Religion and the greatest story ever told..

[Helios]

Wow, where to begin on this subject? It would take me hours to accurately explain the Truth. Explaining the Truth or the Word to someone who has not spiritual eyes and ears to comprehend is like trying to explain the colors of a rainbow to a man who has been blind since birth. God Word is really not an intellectual or historical understanding. Only those that have been so called "born again" can truly hear and understand the Word of God. Basically God's Grace has to be bestowed upon those He chooses to be one in His kingdom. It is not by man's desire but Gods will. The Word of God or us some call it the Bible has its own spiritual language that reaches the deepness of a man's heart or as some call it his soul. It does not matter if the translation is English, Hebrew, Greek, Russian or what ever. Although the words maybe printed in theses text's the power that come from the words are spiritual in nature. The gaol of the enemy or the accuser of the brethren is to counterfeit everything God has done to lead people astray. This why you see some text that out dates the Bible by a substantial amount of years. Although the servant Moses penned (by the inspiration of The Holy Spirit) the early parts of the Bible long after the timeline of events in the Bible. Such recordings are for the express purpose of God Word upon His children and not of the world a.k.a. the unsaved. So unless your are a believer and have been awaken by the Grace of God, it is pointless to discuss the Word to those that do not seek its Truth. Like I said, its like explaining color to blind man who has never seen color since birth.

He must find it difficult, who has taken authority as the truth, instead of truth as the authority.

 

[jillian]

Let me rephrase ... it is not your position that the Old Testament is a historical accounting of certain persons and events in Jewish history?

My *belief* is that the OT is allegory which references certain actual events and people, but is largely intended to teach spiritual and moral lessons. Some also believe that even the people referenced in the bible are representative of the sephirot, or the emanations or characteristics of G-d.

 

[jillian]

Wow, where to begin on this subject? It would take me hours to accurately explain the Truth. Explaining the Truth or the Word to someone who has not spiritual eyes and ears to comprehend is like trying to explain the colors of a rainbow to a man who has been blind since birth. God Word is really not an intellectual or historical understanding. Only those that have been so called "born again" can truly hear and understand the Word of God. Basically God's Grace has to be bestowed upon those He chooses to be one in His kingdom. It is not by man's desire but Gods will. The Word of God or us some call it the Bible has its own spiritual language that reaches the deepness of a man's heart or as some call it his soul. It does not matter if the translation is English, Hebrew, Greek, Russian or what ever. Although the words maybe printed in theses text's the power that come from the words are spiritual in nature. The gaol of the enemy or the accuser of the brethren is to counterfeit everything God has done to lead people astray. This why you see some text that out dates the Bible by a substantial amount of years. Although the servant Moses penned (by the inspiration of The Holy Spirit) the early parts of the Bible long after the timeline of events in the Bible. Such recordings are for the express purpose of God Word upon His children and not of the world a.k.a. the unsaved. So unless your are a believer and have been awaken by the Grace of God, it is pointless to discuss the Word to those that do not seek its Truth. Like I said, its like explaining color to blind man who has never seen color since birth.

You know, it's a fine thing to have faith. It's the absurdity of your not understanding that everyone thinks their faith is as valid as you do that is pretty offensive, no, make that arrogant beyond belief.

I figure that religion is different languages we use to speak with G-d and he's multi-lingual.

Truth? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.........

 

[Gunny]

My *belief* is that the OT is allegory which references certain actual events and people, but is largely intended to teach spiritual and moral lessons. Some also believe that even the people referenced in the bible are representative of the sephirot, or the emanations or characteristics of G-d.

Is that the belief of your religion? Or your personal opinion?

 

[jillian]

Is that the belief of your religion? Or your personal opinion?

The first part is the belief of conservative judaism as I was taught it.

The second part is mostly from kabbalah.

 

[Helios]

The first part is the belief of conservative judaism as I was taught it.

The second part is mostly from kabbalah.

Wow, who would have thought.... I agree with Judaism on this one..

 

[Diuretic]

Humans have a need for the human invention called "religion". Because we're sentient, rational beings we need to have some rationale for existence. So we invented religion. Having a religion and (an) object(s) of worship gives us hope that there's something greater than us and that there will be life after death.

 

[Helios]

Humans have a need for the human invention called "religion". Because we're sentient, rational beings we need to have some rationale for existence. So we invented religion. Having a religion and (an) object(s) of worship gives us hope that there's something greater than us and that there will be life after death.

People who live their life restrained by fantasies are just dying one minute at a time. Life is the best thing that ever happened to the atoms that form your decaying biomass, so make the best of it. A belief in an afterlife merely restrains how much people care about their current life. There is no second chances, you get one shot at this "life" thing.

 

[Paulie]

3 actual roman historians documented the life of Jesus, and they always referred to him as "Christus," "Christos," or "Christ" which means "Annointed One" and does not in any way prove Jesus' divine birth or anything else for that matter. They could have been talking about anyone... and what are the chances that someone actually relived Horus' life... exactly as it had been set in hieroglyphics 1000's of years before Jesus was born....?

