new ways of thinking about things. Not just on this subject, but on any subject.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How about the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, appeared again to many and then ascended into Heaven? Diety there is rather convincing to me.

yes, and the Mormons say Jesus appeared in Ohio in 1850. So that's rather convincing to me.

and all those people who saw the loch ness monster.