Is there a God? What do YOU think???

[Queso]

ah, i guess i read unreadable wrong. how ironic. anyway, i still consider it unreliable.

[Buffy]

If you are referring to Buffy's quote above, she did not suggest it was unreliable. She suggested it is unreadable. That is a little hyperbolic, but a fair description for trying to plow through Leviticus. But:If Buffy has actually read the "entire" Bible (including Leviticus!!) a couple of dozen times, she deserves an award. (Congrats, Buffy.)

 

I contend the Bible (though some will certainly disagree) is a highly reliable book by any standard for ancient texts.

Contend you may, but there's no way to back up most of it historically one way or the other. It is one of the most misinterpreted texts in history. I'd refer you to the Dr. Alter's book mentioned above. I took his comparitive lit class at Berkeley (which was on Biblical references in late 19th and early-mid 20th century American lit), and he has facinating interpretations based on ancient Hebrew idioms that make it clear that King James and other more modern translations of the Old Testament are even more funny than a microwave oven manual transliterated from Chinese: original meanings are *completely* obliterated. There's something to the Muslim belief that the Koran can only really be appreciated in Arabic.

 

I loved Finnegan's Wake, so I think I'm a natural reader of the unreadable Bible...

 

Begat, Begat, Begat, Begat, Begat, Begat, Begat, Begat, Begat, Begat!

Buffy

[Biochemist]

Contend you may, but there's no way to back up most of it historically one way or the other. It is one of the most misinterpreted texts in history.

I CERTAINLY agree with this.

I'd refer you to the Dr. Alter's book mentioned above. I took his comparitive lit class at Berkeley (which was on Biblical references in late 19th and early-mid 20th century American lit), and he has facinating interpretations based on ancient Hebrew idioms that make it clear that King James and other more modern translations of the Old Testament are even more funny than a microwave oven manual transliterated from Chinese: original meanings are *completely* obliterated.

We didn't do a whole lot better on the New testament either, although I think the NASB is a pretty good translation of the NT

I loved Finnegan's Wake, so I think I'm a natural reader of the unreadable Bible...

And I admire any James Joyce fan. Or any writer that wears an eye patch, for that matter. Aargh.

 

You've now prompted me to read not only your book mentioned above, but also Finnegan's Wake.

[bumab]

Finnegan's Wake is a great book, and probably THE most difficult to read EVER. It's a literary challange, that's for sure. It usually makes the top 5 in many "Greatest Works" lists, though.

[lindagarrette]

I loved Finnegan's Wake, so I think I'm a natural reader of the unreadable Bible...

Buffy

I never knew anyone who actually read Finnegan's Wake. I struggled through the abridged version with an annotated guide. It was fun to see what parts I could figure out for myself. But don't ask me for a book review! I don't think the Bible is very mysterious if you look at one version and don't try to analyze it.

[stringwalker]

I answered "I believe that God is part of everything and everything is part of God." because I need to see it to believe it and the closest humans have to proving anything is science. Science is the only thing everyone can agree on because it is backed up with realistic conclusions. With all the knowledge I acquired over the years I honestly think that God is the laws that makes the universe as it is. All the laws we have discovered are peices of the portrait of God and once they are all found them all then we will lose our ingorance therefore become one with God.

 

For all we know Christianity can actually be part of these laws but that i doubt. The bible is not enough for me to dedicate all my beliefs to Jesus Christ but if he becomes a renounceable fact, then I believe in what is true. In my perspective faith and truth work hand in hand to create a unity and only once we realized how these two different things are the same, we will lose our ignorance and therefore our humanity.

 

Or maybe I'm crazy.

[Fluffy]

I picked A because I don't believe in any type of god, personal or otherwise. I find religions facinating but the scientific part of me won't let me believe.

[Queso]

Or maybe I'm crazy.

;) maybe.. ;)

[Stargazer]

I read the first two pages of Finnegan's Wake, and I didn't understand anything. Not one bit. The text was surprisingly easy to read, but curiously hard to understand.

[bumab]

Stream of conciousness writing. It's quite something alright, but worth the acolades.