There were many other characters throughout history that have been described in the same way Jesus was described, with the same premise of virgin birth, 12 followers, died and then resurrected, etc..

When Jesus is symbolized with a fish, it's because we're in the age of Pisces right now, in regards to where the sun is passing through the astrological constellations. Soon, we'll be in the age of Aquarius. And I assume, after world wide destruction from wars, and people have forgotten history once again, there will be yet another "annoited one".

 

[Helios]

There were many other characters throughout history that have been described in the same way Jesus was described, with the same premise of virgin birth, 12 followers, died and then resurrected, etc..

When Jesus is symbolized with a fish, it's because we're in the age of Pisces right now, in regards to where the sun is passing through the astrological constellations. Soon, we'll be in the age of Aquarius. And I assume, after world wide destruction from wars, and people have forgotten history once again, there will be yet another "annoited one".

Here's the breakdown of the "ages" mentioned in the Bible.

From 4300 b.c. to 2150 b.c., it was the Age of Taurus, the Bull. From 2150 b.c. to 1 a.d., it was the Age of Aries, the Ram, and from 1 a.d. to 2150 a.d. it is the Age of Pisces, the age we are still in to this day, and in and around 2150, we will enter the new age: the Age of Aquarius.

www.zeitgeistmovie.com/transcript


"Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water... follow him into the house where he entereth in."
Luke 22:10

"Man... bearing a pitcher of water" refers to Aquarius, Jesus is telling his followers that after the age of Pisces, will come the age of Aquarius.

 

[Paulie]

Humans have a need for the human invention called "religion". Because we're sentient, rational beings we need to have some rationale for existence. So we invented religion. Having a religion and (an) object(s) of worship gives us hope that there's something greater than us and that there will be life after death.

The question you need to ask is, where did the idea originate from that "god" was up above, in the heavens, and that he "came down" to Earth?

Why always a reference to "above"? Where did this all start?

 

[Dr Grump]

The question you need to ask is, where did the idea originate from that "god" was up above, in the heavens, and that he "came down" to Earth?

Why always a reference to "above"? Where did this all start?

Or you don't have to ask anything. Just look at the history of man and see that god(s) have been around since Adam... ...in one form or another..

 

[Helios]

The question you need to ask is, where did the idea originate from that "god" was up above, in the heavens, and that he "came down" to Earth?

Why always a reference to "above"? Where did this all start?

The SUN of God to the Son of God. It ain't exactly a big stretch.

 

[mattskramer]

The question you need to ask is, where did the idea originate from that "god" was up above, in the heavens, and that he "came down" to Earth?

Why always a reference to "above"? Where did this all start?

It comes from egocentric reasoning (a lack of “relative” understanding). Below me is dirty ground. Above me is beautiful blue sky (provided Zeus is not angry). The ironic thing is that what direction to me is up would be down according to the person on the other side of the earth (particularly if one considers the Earth and a little bit of sky to be all that there is in our universe).

By the way, when I was very young I used to think that north was always up or straight ahead (since that is what it looked like when I held up a map).

 

[Diuretic]

People who live their life restrained by fantasies are just dying one minute at a time. Life is the best thing that ever happened to the atoms that form your decaying biomass, so make the best of it. A belief in an afterlife merely restrains how much people care about their current life. There is no second chances, you get one shot at this "life" thing.

Humans are capable of the greatest self-delusion in order to achieve some sort of mental equilibrium.

 

[shepherdboy]

He must find it difficult, who has taken authority as the truth, instead of truth as the authority.

Like I said you must have spiritual eyes and ears bestowed upon you from God to hear and understand His Word.

 

[Gunny]

The first part is the belief of conservative judaism as I was taught it.

The second part is mostly from kabbalah.

LOL ... you need to quit using words that sound like aliens on Star Trek. What exactly is a kabbalah?

 

[Helios]

LOL ... you need to quit using words that sound like aliens on Star Trek. What exactly is a kabbalah?

Kabbalah (Hebrew: קַבָּלָה‎,) is the mystical aspect of Judaism. It refers to a set of esoteric teachings and mystical practices that form an additional level within traditional Jewish interpretations of the Tanakh and religious observances.

Torah study is traditionally divided into three levels, while Kabbalah followers add a fourth:

* Peshat, the surface meaning of the text;

* Remez, allusions or allegories in the text;

* Derash, a rabbinic or midrashic way of reading new lessons into the text;

* Sod, the hidden esoteric reading of the inner secrets of Torah.

Kabbalah is considered, by its followers, as a necessary part of the study of Torah -- the study of Torah (the Law of God) being an inherent duty of observant Jews [1]. It is the study of the inner meaning of Torah, and the inner secrets of Torah (Sod); and it is a set of beliefs [2] followed by some Jews as containing the true meaning of Judaism, while rejected by other Jews as heretical and contrary to Judaism.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabbalah

 

[Diuretic]

So, is kabbalah a form of hermeneutics?

 

[Gunny]

Humans are capable of the greatest self-delusion in order to achieve some sort of mental equilibrium.

I totally agree, but I'd be willing to bet the farm we disagree on the specifics of the self-delusion.