[gskeshavan]

<b>GOD!!!</b>

is not the one who saves your life when you meet with an accident or gives you a better grade when you have not done well in your exams.

 

There is a famous quote;

"God helps those who help themselves."

 

Now, this quote is true. If you work hard for anything that you like you will obviously succeed in that. When you are helping yourself, you save yourself and not GOD who saves your life.

So, you are the GOD for yourself . You decide anthing and everything and it is not god who does that. I think you understand this.

 

Thank You!!!

[Boerseun]

No.

[eMTee]

yes

[Queso]

 

There is a famous quote;

"God helps those who help themselves."

 

alright, first step is to take the thought of god and think of it metaphorically, and as if he is a legend. after you have thought, and established that, you'll pretty much just get it

that's about the best way i can explain whatever i'm trying to say.

 

 

Thank You!!!

sure ;)

[eMTee]

There is a famous quote;

"God helps those who help themselves."

 

Ok..I'll take your answer by your explaination to that famous quote meaning that you say "no" to the question of this thread.

 

That quote had a meaning other that your suposed answer.

 

Supose you help someone out of Financial trouble if they asked you, and you gave them a job, what if they didn't want thejob, or to even work at all, and desired you to just to give them the money? supose all he did was sit at home watching T.V. not because is a handicap, but because he just doesn't want to do anything but that.

 

The logic behind that statment is not to be lazy, but to be active. What would happen with your child if you let him or her do whatever he or she wanted to do..and gave them whatever they asked of you? they would grow up wrotten, expecting everything with no effert. The Bible says that he helps them who helps themselves. meaning he helps them who arent lazy.

 

What is Elvis Presley? a legend

[niviene]

I don't know... I consider myself searching for what I believe in relation to God (and, provided there is, that the rapture doesn't happen before I make up my mind ;)) Sorry, had to include that... picked up a few more copies of the Left Behind series to read over my break.

 

Anyway, I have been thinking lately of something else. I was thinking... Well... Christianity. Why not? The principles ask that followers live what I consider to be a morally sound life; at least if masses of people believe in this, the world would not be worse off (in what my opinion of better and worse are). So, what if there is some truth behind this stuff... what if some guys got together and thought up what would be the best way to get people to live in morally fit lives, back in the days when morality was questionable, if not nonexistant (in my relative terms)? They would have been able to start spreading the Word of God. Perhaps Jesus (who I do believe to have existed, regardless) was just a very intelligent person who caught on to this and decided to live the life, personified, and sacrificed himself to give major merit to the story, in hopes of making a better world for his society at the time. Forgive me if I offend anyone, I am merely sharing some of my thoughts here. I mean, think about it - back then, there was no major communications other than word of mouth, and if a few people came up with something and stuck to it, others would follow in that path and it would grow and become alive. So maybe God exists as an idea/ideal. I look at the ten commandments and think that they are generally good rules to live by - religious or not. (Well, it's hard not to be religious about the whole not worshipping other gods, but you get me...) Has anyone else ever thought anything like this? I know this might sound really degrading, but I say it only to make a point - but I equate this train of thought to my experiences playing with a Ouija board. Anyone who has knows that there is always somebody there who pushes the little plasatic thing, and even though everybody playing knows it, everybody acts like they are all freaked out and excited.

 

Anyway, as I said, I am seriously looking into my psyche to find out what it is I believe. I'm not sure really if I believe God exists (or in what form I believe her to exist; as a deity, as the universe, as an idea; as an ice cream cone...). I am very grateful, however, to be in a time and place where I am free to discuss openly my thoughts on the subject and to hear others.

[eMTee]

I don't know... I consider myself searching for what I believe in relation to God (and, provided there is, that the rapture doesn't happen before I make up my mind )

You better choose to have faith and trust in Christ as personal Lord and Savior before the rapture, or else you will, be left behind, then after that..you (as a person who heard the gospel, and rejected it, before the rapture) may be lured into the teaching of the anti-christ.

 

To not have made up your mind, is a making up of your mind to not believe.

 

If you have any questions, feal free to ask.